A band-aid is better than nothing...for now

This summer, the Illinois General Assembly did not take up a full fix to the Illinois renewable portfolio standard (RPS) as had been proposed in the spring.  Instead, it did provide a temporary fix to the current situation by allocating the funding collected from ARES to be used by the Illinois Power Agency.  As the Sierra Club Illinois Chapter announced in its recent newsletter:

The $51 million will help to make payments on existing contracts, but will do little to inspire new development until a permanent fix takes place.  The General Assembly can choose to shift all funds to a single fund controlled only by IPA, or allow utilities to collect all payments for renewable resources.  Either will result in removing the current Renewable Energy Resources Fund over which IPA does not have direct control.  I point out several other fixes in a previous post, but in addition to the RERF fix, the General Assembly should look long and hard at devaluing renewable energy certificates (REC) relative to power purchase from Illinois renewable energy development.

This fall or next spring, the legislature is likely to take up the full fix.  Negotiations are currently underway with Exelon as they are presenting the largest obstacle.  Dropping electricity rates overall, and especially for wind, have put pressure on Exelon nuclear and coal plants.  With the market prices not favorable to the renovations necessary at both anyway, anything that gives greater market share to competing technology is not in Exelon's best interest.  Signs are positive, however, that a solution will present itself soon.  When the time comes, we all need to let our representatives know how much we want them to make sure that cost-effective renewable energy remains a priority for the state.