PSB OPENS TWO NEW SPEED DOCKETS

The Vermont Public Service Board has opened up two new dockets to begin implementing the changes to the Standard Offer Program mandated by the Vermont Energy Act of 2012.  Docket No. 7873 will address programmatic changes to the Standard Offer Program while Docket No. 7874 will develop new Standard Offer Prices. 

If you would like to be added to the Service List for these new Dockets, please contact the Clerk of the Vermont Public Service Board at psb.clerk@state.vt.us.

CLICK HERE TO READ ORDER

BIG YEAR FOR STANDARD OFFER PROGRAM

When the Standard Offer Program was enacted by the Vermont Legislature in 2009, projects were given a 3 year commissioning deadline.  Now in 2012, we are seeing a flurry of activity with 4 Standard Offer Projects already commissioned plus an additional 13 projects expected to break ground this year.

The SunGen 2,200 kW solar array in Sharon, Vermont.  Photo by Kale Inoue, May 2012.

 

The SunGen 2,200 kW solar array at sunrise.  Photo by Kale Inoue, May 2012.

NEW ENERGY BILL EXPANDS STANDARD OFFER

On May 18, 2012, Governor Shumlin signed the Vermont Energy Act of 2012 into law.  The new law expands the Standard Offer Program up to 127.5 MW over the next 10 years, with 5 MW beginning April 1, 2013.

CLICK HERE TO READ BILL

KINGSBURY SOLAR GETS COMMISSIONED

VEPP Inc. welcomes our most recent solar facility to come online: Kingsbury Solar, a 50 kW solar array sited in North Montpelier.  Kingsbury Solar was constructed on an unused parking area behind the powerhouse of the Kingsbury Hydroelectric facility.  The owners are pleased to be producing renewable energy from a piece of land that was not arable.  The system was built primarily from locally purchased materials.

The Kingsbury project is a ground mounted system comprised of 216 Evergreen 230 watt modules utilizing six 8,000 watt SMA Sunny Boy inverters mounted on a Sunny Boy Tower just north of the array.

Solar Gain designed and installed the array in order to fulfill the project's no-concrete permitting requirements.  The mounting and racking system is built of pressure-treated lumber, galvanized pipe and aluminum. 

The framing is supported on helical piers with integral screw threads that are driven five feet into the soil, thus eliminating the need for excavation and creating virtually no soil disturbance.  

RPC Power Biomass Project Comes Online

VEPP Inc. is pleased to announce the commissioning of the SPEED Standard Offer Program’s first biomass project.  The RPC Power project was developed by the Rutland Plywood Corporation and is sited at Rutland Plywood’s manufacturing facility in Rutland where they have been manufacturing specialty hardwood composites since 1957. 

Rutland Plywood has used process steam at its Rutland facility for years.  In 2011, Rutland Plywood undertook a number of repairs and upgrades to the boilers and steam management system at the Rutland facility.  As part of these upgrades, a steam turbine and generator were installed in the existing steam boiler system.   Fuel for the boilers is provided by wood waste from the manufacturing process.  

A steam turbine and induction generator designed to match the process steam load and produce about 300 kW of electricity were installed.  In addition to the electric output of the facility, the high pressure steam exits the turbine as low pressure steam and is used to heat various components of the manufacturing process such as vats, condensate tanks, etc.   The design thermal efficiency of the thermal output and the electrical output divided by the heat input of the wood fuel is calculated to be 53%.

RPC Power is one of two biomass facilities to qualify for the SPEED Standard Offer Program.