The Public Utility Commission Thursday released the Statewide Evaluator’s Distributed Generation Potential Study for Pennsylvania highlighting the potential role that distributed generation technologies such as solar and combined heat and power (CHP) can play in Pennsylvania electric distribution companies’ Act 129 Phase III Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Plans.

“I am particularly excited by the study’s identification of CHP as a cost-effective measure for Pennsylvania’s EDCs going forward,” said PUC Chairman Robert F. Powelson during a statement at today’s Public Meeting. “I encourage stakeholders who plan to file comments on the Phase III EE&C Program Tentative Implementation Order to discuss how Pennsylvania EDCs can utilize CHP and the other distributed generation resources addressed in the study in their Phase III EE&C Plans. These resources can provide tremendous value to Pennsylvania utility customers while allowing EDCs to reduce energy demand in a cost-effective manner.”

Comments on the Tentative Implementation Order are due Monday, April 27, 2015. Reply Comments are due May 12, 2015.

In May and October of 2014, the Commission hosted two en banc hearings to examine the development and application of CHP technologies in the Commonwealth.  Panelists and presenters highlighted numerous benefits and applications of CHP in Pennsylvania in the commercial and industrial sectors.

As discussed in greater detail in the study, the Commonwealth can capture approximately $36 million in net benefits and a Total Resource Cost ratio of 1.2 by securing the volume of Base Achievable CHP, in addition to the non-energy benefits to customers such as CO2 emission reductions, grid resiliency, and energy security.

The Philadelphia region, in particular, presents great potential, with approximately $17 million of the achievable $36 million in net benefits possible under the Base Achievable Potential scenario.

For more information, visit the PUC’s Combined Heat and Power and Act 129 webpages.

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4/27/2015