California Adds 250 MW of Renewable Energy the First Quarter of 2014

DTE Energy added 45 MW of biomass

There’s enough new renewable energy in California to power about 100,000 homes, according to the latest Tracking Progress report from the California Energy Commission.

An estimated 250 megawatts (MW) of new wholesale and self-generation renewable energy came online in the first quarter of 2014, bringing California’s total Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) operating capacity to 17,650 MW.

Projects adding capacity include the Genesis Solar Energy Center in Riverside County and the DTE Energy biomass facility at the Port of Stockton.

Genesis Solar added 125 MW of solar

Last year, California added 3,300 MW of new renewable resources, a 20 percent capacity increase since 2012. That’s a lot of numbers to say California is making great progress meeting its clean and renewable energy goals.



The state is expected to have another 2,800 MW of renewable energy projects (those that have permits and utility Power Purchase Agreements) online by the end of this year.

Energy Commission staff estimate that in 2012 California served about 22 percent of retail electricity sales with renewable energy sources.

The RPS requires utilities to increase the amount of renewable electricity in their power mix to 33 percent by 2020.