Clean Energy Commitments

Clean Energy Act mandates

Increase and extended the RPS requirement to 100% by 2032, with the solar energy requirement rising to 5.5% by 2032 and increasing to 10% by 2041 (CEDC Act of 2018, Section 101(b)(1)).

Working to meet the mandates

The Commission has several cases working to expand renewable energy generation in and around the District. The Commission approved a pilot project for Pepco, as the default service provider, to procure renewable energy through long-term power purchase agreements (PPA) for electricity generated by solar or wind power facilities located within the PJM Interconnection region with a target quantity of 5% of the Standard Offer Service load.

The Commission is also working to make it easier to build renewable energy systems in the District through improvements to distribution system interconnection processes. These improvements include creating an online portal for RPS applications that improve efficiency in the certification of renewable energy systems.
 
The Commission also increased the generation threshold for renewable energy facilities participating in net energy metering (NEM) to go beyond 100% of the customer’s historical usage and customer payment for excess generation. A renewable energy system participating in NEM can increase the generation threshold by 20% annually, starting in 2020, until the generation threshold reaches 200% in 2024.
 
The Commission is improving the Community Renewable Energy Facility (CREF) interconnection process and investigating the implementation of smart inverters.
 
The Commission also ensures electricity suppliers are compliant with the RPS standard.

Relevant cases

FC1017, RM40-2020-01/FC1050, FC1130, RM9-2020-03, RM29-2019-01

Status

Pepco issued a renewable energy procurement for the 5% PPA on October 15, 2020. An Independent Evaluator oversaw the process to assure a fair bidding process. Pepco received proposals in 2021 and continues to engage potential counterparties. Pepco is expected to submit an executed agreement to the Commission for action upon completion of its negotiations. The Commission will continue monitoring Pepco’s efforts on this matter.
 
The Commission issued a final rulemaking which included enhancements to foster CREF expansion, including an annual $500,000 for CREF system upgrades or funds allocated to cover up to $25,000 per project of Pepco investment needed to cover distribution system upgrade costs (up to 50% of the total upgrade costs per project).

The Commission conducted two workshops in 2020 on IEEE 1547-2018 regarding DER/smart inverter implementation. The Commission also revised its rules eliminating the requirement that CREFs be directly connected to the electric company’s distribution system. This change will facilitate the virtual CREF model for CREF interconnection and therefore help to advance the District’s energy and climate goals.

In its 2021 Biennial Report on Fuel Mix, the Commission reported that roughly 12% of the total energy sold in the District was generated from renewable energy sources.
  

Clean Energy Act mandates

The act directs a change in how the Commission supervises and regulates utilities and energy companies as it relates to preserving environmental quality. The revision requires the Commission to also consider the effects on global climate change and the District’s public climate commitments.  (D.C. Official Code §34-808.02)  (CEDC Sec. 103).

Working to meet the mandates

The Commission is running a stakeholder process in GD-2019-04-M to get input from stakeholders on the analytical approach that the Commission should take when considering the effects of a utility proposal on global climate change and the District’s public policy commitments, including whether specific greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting requirements, metrics for GHG emissions reduction, and carbon footprint metrics should be used.

Relevant cases

GD2019-04-M

Status

Stakeholder meetings have already commenced and are divided into three committee: Metrics, Benefit/Cost Analysis, and Reporting. A working group plans to submit a recommendation to the Commission once it completes committee meetings and other work. This is currently expected in late 2021.
  

Clean Energy Act mandates

The act directs the Commission to establish a working group that would recommend long-term and annual energy saving metrics, quantitative performance indicators, and cost-effective standards to the Commission to be applied to energy efficiency and demand response (EEDR) programs. (CEDC Sec. 201 (g) and (h)).

Working to meet the mandates

Through FC1160, the Commission established the EEDR Metrics Working Group which met six times and filed a report, which the Commission accepted, in January 2020 to establish metrics for electric energy efficiency programs, The Commission also directed Pepco and WGL to conduct a Technical Potential Study to inform the Commission about the development of future electricity and natural gas EEDR programs.

The working group also submitted a report to the Commission in April 2021 with recommendations on data sharing and cost recovery.

In August 2021, Pepco filed its EE/DR plan with the Commission that included about $117 million of EE/DR over a 3-year period. The Commission is seeking public input on the plan before making a decision.
 
As a result of the Pepco/Exelon merger commitments, the Commission has advanced a Whole Building Deep Energy Retrofit Program which will modernize affordable multifamily buildings in the District to make them more efficient as well as help fight climate change.
 
As a result of a WGL/AltaGas merger commitment, the Commission approved WGL’s energy efficiency program plan for low- and limited-income residents of multifamily housing in the District. Pepco’s commitment is for $11.25 million and WGL’s is for $4.2 million. These programs preceded any new EE/DR utility-sponsored programs, which may arise from the Clean Energy Act.

Relevant cases

FC1142, FC1148, FC1160

Status

The Commission accepted the FC1148 Task Force’s recommendation in November 2020 to select the International Center for Appropriate & Sustainable Technology (ICAST) as the Whole Building Deep Energy Retrofit Program implementer. The FC1148 Task Force is working to select buildings on which to implement the deep energy retrofits. 

WGL informed the Commission in February 2019 that the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation was selected to run its energy efficiency program in compliance with the merger commitment. The Commission approved the Energy Efficiency Program Plan for Low and Limited-Income District of Columbia Residents in Affordable Multifamily Housing proposed by WGL in November 2019. WGL was directed to file quarterly reports detailing the implementation of the Term No. 3 Plan. WGL filed its final report on the Term No. 3 in April 2021 (because the Term No. 3 Plan had ended) with a summary of the activities undertaken under the Term No. 3 Plan and statistical information about the Term No. 3 Plan.

A working group on Pepco’s PIM’s continues to meet to work on the specifics for Pepco’s PIM’s. The District has around 330MW of total DER resources today that represent about 14% of electric peak load on the city’s distribution system. 

Clean Energy Act mandates

The act notes that the Commission may consider an application by the electric company to promote transportation electrification. (CEDC Section 502(c)(1), (2)).

Working to meet the mandates 

The Commission approved five modified transportation electrification offerings proposed by Pepco:

1. Development of Residential Whole House Time-Of-Use Rate for electric vehicles
2. Make-ready infrastructure for 35 public Smart Level II EVCS
3. Make-ready infrastructure for 20 public DC fast chargers (DCFC)
4. Make-ready infrastructure for two DCFC and 10 Level II EVCS for taxi/rideshare services
5. Make-ready infrastructure for five Level II EVCS and one DFC for public electric buses.

Pepco must also file a detailed EV Market Penetration Study analyzing the distribution of registered EVs by Ward and the deployment of public EVCS by Ward within two years of implementation. The Commission will use this study to assess the effectiveness of the competitive market at serving all parts of the District relative to market demand.

Relevant cases

FC1155, GD2020-02-M

Status

The Commission continues to review and approve any updates that Pepco files to its electric vehicle charging tariff, including R-PIV and PIV-Green tariffs. EV program status quarterly reports began to be filed in July 2020.
  

Clean Energy Act mandates

The act expands the information that the Commission reports to the Council on May 1 of each year to include additional information on compliance fees paid and the total amount of the District’s electric supply that is exempt from certain changes to the Renewable Portfolio Standard.  The act also requires that the Commission make data on solar system interconnection publicly available. (CEDC Section 101 (f)).

Working to meet the mandates 

The Commission annualy submits a Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Report to the D.C. Council  detailing the implementation of the RPS act.
 

Relevant cases

RPSR2020-01-E-80

Status

The Commission published the 2021 Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Report in May 2021.
  

Clean Energy Act mandates

The Commission must share on its website the total amount of solar energy needed to meet the RPS requirements. (CEDC Section 101(f)(1))

Working to meet the mandates

The Commission provides monthly updates on the solar energy available to meet the District's RPS goals on its website.

Relevant cases

N/A

Status

The Commission provides monthly updates on its website. 

Clean Energy Act mandates

The act mandates the Commission expand the uses of the Sustainable Energy Trust, as applicable, to the District Department of Energy & Environment.

Working to meet the mandates

While the Commission is not mandated to help with this goal, upcoming PowerPath DC Pilot Projects may test new technologies and financial strategies that the DC Sustainable Energy Utility could adopt to support its sustainable energy goals.

Relevant cases

GD2020-02-M, FC1130

Status

The PowerPath DC Pilot Projects Governance Board sponsored a call for concept papers proposing energy system modernization pilot projects in support of the PowerPath DC Vision Statement and Guiding Principles.

The governance board continues to review submissions from this call for papers.