District of Columbia will get 35% of its power from wind with record Iberdrola deal

Dive Brief:

In a deal expected to save residents $45 million over the next two decades, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) said the city has signed a power purchase agreement with Iberdrola for the entire output of a wind farm in Pennsylvania.
The total purchased will amount of about 125,000 Mwh of clean energy, enough to power 12,000 District homes each year. The deal is the largest wind PPA ever signed by an American city, WAMU reports.
Bowser said the deal puts the city well on its way to reaching a goal to meet half of the District's demand with renewable energy by 2032.

Dive Insight:

In a record deal for an American city, the District of Columbia has agreed to purchase the entire output of Iberdrola Renewables LLC's 46 MW South Chestnut wind farm in southwestern Pennsylvania.

“The District of Columbia is proud to lead the nation in the utilization of affordable, green energy that creates jobs right here at home,” Bowser said in a statement. “The District is well on its way to achieving the Sustainable DC goal of using renewables to satisfy 50% of DC’s energy supply by 2032.”

The wind farm consists of 23 turbines located on private property in three Pennsylvania townships – Georges, Springhill, and Wharton.

"This deal marks a watershed moment for renewable power purchases in our country,” Iberdrola Renewables Vice President Barrett Stambler said. "Not only is the District of Columbia giving its residents what they want, clean and sustainable power, they are getting that power at a very competitive price, helping ensure a secure energy economy for the next generation."

In her statement, Bowser said that in the last three years the Distritct purchased all renewable power via renewable energy certificates. Under the new agreement, the city will directly receive wind power for 35% demand while continuing to utility RECs for the remainder. The goal, according to the city, is “ensuring that 100% of the District’s electricity consumption remains emission-free.”

“Directly sourcing renewable power costs 30% less than fossil fuel-based sources, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 100,000 tons, and protects our city from volatile energy price increases,” said Mark Chambers, sustainability and energy management director at the Department of General Services, which manages the District’s portfolio of government buildings

Over the next two decades, Chambers said the power purchase agreement would avoid the same amount of carbon emissions as removing 18,000 cars from the road every year.