Dive Summary:
- The PJM Interconnection might spare customers $6.9 billion if it doubled the amount of wind energy generated, a new study by Americans for a Clean Energy Grid and Synapse Energy Economics report.
- Savings will come from phasing out fossil fuel-fired generation. The capital cost of building wind turbines reveals a benefit that tips in favor of wind energy.
- By the end of 2012, about 3.4% of PJM's total installed capacity came from wind. In 13 years time, with the help of renewable portfolio standards, states within the PJM system will expand their wind energy capacity to 11%.
From the article:
"Bob Fagan, an economist with Synapse Energy Economics who worked on the report, said in a conference call that the study allowed for a significant build-out of transmission to allow this proposed new wind energy development to flow throughout the grid.
"Most of the wind resource is in the eastern portion of PJM," Fagan said. "A significant transmission build-out will be required in the western part of PJM to bring this electricity to market."
