Dive Brief:
- California ratepayers could save $750 million a year by buying wind generation from Wyoming, according to a preliminary study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
- For several years, the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority (WIA) has been supporting interstate transmission projects that could deliver wind power from Wyoming to California.
- The WIA is trying to convince California utilities and policymakers that it would be cheaper and increase geographic diversity if the Golden State gets some of its renewables from Wyoming.
Dive Insight:
Wyoming has some of the best wind resources in the U.S. But delivering that power to California is impossible without new interstate power lines. Several have been proposed. TransWest Express believes it can start construction next year and that operations could begin in 2017. However, major permitting and financing hurdles remain.