Utah’s Rise in Renewable Energy

At Innovative Solar Systems LLC (ISS), we are excited to see accelerated growth happening within our industry. ISS keeps up to date on all the many states where we are currently developing projects. With Utah being a prime example of a state harnessing and capitalizing upon its natural resources. According to Deseret News, “…Utah is accelerating its adoption of solar energy production because it is among the best states in the country for sunshine.”  Small scale solar energy produced on residential and commercial rooftops, has nearly tripled from 2014 to 2018. While “… utility-scale generation grew seventy-fourfold from 2009 to 2018.”

Energy Information Administration said “Electrical generation from all solar facilities in Utah accounted for nearly half the state’s renewable energy generation. That generation, the profile said, was 25 times greater in 2017 than in 2015.” It looks as though those numbers will only continue to grow with Utah set to “… add a significant chunk of even more solar power generation with five solar projects that will come online in 2020.”  Along with this growth, legislation has just been passed by the House and Senate with the goal of a net-100% renewable energy by 2030.

According to Utah Clean Energy “House Bill 411 (HB 411) – Community Renewable Energy Act authorizes a path for Utah municipalities and counties to achieve a net-100% renewable energy portfolio by 2030. Communities will initially “opt-in” all Rocky Mountain Power electricity.” Currently, coal accounts for 60 percent of the electricity production within the state. “Historically, coal and gas have dominated the least-cost requirement, but no longer. This is due to the fact that falling prices of renewable energy make them cheaper than both existing coal plants and new natural gas plants.” There has been a study recently released which explores the retirement of several coal plants as soon as of 2022.

With such progressive legislation and massive growth within solar energy, the potential is limitless. We at ISS are currently developing a 70mw utility-scale solar farm to help Utah reach these goals. If you would like more information about Innovative Solar Systems LLC and our utility-scale solar farm projects, please call 828-424-7884 or visit innovativesolarsystemsllc.com.

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