PPRP logo

Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard

 
In 2004, a renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) was established for the State of Maryland. The RPS requires that a proportion of all retail electricity sales in Maryland come from two major groups of renewable resources:

  • Tier 1 resources: geothermal, hydro facilities under 30 MW, methane, ocean, qualifying biomass, solar, wind, and fuel cells.
  • Tier 2 resources: municipal waste-to-energy projects, poultry litter, and existing hydro facilities over 30 MW. Tier 1 resources can be substituted for Tier 2 resources to satisfy RPS requirements.

    In the Mid-Atlantic, generation costs (which do not include the costs to transmit and deliver the power) are currently in the range of 4 to 6 cents per kWh for wind power and landfill methane resources; the cost of other renewable energy technologies is typically higher. Long-term competitive opportunities for power from renewable resources will develop when the technologies can offer power in the range of 3 to 4 cents per kWh.

    As of 2004, Maryland generated 7 percent of its electric energy from hydroelectric and other renewable energy sources, compared to 1.8 percent in the PJM region.

    Renewable Energy Cost Trends

    Previous Next

    • Return to the Fact Book Home Page
    Return to the Maryland DNR Home Page
    Return to the Power Plant Research Program Page
    Return to the PPRP Program Activities Page
    This page was updated on Sept 27, 2006.