Renewables and Clean Energy Generation

TVA's renewed vision is to be one of the nation's leading providers of low-cost and cleaner energy by 2020. To achieve that vision, TVA is increasing renewable power and clean energy in its generation mix. This will help reduce or avoid emissions and improve regional air quality.

Background

Renewable energy is made from fuels that are sustainable or naturally replenished, such as water, wind, biomass and the sun. While nuclear energy is not renewable, it is considered a "clean" energy source because it does not produce emissions like carbon dioxide.

Key points

In 2010, about 40 percent of TVA’s energy came from clean or carbon-free sources – nuclear, hydro and renewable power. TVA made or bought more than 17 million megawatt-hours of renewable energy in 2010, including hydro, wind, solar, landfill gas and wastewater treatment gas.
As of July 2011, TVA’s owned and purchased renewable energy capacity is nearly 4,800 megawatts, including hydro, with commitments to add nearly 1,300 megawatts of combined wind, solar, landfill, methane and biomass.
TVA is completing Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 2 and expects it to be online in 2013. TVA also has decided to complete Unit 1 at Bellefonte Nuclear Plant by 2020. Both projects support TVA’s renewed vision to provide the region with cleaner, low-cost energy.

Other information

TVA’s Hydro Modernization program has added 565 megawatts of generating capacity to its hydroelectric dams, TVA’s first source of renewable energy.
TVA’s renewable wind resources include contracts with eight Midwestern wind farms for the purchase of about 1,500 megawatts of renewable wind energy. TVA also has contracted to purchase almost 5 megawatts from the Chestnut Ridge Landfill Gas facility north of Knoxville and 5 megawatts from the West Tennessee Solar Farm now under construction.
In 2000, TVA became the first utility in the Southeast to offer consumers the choice to purchase renewable energy. As of July 2011, the Green Power Switch program has about 11,000 participants through 116 participating TVA power distributors. For the Green Power Switch program, TVA developed the Southeast’s first wind farm and built more than a dozen solar sites and a methane gas co-firing site, all within the TVA region.
Launched in 2003, TVA’s Generation Partners pilot program supports homeowners and businesses that install renewable generating resources of their own of 50 kilowatts or less, including wind, low-impact hydro, biomass and solar. Through August 2011, the program had 121 participating distributors, 658 installations and more than 23 megawatts of capacity in operation.
TVA has issued a Renewable Standard Offer to purchase energy from solar, wind, methane and biomass projects ranging from greater than 50 kilowatts to 20 megawatts. TVA will buy the energy at fixed rates from 4 to 16 cents per kilowatt-hour (varies by season, day, and time of day). Since its launch in October 2010, the Standard Offer has five projects with the potential for nine megawatts of renewable generation.

September 2011