Western Renewable Energy Zones (WREZ) Project

The Western GovernorsAssociation (WGA), a regional organisation comprising the governors of 19 states and 3 US flag Pacific islands, launched the Western Renewable Energy Zones (WREZ) project in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy in May 2008. The initiative was launched on 28 May 2008 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The project will evaluate all feasible renewable resource technologies that are likely to contribute to the realisation of the goal in WGA’s policy resolution that calls for the development of 30 000 megawatts of clean and diversified energy by 2015. Participating in the project are 11 states, two Canadian provinces, and areas in Mexico that are part of the Western Interconnection. The goal of the WREZ is to generate: 1) reliable information for use by decision-makers that supports the cost-effective and environmentally sensitive development of renewable energy in specified zones, and 2) conceptual transmission plans for delivering that energy to load centres within the Western Interconnection. A number of factors will be considered, including the potential for development, timeframes, common transmission needs and costs. Guiding this initiative will be the WREZ Steering Committee, comprising governors, public utility commissioners and premiers. Officials from the Departments of Energy, Interior and Agriculture, as well as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, will participate as ex officio members.

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