BGE Renewable Energy & Sustainability 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: BGE's parent company Exelon has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by which year?
- 2030
- 2035
- 2050 (Correct answer)
- 2045
Correct answer: 2050
Exelon has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Question 2: Which federal tax credit primarily incentivizes residential customers to install solar panels on their homes?
- Production Tax Credit (PTC)
- Investment Tax Credit (ITC) (Correct answer)
- Alternative Minimum Tax Credit
- Residential Energy Property Credit (REPC)
Correct answer: Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
The Investment Tax Credit (ITC) allows homeowners to deduct a percentage of their solar installation costs from federal taxes.
Question 3: What does the term 'demand response' mean in the context of BGE's sustainability programs?
- Customers requesting higher voltage supply
- Utilities paying customers to reduce usage during peak periods (Correct answer)
- Installing smart meters to measure demand
- Increasing power plant output during high demand
Correct answer: Utilities paying customers to reduce usage during peak periods
Demand response programs pay customers to voluntarily reduce electricity use during peak demand periods, reducing strain on the grid.
Question 4: Maryland's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires that by 2030, what percentage of electricity sold must come from renewable sources?
- 25%
- 35%
- 50% (Correct answer)
- 40%
Correct answer: 50%
Maryland's CleanEnergy Jobs Act set an RPS target of 50% renewable energy by 2030.
Question 5: What is the primary environmental benefit of BGE's underground cable projects compared to overhead lines?
- They generate electricity from ground heat
- They reduce electromagnetic interference only
- They eliminate storm-related outages and reduce tree trimming needs (Correct answer)
- They increase transmission voltage capacity
Correct answer: They eliminate storm-related outages and reduce tree trimming needs
Underground cables are protected from weather events and eliminate the need for tree trimming, improving reliability and reducing vegetation management impacts.
Question 6: Which greenhouse gas, beyond CO₂, is a major concern from natural gas distribution systems managed by utilities like BGE?
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
- Methane (CH₄) (Correct answer)
- Sulfur dioxide (SO₂)
- Carbon monoxide (CO)
Correct answer: Methane (CH₄)
Methane leaks from natural gas pipelines are a significant concern because methane has a much higher short-term global warming potential than CO₂.
Question 7: What is 'virtual net metering' as offered in some BGE community solar programs?
- Measuring energy use without a physical meter
- Allowing renters or non-solar customers to receive credits from a shared solar farm (Correct answer)
- Connecting multiple homes through underground wiring
- Simulating solar production using software models
Correct answer: Allowing renters or non-solar customers to receive credits from a shared solar farm
Virtual net metering lets customers who cannot install rooftop solar subscribe to a portion of a community solar array and receive bill credits for their share of the energy produced.
BGE Renewable Energy & Sustainability 2
BGE's parent company Exelon has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by which year?