Ameren plans to add a lot more renewables this decade. Critics say it’s not enough

Electricity production accounts for a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions across the U.S., according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

To reach climate goals that number has to go down, and an update this year from Ameren Missouri details how the electric utility in the St. Louis region plans to transition away from power generation that relies on fossil fuels.

“We want to ensure we always have power 24/7 to meet our customers' rising needs,” said Ajay Arora, Ameren’s chief renewable development officer. “That we have enough of a buffer of various generation resources to be able to do that.”

He explained the plan prioritizes reliability, resiliency and affordability while moving to clean energy to meet the company’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. A key goal is to keep the rates customers currently pay consistent as Ameren makes its transition, Arora said.

“Ultimately we are replacing aging coal plants and generation resources so there’s a cost that comes with it,” he said. “A way to (minimize costs) to benefit our customers with the significant tax credits that are being provided through the inflation reduction act for renewable energy.”

Ameren has plans for solar starting next year, wind in 2026 and battery storage in 2027, with various projects to add capacity in those categories lasting through the mid-2030s. It would add to the wind generation installed over 2020 and 2021 to meet a Missouri requirement that 15% of a utility's power generation comes from renewable sources.

“Now we’re in a period where our aging generation resources are retiring,” Arora said. “So there’s a little bit of a gap while we were seeking additional projects to replace the retiring generation.”