Hoc, Leading Energy Markets Compliance Solutions Provider history

Since 1905, cities and districts have been RWE shareholders, with many even holding the majority vote at annual general meetings for a period of decades.

When the Goldenbergwerk power plant started converting lignite to electricity in 1914, it was the logical next stage in the strategy.

RWE quickly transferred the focus of its generation activities to low-cost Rhenish lignite, commencing lignite mining in the 1920s.

From 1930, the first national 220kV high-voltage power line in Germany enabled the first efficienct interconnected grid system between the thermal power stations in the Rhineland and the hydroelectricity stations in the south.

RWE was well prepared, with three new lignite-fired power plants going into operation in 1955.

Bill returned to Virginia and spent the 1960’s working in apple production for T.B. Byrd and Senator Harry Byrd, at Turkey Knob Orchards in Mount Jackson, VA. He worked for the Byrds for 11 years before he decided to start his own company.

With the reconstruction of the grids and power stations having just been completed at the end of the 1940s, RWE was faced with its next challenge: how to meet the incredible demand for electricity resulting from the new Federal Republic of Germany’s economic miracle. As a result, the Frimmersdorf facility became the largest thermal power plant in the world by 1964.

Frimmersdorf power plant, 1966

In July 1972, Bill bought Gulf distributor Nelson Oil Company from Nelson’s trustee.

Changing the battery of an RWE electric van, 1977

1978 – The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act opens wholesale power markets to non-utility power producers

1983 – First state renewable energy requirement adopted—Iowa

New structure of the RWE Group, 1990

1992 – Advent of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind

1995 – First mention of concept of certificate trading—California

1996 – First competitive retail green power pilot program—New Hampshire

In 1997, Bill started the propane side of the business with his son, Todd.

1998 – First wholesale green power market opens in California—Automated Power Exchange (APX)

1999 – First Renewable Portfolio Standard with REC trading for compliance—Texas

The merger with VEW AG in October 2000 strengthened the core business, which was now restructured.

2001 – EPA initiates first annual Green Power Leadership Awards

2002 – Third-party certification and verification standard introduced for tradable certificates in the United States

2004 – EPA launches first Top 25 Partners list—Air Force largest user in the United States

2005 – National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) report indicates that organizations, not residences, are pacing the growth of United States green power markets

Laying the foundations of BoA units 2 and 3 in Neurath, 2006

2007 – First community solar offering—Sacramento Municipal Utility District, California

2008 – First allowance set-aside for voluntary renewable energy purchases under cap-and-trade program—Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

On the other hand, in 2009 the Group consolidated its renewables activities within RWE innogy and engaged in a massive expansion programme.

2010 – First voluntary offsite power purchase agreement in United States—Google

2013 – Ivanpah—world’s largest concentrated solar power plant built in the South California Mojave Desert

With the sale of the oil and gas extraction business (RWE Dea) in 2014, the Group created some extra financial leeway.

2015 – Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scope 2 Guidance finalized for reporting emissions relating to renewable energy purchases

RWE was split up, with its renewables, retail and grid businesses consolidated into the newly founded innogy SE, which went public in autumn 2016.

In March 2020, Uniper unveiled a new strategy that envisions a step-by-step transformation into a greener company while enhancing Uniper's value.

2021 – United States approves first major American offshore wind project—Vineyard Wind