ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETS
The EPA has issued an interim rule delaying the CSAPR compliance deadlines by three years consistent with the recent court-ordered schedule. On November 21, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an interim final rule amending the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule’s (CSAPR) compliance deadlines to align with the October 23 ruling — of the U.S. Court…...
Non-hydro utility-scale energy storage solutions are landing record-setting contracts in multiple regions, marking a transition beyond small-scale ancillary services. Fast-reacting and flexible energy storage resources can efficiently provide ancillary services to free-up traditional generation assets for wholesale market participation. The U.S. Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change recently cited that by 2022, the worldwide demand…...
The FERC has directed RTOs/ISOs to identify fuel assurance issues relevant to their respective markets and file a report on the status of their efforts to address the issues. On November 20, 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order directing regional transmission organizations and independent system operators (RTOs/ISOs) to file reports on…...
The U.S. has announced a $3B commitment to the Green Climate Fund – the largest single pledge to date. On November 15, 2014 – eve of the 2014 G-20 Summit in Australia – U.S. President Barack Obama announced that the U.S. will contribute $3B to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the financial support mechanism aimed…...
State energy efficiency resource standards (EERS) outline near- and long-term energy use reduction requirements for utilities and third-party program administrators. EERS play an instrumental role in reducing power-sector emissions growth and could help reduce electricity consumption by as much as 10 percent by 2020. States that do not have a history of EERS or incentive…...
The U.S. and China have announced joint climate actions including new emissions reduction targets for the post-2020 period, ahead of the 2015 UN Climate Conference. On November 12, 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama and China President Xi Jinping announced bilateral cooperation on climate action, including post-2020 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets. The duo expects…...
Four large-scale renewable energy projects selected through RPS Main Tier solicitations will add approximately 164 MW to New York’s renewable energy capacity. On November 12, 2014, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced $206M in funding to four Upstate large-scale clean energy projects aimed to reduce emissions and improve energy infrastructure resiliency. Once operational, the…...
RGGI’s comments on EPA’s Clean Power Plan proposal highlight the potential for state economic growth and clean energy innovation. On November 7, 2014, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) members – Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont – released a report on their comments supporting the Environmental Protection…...
The 2013-2014 winter polar vortex and cold snap events caused record forced generation capacity outages in the PJM Interconnection region. The high outage levels prompted PJM to reassess its capacity product definitions – and associated performance incentives and penalties – to ensure future system reliability. The currently proposed Reliability Pricing Model (RPM) reforms pose significant…...
The DOE has announced four research projects focused on advanced technologies to improve gasification systems for greater power generation efficiency and environmental performance. On November 6, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced funding for four projects focused on next-generation gasification systems that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The research projects will develop technologies that…...
The EPA has announced the largest penalty under the Clean Air Act, requiring automakers Hyundai and Kia to pay $100M for violating tailpipe GHG emission standards. On November 3, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a settlement resolving alleged Clean Air Act violations of Hyundai and Kia for…...
The White House has released federal agencies’ sustainability and climate plans outlining methods to incorporate energy and climate considerations into their decision-making. On October 31, 2014 – the fifth anniversary of the 2009 Executive Order on Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance – the White House released federal agencies’ sustainability and climate change adaptation plans, detailing…...