Energy Efficiency

DOE Announces $55M Funding Opportunity for Advanced Vehicle Technologies

Electric Vehicles, Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Environmental Markets, Fossil Fuels, Oil, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Smart Grid

The DOE’s continued support of advanced vehicle technology research, development, and demonstration projects helps expand offerings, cut costs, and improve sales. On January 22, 2015, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $55M to develop and deploy advanced vehicle technologies aimed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce petroleum consumption. The funding opportunity announcement (FOA) supports DOE’s 2012 EV…...

FERC Approves PJM’s Request for Offer Cap Relief

Coal Power, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Fossil Fuels, Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Oil, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Smart Grid

FERC has approved PJM’s request for temporary relief from the $1,000/MWh cost-based offer cap to address winter price spikes that could cause generators’ marginal costs to exceed the offer cap. On January 16, 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved PJM Interconnection LLC’s (PJM) Section 206 filing to raise the $1,000/MWh energy offer cap…...

RTOs Look to Tariff Revisions as FERC Petitions Supreme Court to Review Order 745

Coal Power, Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Environmental Markets, Fossil Fuels, Natural Gas, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Smart Grid

Wholesale Demand Response Hinges on Order 745 Decision Demand response (DR) participation and compensation in organized electricity markets has grown over the previous five years, in part due to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Order 745. Order 745 sets compensation levels for DR in wholesale energy markets; however, its future validity is uncertain with…...

The 2015 Political Landscape Will Have Far-Reaching Energy Industry Implications

Carbon Markets, Coal Power, Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Research Reports, Environmental Markets, Fossil Fuels, Hydropower, Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Oil, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

EPA emissions rules and legislative actions will impact every aspect of the energy value chain in 2015 Key Takeaways: Policies impacting energy independence and associated environmental impacts are coming head-to-head at the federal level Legislators will aim to settle long-debated oil and gas infrastructure and export bills and will use legistive authorities to delay, defund,…...

SOTU 2015: Resolute Call for Climate Action

Biofuels, Carbon Markets, Coal Power, Electric Vehicles, Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Environmental Markets, Fossil Fuels, Hydropower, Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Oil, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

In his State of the Union Address, the President made a forceful call for climate action, asserting that the U.S. will double its emissions reduction pace. In his State of the Union (SOTU) speech on January 20, 2015, President Obama made a resolute call for climate action, stating that no challenge poses a greater threat…...

Justice Department Seeks Supreme Court Review of FERC Order 745 Vacatur

Coal Power, Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Environmental Markets, Fossil Fuels, Hydropower, Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

The Justice Department has sought Supreme Court review of the May 2014 invalidated FERC Order 745 vacatur, considering its importance for the future of electricity-market regulation. On January 15, 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) — on behalf of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) — petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari to…...

ISO-NE Details 2014/2015 WRP Resource Participation

Coal Power, Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Environmental Markets, Fossil Fuels, Hydropower, Natural Gas, Oil, Power & Utilities, Renewables

ISO-NE’s current Winter Reliability Program boasts increased fuel and resource availability through a restructured and expanded compensation structure. On January 12, 2015, ISO New England (ISO-NE) released a report on the resource participation of its 2014/2015 Winter Reliability Program (WRP), a temporary out-of-market solution to maintain electric system reliability. ISO-NE expressed confidence that a diverse…...

ARPA-E Issues OPEN 2015 Solicitation for Transformational Energy Projects

Biofuels, Coal Power, Electric Vehicles, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Fossil Fuels, Hydropower, Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Oil, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

The DOE has announced $125M OPEN solicitation through ARPA-E to catalyze the advancement of transformational energy technologies. On January 7, 2015, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) issued its third OPEN funding opportunity announcement (FOA) – OPEN 2015 – for up to $125M to support potentially disruptive new technologies…...

New EPA Clean Power Plan Rulemaking Schedule Delays Compliance Deadlines

Coal Power, Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Environmental Markets, Fossil Fuels, Hydropower, Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Oil, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Solar Power, Wind Power

The EPA Clean Power Plan and new generation source emission rule finalization to mid-summer 2015 pushes back compliance deadlines. On January 7, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a revised schedule to finalize rulemakings for power plant emission standards under its proposed Clean Power Plan.  The EPA intends to finalize the rules by mid-summer…...

California Governor Outlines 2030 Renewable Energy Goals

Biofuels, Carbon Markets, Electric Vehicles, Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Environmental Markets, Hydropower, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

The proposed increase to 50 percent by 2030 could also result in indirect boost to energy storage industries. In his inaugural address on January 5, 2015, California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. proposed new initiatives to expand the state’s emissions reduction efforts under the AB 32 climate law and establish the next set of objectives…...

DOE Energy Efficiency Standards Projected to Save Consumers $78B

Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Environmental Markets, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Solar Power, Wind Power

DOE’s efficiency standards will not slow demand, but could save up to $78 billion in electricity bills. On December 31, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced energy efficiency standards for general service fluorescent lamps (GSFLs) and automatic commercial ice makers (ACIMs), achieving its goal of finalizing 10 energy efficiency standards in 2014.  Together, the…...

New York RFP for Emissions Reduction Technologies Could Advance Regional, Nationwide Goals

Carbon Markets, Coal Power, Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Environmental Markets, Fossil Fuels, Natural Gas, Oil, Power & Utilities

$14.5M in funding supports market-ready emissions reduction technologies and is part a larger pool of more than $400M of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) proceeds that could help moderate future RGGI auction prices. On December 30, 2014, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced $14.5M in funding to support market-ready technologies…...