Power & Utilities

NYSERDA Partners with NY-BEST Members to Advance Energy Storage Innovation

NYSERDA has announced new partnerships with NY-BEST members to facilitate commercialization of innovative energy storage devices. On October 27, 2014, the New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced partnerships with nine member companies of the New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology (NY-BEST) Consortium to advance innovative energy storage research and development projects…...

U.S. Army and NREL Partner on Net-Zero Energy Pilot Program

The Army has partnered with NREL to install net-zero energy installations at nine pilot sites, potentially replacing eight percent of its current installation site energy supply with renewable energy. On October 27, 2014, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced a partnership with the U.S. Army to advance Net Zero Energy…...

[Report] Weather Events and Fuel Economics Challenge GHG Emissions Reduction Goals

2013 Year-over-year GHG emissions rose 2.5 percent and are projected to rise an additional 1.1 percent over the course of 2014, mainly due to harsh 2014 winter conditions. If energy efficiency, demand response, and renewable resources are not increasingly developed, the U.S. power sector will be challenged to affordably meet emissions goals if extreme weather…...

Court Lifts Stay of EPA’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule

A federal appeals court has lifted the stay of EPA’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule which addresses interstate transport of air pollution that affects downwind states’ ability to meet air quality standards. On October 23, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) motion to lift…...

New York Green Bank Begins Transactions

NY Green Bank’s initial transactions will produce more than $800M in investments supporting clean energy projects that would annually avoid 575,000 tons of carbon emissions. On October 22, 2014, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the NY Green Bank’s first seven transactions, which – supported and agreed to in principle – will produce more…...

New York Launches Energy Management Network Operations Center

New York’s first energy management network operations center will provide statewide public facilities with real-time energy use data to improve building performance. On October 21, 2014, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the launch of NY Energy Manager (NYEM), the state’s first energy management network operations center, at the Colleges of Nanoscale Science and…...

Vermont Yankee Site Assessment Estimates Decommissioning Cost at $1.24B

Entergy’s site assessment study of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station estimates the plant’s decommissioning cost at $1.24B, higher than previous estimates. On October 17, 2014, Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee (ENVY) released a site assessment study for decommissioning its Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station by 2014.  The study – submitted to Vermont’s Public Service Department,…...

[Report] State-Backed Green Bonds Emerge Following International Model

Massachusetts offered its first green bond sale in June 2013, and several additional states have offered green bonds over the last two years. Green bonds offer issuers access to capital to finance projects for water quality and infrastructure, energy efficiency, renewable energy, pollution cleanup, and other capital-intensive projects.. With the Green Bond Principles gaining marketplace…...

DOE Finalizes Standards for Green Building Certification Systems

The DOE has issued a final rule establishing standards for green building rating systems that provide certification for federal buildings. On October 10, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a final rule establishing standards for green building certification systems to strengthen federal buildings’ energy management through enhanced energy use measurement and energy efficient design…....

Share of Imports in U.S. Energy Consumption Reaches Record-Low Levels

According to EIA, the share of imports in U.S. energy consumption for the first half of 2014 reached the lowest level in 29 years. On October 10, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that net U.S. energy imports as a share of consumption for the January-June 2014 period reached the lowest…...

EPA Report: MY 2013 Vehicles Achieve All-Time High Fuel Economy

The EIA’s annual fuel economy report shows that MY 2013 vehicles achieved an all-time high fuel economy and record low emissions levels. On October 8, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its annual “Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 through 2014” report which tracks average fuel economy, emissions,…...