The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission has received an application from El Paso Electric Company to build a solar generation project paired with energy storage at the New Mexico State University, according to a Nov. 20 filing. El Paso Electric is seeking expedited approval for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a 3-megawatt…
The Nevada Public Utilities Commission on Nov. 26 proposed to establish an energy storage procurement target of 1,000 megawatts by 2030 for utilities that are required to file a triennial resource plan. The measure stems from agency’s finding last year that setting battery deployment goals by regulation results in net benefits. A 2017 law directed the agency to determine whether targets for energy storage…
Community choice aggregation has existed for over two decades, but it has gained popularity in recent years, driven by competitive rates, consumer interest in controlling their electricity source, and the desire for renewable energy options. The procurement model allows local governments to buy power on behalf of their communities, tailoring their purchases to meet customer preferences.
East Bay Community Energy, Peninsula Clean Energy, Silicon Valley Clean Energy, and municipal utility Silicon Valley Power on Nov. 5 issued a request for proposals for about 33 megawatts of behind-the-meter battery projects to protect their customers and communities from Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s massive fire-prevention power outages. The entities noted that the growing threat…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Oct. 17 largely approved plans filed by PJM Interconnection LLC and Southwest Power Pool Inc. addressing electric storage participation in their wholesale markets. The orders mark the agency’s first move to implement the landmark Order No. 841, which directed grid operators to establish a market model that recognizes the…
The Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC on Oct. 1 issued a request for proposals for 2,600 megawatts of solar, wind, and storage to satisfy a 2023 capacity need identified in its integrated resource plan, which proposes to phase out coal-fired generation by 2028. The company is requesting proposals in three areas: 300 megawatts of…
In the last year alone, states from Maine to New Mexico have enacted measures mandating the study of microgrids, showing the growing interest in harnessing the technology to shore up grid reliability and accomplish broader policy goals in which microgrids may play a role.
PacifiCorp unveiled its draft long-term resource plan on Oct. 3 that proposes to retire 20 of its 24 coal units by the end of the planning period in 2038, reducing coal-fired generation capacity by about 4.5 gigawatts. The plan, which envisions about 7 gigawatts of renewables and storage by 2025, identifies battery installations as part…
Utility resource planning is becoming more complex in the fast-changing energy landscape, prompting intense scrutiny from regulators. State measures are transforming the way utilities procure energy in light of continued growth in intermittent large-scale energy, customer-sited generation, demand response, energy efficiency, and clean energy commitments.
California state lawmakers passed a measure that allots 10 percent of the 2020 funds from the Self Generation Incentive Program, or SGIP, to battery and distributed energy systems that can back up critical infrastructure in high fire threat districts to support resiliency during a deenergization event. The bill, which awaits the governor’s signature, allots $16.6…
Duke Energy Corporation aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from electric generation by 2050, and cut emissions by at least 50 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, according to a Sept. 17 press release. The company plans to double its renewable energy portfolio by 2025, and continue deploying low-cost natural gas to speed the transition…
A growing number of states are redesigning policies and incentives for distributed generation as customer-sited installations spread amid falling costs. Regulators have initiated a number of actions this year, ranging from examining the value of distributed energy resources (DER) to overhauling interconnection rules, and equipping utilities with the planning structure required to accommodate new resources.
