Visual Primer: Weather-Induced Energy Crises Drive Resiliency Efforts Across U.S.

Visual Primer: Weather-Induced Energy Crises Drive Resiliency Efforts Across U.S.

The growing incidence of extreme weather events has triggered regulatory and legislative efforts across the U.S. to improve the reliability and resilience of the energy system. Winter Storm Uri, which caused widespread outages in the South Central U.S. in February, prompted a regulatory upheaval in Texas, which suffered the brunt of the storm, leaving more than 4.5 million people without power. California has adopted measures to ensure reliability in the event of extreme weather in the summers of 2022 and 2023. Federal regulators have approved new cold weather electric reliability standards.

Policy Primer: U.S. Offshore Wind Industry December 2021 Update

Policy Primer: U.S. Offshore Wind Industry December 2021 Update

Interest in offshore wind energy has reached new levels driven by supportive federal action, ambitious state procurement targets, and evolving technology. Recent developments include federal approval of the second commercial-scale project, and plans to hold up to seven new lease sales by 2025 in the East Coast, as well as the West and Gulf Coasts. Despite the progress, the industry faces opposition with recent lawsuits challenging the approval of the nation’s first major offshore project, the 800-megawatt (MW) Vineyard Wind I venture, over its potential impact to the fishing industry and endangered species.

Visual Primer: Grid Reliability Needs, Clean Energy Goals Spur Discussion Around Western RTO

Visual Primer: Grid Reliability Needs, Clean Energy Goals Spur Discussion Around Western RTO

Western U.S. states are evaluating options to join or form a regional transmission organization (RTO) as regional coordination would strengthen electric system resilience and reliability, enhance clean energy adoption, and address transmission challenges.

Virginia Regulator Approves $650 Million Grid Transformation Plan for Dominion Energy

Infrastructure Bill Provides Over $62 Billion for U.S. Energy Department Initiatives

U.S. President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law on Nov.15, unlocking $62 billion for U.S. Energy Department initiatives, including revitalizing domestic manufacturing, expanding access to energy efficiency and clean energy, modernizing the power grid, and advancing next-generation technologies. Among the major provisions, the legislation allocates $6 billion for a Civilian…...

President Biden Commits U.S. to Achieve 50 Percent Emissions Reductions in 2030

U.S. Energy Department Announces Net Zero World Initiative to Facilitate Global Emissions Reduction

The U.S. Energy Department on Nov. 3 launched the Net Zero World Initiative, a partnership between countries working to implement their climate action pledges and speed up the shift to net zero, resilient, and inclusive energy systems. The agency will lead the initiative as part of the Build Back Better World initiative to facilitate customized,…...

Policy Primer: Carbon Pricing November 2021 Update

Policy Primer: Carbon Pricing November 2021 Update

Interest in carbon pricing mechanisms has deepened as lawmakers and regulators explore policy tools to address emissions reductions in order to reach ambitious clean energy and climate goals. Cap-and-trade is figuring more prominently as an efficient market-based means to achieve significant carbon reductions and create an incentive to invest in non-emitting technologies.

Visual Primer: Utilities Long-Term Resource Plans Reflect Growing Role of Battery Storage in Power Mix

Visual Primer: Utilities’ Long-Term Resource Plans Reflect Growing Role of Battery Storage in Power Mix

Energy storage is becoming an increasingly important part of the power mix to accommodate the exponential growth of intermittent renewables required to accomplish ambitious decarbonization targets set by U.S. states and utilities.

Visual Primer: Growing Push for Transportation Electrification Highlights Potential of EVs as Grid Resources

Visual Primer: Growing Push for Transportation Electrification Highlights Potential of EVs as Grid Resources

The growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is driving interest in vehicle-grid integration technologies that enable EVs to inject power from their batteries onto the grid, thereby enhancing reliability benefits across the distribution system.

Policy Primer: Grid Modernization - October 2021 Update

Policy Primer: Grid Modernization – October 2021 Update

A growing number of states are turning to grid modernization initiatives aimed at creating a more flexible system that can accommodate the proliferation of distributed energy resources (DER) and other solutions that meet changing customer needs and climate goals.

Visual Primer: Hydrogen Technology Draws Interest as Federal, State Regulators Explore Pathways to Carbon-Free Economy

Visual Primer: Hydrogen Technology Draws Interest as Federal, State Regulators Explore Pathways to Carbon-Free Economy

As the power and transportation sectors shift toward decarbonization, federal and state regulators are examining hydrogen's untapped potential in lowering emissions across industries ranging from energy storage to heavy-duty vehicles.

Visual Primer: Wave Towards 100 Percent Clean Power Intensifies as Illinois and Oregon Join the Pack

Visual Primer: Wave Towards 100 Percent Clean Power Intensifies as Illinois and Oregon Join the Pack

The importance of U.S. state renewable portfolio standards (RPS) continues to grow, with recent changes reflecting the trend of strengthening renewable energy targets. Several states have expanded their RPS programs to broader clean energy standards, which establish milestones to achieve a carbon-free electricity supply.