EnerKnol Research PU Visual Primer Cold Weather Reliability Special Report 2021

Visual Primer: Cold Weather Reliability Standards at Forefront of Regulators’ Efforts to Prevent Weather-Induced Energy Crisis

Climate Change and Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Grid Modernization, Integrated Resource Plans, Natural Gas, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS, REC Feed, Retail Power and Gas, Smart Grid

Extreme cold weather conditions were a major factor in multiple grid events that occurred over the last decade, most notably the recent mid-February Winter Storm Uri that affected the south-central U.S., causing widespread outages and forcing natural gas processing plants to shut down. The impacts of these events on electric and gas systems that were unprepared for the challenge has emphasized the need to address cold weather reliability.

Widespread Power Outages from Winter Storms Draw Attention to Cold Weather Reliability

Widespread Power Outages from Winter Storms Draw Attention to Cold Weather Reliability

Climate Change and Emissions, Electric Transmission, Energy Efficiency, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, PRODUCTS, Retail Power and Gas

The mid-February Winter Storm Uri, which caused widespread power outages across the south-central U.S., has sharply brought cold weather reliability standards to the forefront of regulatory and market attention. Texas, which experienced the worst power outages resulting from the storm, has passed legislation and initiated investigations to address the impacts of the grid event. The…...

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

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

Climate Change and Emissions, Electric Transmission, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Integrated Resource Plans, PRODUCTS, REC Feed, Renewable Energy Credit Market, Renewables, Request for Proposal, Retail Power and Gas, Wholesale Power, Wind, Wind Power

The U.S. offshore wind industry is making strides with significant milestones including approval of the first large-scale project in federal waters, federal efforts to advance permitting processes, and actions towards potential development in the Pacific.

State Policy Playbook: Oregon Embarks on Ambitious Agenda to Decarbonize Power Grid by 2040

State Policy Playbook: Oregon Embarks on Ambitious Agenda to Decarbonize Power Grid by 2040

Carbon Market, Climate Change and Emissions, Electric Transmission, Electric Vehicles, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Grid Modernization, Integrated Resource Plans, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS, REC Feed, Retail Power and Gas, Smart Grid, Solar, Wind

Oregon has embarked on a clean energy transition with the enactment of sweeping legislation that mandates carbon-free power by 2040, setting one of the most ambitious decarbonization timelines in the nation. The state’s carbon reduction efforts range from legislative measures to study renewable hydrogen and expand transportation electrification, to rulemaking for a climate protection plan, and investigation into resource adequacy.

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

Minnesota Regulator Explores Role of Gas Utilities in Achieving Emission Goals

Climate Change and Emissions, Energy Efficiency, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Grid Modernization, Integrated Resource Plans, Natural Gas, PRODUCTS, Retail Power and Gas

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission launched a proceeding on July 23 to examine regulatory and policy structures governing natural gas utilities, in a bid to evaluate potential changes required for accomplishing the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. The move stems from the Natural Gas Innovation Act enacted in June establishing a regulatory framework for gas…...

Policy Primer: Carbon Pricing July 2021 Update

Policy Primer: Carbon Pricing July 2021 Update

Carbon Market, Carbon Markets, Climate Change and Emissions, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Environmental Markets, Grid Modernization, Integrated Resource Plans, PRODUCTS, REC Feed, Retail Power and Gas, Solar, Wind

Emission trading is coming to prominence as a key market-based tool in state efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, including decarbonization of the electricity sector. Among recent actions Washington has enacted legislation to implement an economy-wide cap-and-invest system, becoming the second state to have a comprehensive carbon-pricing program, and Pennsylvania has adopted rulemaking for a carbon trading program covering the power sector.

New Mexico Enacts Trio of Bills Supporting Renewable Energy Expansion

Oregon Law Requires 100 Percent Carbon-Free Electricity by 2040

Climate Change and Emissions, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Grid Modernization, Integrated Resource Plans, Natural Gas, PRODUCTS, REC Feed, Retail Power and Gas, Solar, Wind

Oregon Governor Kate Brown, a Democrat, signed legislation on July 19 requiring electricity providers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with electricity sold to Oregon consumers to 80 percent below a 2010-2012 baseline of average emissions by 2030, 90 percent by 2035, and 100 percent by 2040. The law requires each electric company to develop…...

Arkansas Decides to Retain Retail Rate Net Metering Through 2022

U.S. Energy Department Launches Tool to Expedite Residential Solar Permitting

Climate Change and Emissions, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Grid Modernization, PRODUCTS, REC Feed, Retail Power and Gas, Solar

The U.S. Energy Department on July 15 launched a free web-based platform that gives local governments the ability to fast-track review and approval of residential solar installation permits. The Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus, or SolarAPP+, aims to reduce barriers to solar deployment, spur economic development, and support renewables energy goals. The tool, developed by…...

Visual Primer: Growth of Intermittent Generation Expands Role of Demand Response in Grid Planning

Visual Primer: Growth of Intermittent Generation Expands Role of Demand Response in Grid Planning

Climate Change and Emissions, Electric Vehicles, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Grid Modernization, Integrated Resource Plans, Natural Gas, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS, REC Feed, Retail Power and Gas, Smart Grid

Demand response (DR) portfolios of electric utilities across the U.S. continue to expand as they refine their programs and explore new options to support grid reliability in response to the changing resource mix. The role of DR in planning and operations is expected to increase as the resource mix continues to evolve with increasing generation from natural gas, wind, solar, battery storage, and other emerging distributed energy technologies.

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

Florida Commissions Approves Utilities to Recover Over $15 Million in Pandemic-Related Costs

EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, PRODUCTS, Retail Power and Gas

The Florida Public Service Commission approved settlement agreements allowing Gulf Power Company to recover $13.2 million in costs related to the utility’s COVID-19 measures and Florida Public Utilities Company and the Florida Division of Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (FPUC) to recover nearly $2.1 million. The approval includes a regulatory asset accounting mechanism that permits utilities to…...

Visual Primer: EV Infrastructure Proliferates as States Electrify Transportation to Meet Decarbonization Goals

Visual Primer: EV Infrastructure Proliferates as States Electrify Transportation to Meet Decarbonization Goals

Climate Change and Emissions, Electric Vehicles, Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Grid Modernization, Integrated Resource Plans, Natural Gas, PRODUCTS, REC Feed, Renewables, Retail Power and Gas

Measures to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure are moving expeditiously driven by state zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) goals and decarbonization mandates. Among recent actions, Washington has adopted legislation requiring a mapping tool to plan charging infrastructure investments, while New Jersey is exploring an EV charging ecosystem for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. A handful of states have adopted measures to exempt charging station operators from regulatory oversight.

Arkansas Decides to Retain Retail Rate Net Metering Through 2022

Florida Commission Reports 52 Percent Increase in Consumer-Owned Renewables Installations

EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Grid Modernization, PRODUCTS, Retail Power and Gas, Solar

Customer-owned renewable generation installations across Florida increased by about 52 percent from 2019 to 2020, reaching 90,552 interconnections, according to electric utility reports filed with the Florida Public Service Commission. Electric generation capacity from customer-sited systems rose by 62 percent over the same period to reach 837,160 kilowatts, showing that solar continues to be the…...