Amid gigawatt-scale goals for energy storage, U.S. state policies are evolving to create more opportunities for the technology. Storage is poised to play an integral role in the changing resource mix as more states pursue zero-carbon goals, driving the need for innovative policy initiatives and programs that optimize renewable energy sources and enhance grid reliability.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued an order on implementing reforms that expand the minimum offer price rule (MOPR) to most state-subsidized resources participating in the regional capacity market administered by PJM Interconnection LLC, which operates across 13 states and the District of Columbia. The ruling has sparked concerns over its potential to harm renewable generation seeking to participate in the capacity market and frustrate state clean energy policies.
The governors of five New England states – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont – issued a statement on Oct. 14 calling for reforms to the regional wholesale electricity market structure to support their decarbonization efforts. In light of the states’ commitment to reduce emissions by at least 80 percent below 1990 levels by…...
The New York Public Service Commission adopted modifications to the state’s Clean Energy Standard to achieve the state’s goal of sourcing 70 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030 under the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Achieving the goal is foundational to set the state on a path to carbon free…...
The growing demand for renewable energy to meet state and utility goals is driving the rapid expansion in the U.S. wind power market. The sector emerged as the top provider of new power generation capacity in 2019, adding about 9.1 gigawatts of large-scale projects.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Oct. 15 issued an order on PJM Interconnection LLC’s proposed revisions in response to a December 2019 order that directed the grid operator to expand the minimum offer price rule, or MOPR, effectively raising the bid price for state-subsidized resources to participate in the capacity market. Democratic Commissioner Richard…...
The New York State Public Service Commission on Oct. 15 adopted criteria it will apply to determine which transmission projects should be advanced expeditiously to meet the state’s renewable energy goals. As part of the move, the commission designated the proposed Northern New York project as a high-priority initiative and referred it to the New…...
The U.S. Energy Department announced the first awards for two projects under the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program launched in May. The program is designed to establish cost-shared partnerships with U.S. industry to expedite the demonstration of advanced nuclear reactors. TerraPower LLC and X-energy received $80 million each in initial funding to build two reactors that…...
Hydrogen is emerging as an important player in the U.S. energy landscape because of its ability to decarbonize multiple sectors. A number of exciting projects harnessing the technology are taking shape as hydrogen and fuel cells can store energy to help enhance the power grid and maximize opportunities to deploy renewable energy.
In 2019, the weighted average wholesale price of solar PV-generated electricity was $83 per megawatthour, more than double the price of wind, fossil fuels, or nuclear, according to an Oct. 9 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The higher price is partly driven by geography and timing. Wholesale electricity prices rise when demand within…...
The U.S. Energy Department on Oct. 6 announced a statement of intent to collaborate with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy on analyzing and sharing information on hydrogen technologies. The effort will facilitate the collection of real-world data to guide future research and development, and demonstration activities. The consortium supports the department’s…...
The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public input on two proposed solar farms near Desert Center in eastern Riverside County, California, according to an Oct. 2 press release. The projects, spanning an area of about 4,000 acres, would result in an estimated infrastructure investment of $689 million and $5.9 million in annual operational benefits…....