Virginia lawmakers passed the Clean Economy Act on Feb. 11 that sets the state on the path to carbon-free power by 2050, establishes a mandatory renewable portfolio standard, adopts an energy storage deployment target, and strengthens energy efficiency requirements. Among the major provisions, the legislation replaces the existing voluntary renewable energy portfolio system program with…
The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission granted a permit allowing Lookout Solar LLC to construct a 110-megawatt solar generation facility in Oglala Lakota County, according to a Feb. 4 news release. The $100 million facility, spanning an area of about 810 acres on the pine Ridge Reservation, is expected to reach completion in the second…
The U.S. Energy Department will invest $125.5 million to advance research and development of solar technologies that lower costs, increase the competitiveness of manufacturing and businesses, and support grid reliability, according to a Feb. 5 news release. The agency will also spend $43.8 million to support geothermal technologies. The funding opportunities will be made available…
Hydropower is moving to the forefront of clean energy and climate policy debates as a growing number of U.S. states are setting targets to achieve zero-carbon power. About half a dozen state-level laws were enacted last year to establish 100 percent clean energy transition, showing how the nation’s decade-long renewable push is ramping up. Hydroelectricity…
Utilities across North America are investing billions of dollars to decarbonize their power fleets to comply with unprecedented greenhouse gas emission cuts and bold renewable energy targets. The pivot to cleaner and greener power sources is reflected in the integrated resource plans and RFPs that utilities file with state commissions. Keep on top of the…...
A growing number of states are exploring grid modernization to keep pace with fast-evolving technological advances and growing distributed generation. The smart grid concept ties together multiple initiatives ranging from solar-battery microgrids to vehicle-to-grid power flow management, and grid hardening to support reliability and resiliency. It may also include advanced meters, which are a pivotal…...
The prolific growth in distributed energy resources is forcing states to re-examine their policies. State efforts range from modernizing interconnection standards and enhancing distribution system planning, to rewriting solar net metering rules. Keep on top of the latest changes in solar energy policy by accessing EnerKnol’s Quarterly Tracking Table. The Table provides a comprehensive, up-to-date…...
New Jersey is making strides to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. Among recent actions, the state released a comprehensive plan for economy-wide decarbonization, enacted a law to boost electric vehicle use targeting 2 million EVs on the road by 2035, and doubled the offshore wind power goal to 7.5 gigawatts by 2035.
U.S. electricity generation from renewable sources such as wind and solar are projected to surpass nuclear and coal by 2021 and to surpass natural gas in 2045, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook 2020. The share of U.S. electricity generation from renewable sources is projected to double, accounting for 38 percent…
The New Mexico Supreme Court on Jan. 29 ruled that the Public Regulation Commission must apply the Energy Transition Act, or ETA, to the closure and replacement of the San Juan coal-fired plant, granting a petition by New Mexico Governor Lujan Grisham, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, and the legislators who sponsored the act. The…
Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company on Jan. 23 asked the Kentucky Public Service Commission to approve a 20-year contract with Rhudes Creek Solar LLC, to purchase the output of a 100-megawatt solar generation facility to be built in Hardin County, Kentucky. The project is expected to come online by the end…
Democratic Governor Phil Murphy on Jan. 27 released a comprehensive plan, outlining strategies to reach the administration’s goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050 and achieve the target of 80 percent emissions reduction from 2006 levels set by the Global Warming Response Act enacted last year. To support the strategies, Murphy signed an executive…