California Commission Launches Initiative to Address Emerging Energy Policy Issues

California Commission Launches Initiative to Address Emerging Energy Policy Issues

EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Grid Modernization, Integrated Resource Plans, Natural Gas, PRODUCTS, Wind

The California Public Utilities Commission on July 29 announced a new research, development, and deployment initiative to bolster the relationship between ratepayer-funded projects and emerging policy issues. This shall manifest itself within four new workstreams pertinent to advancing the state’s energy agenda: equity, wildfire mitigation, transportation electrification, and utility safety power shut offs. In doing…...

EnerKnol's Visual Primer - Ohio Nuclear Bailout Scandal Stirs Up Questions Over Ratepayer Subsidies for Aging Power Plants

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Ohio Nuclear Bailout Scandal Stirs Up Questions Over Ratepayer Subsidies for Aging Power Plants

EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Natural Gas, Nuclear, Nuclear Power, PRODUCTS, Renewable Energy Credit Market, Renewables, Retail Power and Gas, Solar, Wholesale Power, Wind

The debate over ratepayer subsidies for struggling nuclear power plants has resurfaced, following a racketeering investigation related to a controversial Ohio law, which created a $1 billion bailout for FirstEnergy Corp. last year. The economic troubles of the embroiled industry come to the fore even as states such as New Jersey and Illinois evaluate plans to opt out of the regional capacity market in response to reforms that expanded the minimum offer price rule to subsidized resources.

U.S. Interior Department Announces Colorado Oil, Gas Lease Sale

Trump Administration Proposes to Relax Oil, Gas Regulations

EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Natural Gas, Oil, PRODUCTS

The Bureau of Land Management on July 29 proposed revisions to three regulations on oil and gas production, measurement, and reporting, in a bid to reduce bureaucracy and provide accurate royalties for ratepayers. The move stems from the bureau’s review of 2016 rules, following a 2017 executive order that directed agencies to ensure that regulations do…...

New Mexico Regulators Approve Solar, Battery Projects to Replace San Juan Coal Capacity

Climate Change and Emissions, coal, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, PRODUCTS, Solar, Wind

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission on July 29 approved a portfolio of renewable energy projects, including 650 megawatts of solar and 300 megawatts of battery storage, to replace the retiring capacity of the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station. Investment in the resources could total about $1 billion. The commission found that the plan is…...

California Regulators Propose to Approve SCE’s $442 Million EV Charging Plan

California Regulators Propose to Approve SCE’s $442 Million EV Charging Plan

Electric Vehicles, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, PRODUCTS

The California Public Utilities Commission on July 27 proposed to approve a $442 million in funding to deploy approximately 40,600 electric vehicle charge ports in Southern California Edison Company’s service territory. More than 96 percent of the amount would be spent for Charge Ready 2 infrastructure and the remainder would support market education programs. Transportation…...

Ohio Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Repeal Nuclear Subsidy Law

Ohio Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Repeal Nuclear Subsidy Law

EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, PRODUCTS

Ohio House Democrats on July 29 introduced legislation to repeal a 2019 law that provided FirstEnergy Solutions Corp., which is now known as Energy Harbor Corp., with annual subsidies of nearly $150 million over seven years to keep its ailing nuclear plants operating. The measure is in response to a federal investigation into an alleged…...

U.S. Development Bank Ends Ban on Financing Nuclear Power Projects

U.S. Development Bank Ends Ban on Financing Nuclear Power Projects

Climate Change and Emissions, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Nuclear, PRODUCTS

The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation updated its nuclear energy policy to end a ban on financing nuclear projects, according to a July 23 news release. The agency said that the policy change recognizes the energy needs of developing nations, as well as novel technologies such as modular reactors and microreactors that could be impactful…...

D.C. Regulators Advance Efforts to Develop Microgrid Regulatory Framework

D.C. Regulators Advance Efforts to Develop Microgrid Regulatory Framework

EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Grid Modernization, PRODUCTS

The District of Columbia Public Service Commission on July 27 issued a notice seeking stakeholder input to develop a regulatory framework for microgrids. The measure is part of PowerPath DC, which was launched last August to advance the next phase of the commission’s grid modernization efforts. The district has a goal of achieving 50 percent…...

Conversion Losses Accounted for Over 60 Percent of Power Sector Energy Consumption in 2019: EIA

Conversion Losses Accounted for Over 60 Percent of Power Sector Energy Consumption in 2019: EIA

coal, EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Natural Gas, PRODUCTS, Solar, Wind

U.S. utility-scale power generation facilities used 38 quadrillion British thermal units, or quads, of energy to provide 14 quads of electricity in 2019, according to a July 21 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Much of the difference is attributed to losses during the conversion process. In presenting this statistic, the industry at large…...

U.S. Agriculture Department Announces $100 Million to Expand Biofuel Availability

U.S. Energy Department Announces $168 Million for Solar Fuels, Bioenergy Research

EnerKnol Impact-Misc Categories, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Oil, PRODUCTS, Solar

The U.S. Energy Department on July 29 awarded $100 million for two multi-institutional research initiatives focused on producing fuels from sunlight under a five-year program. The agency also announced another $68 million over the same duration for projects aimed at supporting sustainable bioenergy production. The multi-institutional partnerships under the Fuels from Sunlight Energy Innovation Hub…...

Western EIM Benefits Q2 2020

Western Power Market Benefits Top $1 Billion

EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Grid Modernization, REC Feed, Solar, Wholesale Power, Wind

The Western Energy Imbalance market generated about $79 million in savings in the second quarter of this year, with total benefits reaching about $998 million since its launch in 2014, according to a July 29 press release from the California Independent System Operator Corporation. The market constitutes an automated system that secures the lowest-cost energy…

FERC’s Updates to Utility Power Procurement Rules

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – FERC’s Updates to Utility Power Procurement Rules Gives States More Say in Rate Setting

Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS, Smart Grid, Wholesale Power

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has revised the regulations for implementing a 1978 federal law, which requires electric utilities to purchase power from small power producers. The reforms, intended to reflect changes in the energy markets, mark the first major overhaul to utility power procurement rules under the law, which has spurred the growth of small renewable generators.