Nevada State lawmakers unanimously approved legislation on April 19 to boost the state’s renewable portfolio standard to 50 percent by 2030, and set a goal for achieving 100 percent of the state’s electricity from carbon-free resources by 2050. The existing target calls for the state to get 25 percent of supplies from renewables by 2025.…
The New York State Public Service Commission approved refinements to its value stack policy to facilitate better price signals and compensation that will expand opportunities for customers to benefit from community solar projects in their utility service territories, according to an April 18 press release. The agency authorized the New York State Energy Research and Development…
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is investigating the marketing and sales practices of two retail energy providers in the state, Indra Energy and Verde Energy. Commission staff reviewed customer contacts and filed a notice to the regulator alleging potential misleading and deceptive practices by PALMco Energy OH and PALMco Power OH, which together do…
In 2018, the United States consumed more energy than ever before, reaching a record high of 101.3 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2018, up 4 percent from 2017 and 0.3 percent more than the previous record set in 2007. Consumption of petroleum, natural gas, and coal grew by 4 percent in 2018 and accounted…
The New York State Public Service Commission on April 18 approved Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. to construct its proposed Ball Hill Wind Energy Project in Chautauqua County. The project has a contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for the sale of renewable energy certificates, and also intends to sell…
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities authorized power purchase agreements between Vineyard Wind LLC and the state’s electric distribution companies Unitil Corp., National Grid plc, and Eversource Energy for a period of 20 years, according to an April 16 press release. The approval is crucial for the developer to start construction by this year and…
The Ohio Public Utilities Commission opened an investigation into Verde Energy USA Ohio LLC’s sales practices in response to hundreds of complaints related to enrollment disputes, deceptive information, and false representations purporting the competitive supplier to be another utility, according to an April 16 notice. The agency said that 18 percent of the supplier-related investigations…
Regions across the U.S. that have long served as strongholds for conventional, non-renewable generating capacity — from Georgia and Michigan to Tennessee — are now starting to accelerate the phase out of the legacy assets in favor of sourcing power from wind and solar, showing just how far-reaching the shift to renewables is spreading.
Democratic Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, along with Republican Senators Lamar Alexander and Susan Collins have introduced the Driving America Forward Act (S.1094), which will expand the electric vehicle and hydrogen fuel cell tax credit. The bipartisan legislation seeks to raise the current cap of 200,000 vehicles per manufacturer by an additional 400,000, allowing more consumers to reap a $7,000…
Maine Senator Mark Lawrence, a Democrat, introduced legislation on April 13 to establish a program that would put the state on a path to source all of its energy from renewable resources by 2050. The bill would require state agencies to meet 100 percent of their electricity needs using renewables by 2030. (LD 1562) Under…
Maine House lawmaker Diane Denk, a Democrat, introduced legislation on April 11 that would establish a process to enable a municipality, which is served by two transmission and distribution utilities, to choose one of them to meet all its power needs. (LD 1542) To make the choice, the municipality would hold a referendum made by…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing financing through its electric loan program to upgrade rural electric systems, including smart grid technologies to enhance operations and monitor grid security across 13 states, according to an April 8 press release. The spending will help build or improve about 2,635 miles of power lines. These include almost…
