FTP Power to Acquire 51 Percent Stake in 40-Megawatt Solar Plant in Idaho

FTP Power to Acquire 51 Percent Stake in 40-Megawatt Solar Plant in Idaho

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on July 3 authorized a transaction allowing sPower Winterfell Holdings LLC to acquire just over half of the upstream ownership interest in ID Solar 1 LLC from Carolina Energy Partners II LLC. ID Solar owns a 40 megawatt solar farm in Idaho and is fully subscribed under a 20-year contract…

Illinois Regulator Explores Policy Tools to Reap Benefits of Energy Storage

Illinois Regulator Explores Policy Tools to Reap Benefits of Energy Storage

The Illinois Commerce Commission held a policy session examining the benefits of energy storage to the grid, policy tools to assist storage applications, and the legal and regulatory framework to address storage integration, according to the commission’s July 2 press release. Panelists discussed the benefits such as grid resiliency, the potential to lower electricity costs…

Nevada Regulator Approves NV Energy’s First Electric Vehicle Charging Program, Energy Storage

Nevada Regulator Approves NV Energy’s First Electric Vehicle Charging Program, Energy Storage

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada on June 29 authorized a budget of $15 million for NV Energy to implement an electric vehicle demonstration program to scale public charging infrastructure as part of its 2018-2019 annual plan. The commission also approved $5 million for energy storage initiatives. The programs stem from legislation enacted last year…

U.S. Energy Department to Invest $120 Million in Research Center to Advance Next Generation Battery Technology

PG&E Seeks to Deploy Over 500 Megawatts Energy Storage to Address Local Reliability in California

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation, asked the California Public Utilities Commission to approve four energy storage projects totaling about 567 megawatts, including three third-party owned projects, to meet local capacity requirements, according to a June 29 press release. In January, the commission authorized the utility to hold competitive solicitations for…

Washington Regulator Clears Puget Sound Energy's Resource Solicitation Process

Washington Regulator Clears Puget Sound Energy’s Resource Solicitation Process

The Washington Utilities Commission on June 28 approved Puget Sound Energy Inc.’s solicitation process for demand response, as well as other resources including electric generation sources, energy storage, and renewable energy credits. The company’s resource acquisition process follows its integrated resource planning analysis, which establishes capacity and renewable energy needs on a biennial basis. The…

New Jersey State Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Mandate Solar for New Homes

New Jersey State Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Mandate Solar for New Homes

New Jersey House lawmaker Herb Conaway, a Democrat, introduced legislation on June 27 that would require all new residential buildings in the state to include solar panels. The bill would allow solar installations on individual houses or shared solar arrays to serve multiple residences. The mandate would take effect one year after enactment. The measure…

New York Begins Study of Energy Storage to Achieve 33 Percent Cost Cuts, Knock Down Barriers to Adoption

New York Begins Study of Energy Storage to Achieve 33 Percent Cost Cuts, Knock Down Barriers to Adoption

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority announced an evaluation plan on June 27 to develop an estimate of the major cost components of energy storage to inform its program strategy. The plan includes outreach activity to collect and update data about distributed storage installation with an emphasis on soft costs, as well…

New York Regulator Opposes Market Power Mitigation for Energy Storage, Distributed Resources Citing Harm to State Interests

New York Regulator Opposes Market Power Mitigation for Energy Storage, Distributed Resources Citing Harm to State Interests

New York’s Department of Public Service staff and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority said that energy storage and distributed energy resources should be exempt from buyer-side mitigation rules proposed by the New York Independent System Operator Inc., according to a June 25 filing. NYISO’s proposed rule responds to the Federal Energy…

SoCal Edison Allowed to Recover Costs For Storage Projects Addressing Reliability Concerns From Natural Gas Shortage

SoCal Edison Allowed to Recover Costs For Storage Projects Addressing Reliability Concerns From Natural Gas Shortage

The California Public Utilities Commission authorized Southern California Edison Company to recover costs for utility-owned energy storage systems procured during 2016-2017 to mitigate reliability concerns in the Los Angeles Basin following shortages caused by a major gas leak in the Aliso Canyon storage facility in October 2015, according to the commission’s June 25 decision. The…

New York Regulator Opposes Market Power Mitigation for Energy Storage, Distributed Resources Citing Harm to State Interests

New York Regulator Opposes Market Power Mitigation for Energy Storage, Distributed Resources Citing Harm to State Interests

New York’s Department of Public Service staff and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority said that energy storage and distributed energy resources should be exempt from buyer-side mitigation rules proposed by the New York Independent System Operator Inc., according to a June 25 filing. NYISO’s proposed rule responds to the Federal Energy…

New York Unveils Roadmap For 1,500 Megawatts of Energy Storage, Citing $2 Billion in Consumer Benefits

New York Unveils Roadmap For 1,500 Megawatts of Energy Storage, Citing $2 Billion in Consumer Benefits

The New York Public Service Commission and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority called for additional incentives to help lift the nascent energy storage industry off the ground as the state seeks to deploy 1,500 megawatts of capacity by 2025, according to a June 21 “roadmap” report. The regulators recommend a “market…