The Oregon Public Utility Commission opened an investigation into resource adequacy in the state to address the growing concerns over the level of capacity in the region, according to a Jan. 7 notice. Reports and studies from various organizations including Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Energy+Environmental Economics(E3), Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee, and the California…...
Distribution system planning is occurring across various states as utilities and regulators assess the growing need for grid integration of distributed energy resources (DER) and investments that have long-term implications for the power system.
The shift in policy priorities of the incoming administration is expected to accelerate the transformation of the power sector towards clean energy and distributed grid, continuing its trajectory driven by market dynamics, technology, and customer preferences. The strong growth of renewable energy is expected to speed up, particularly with the extension of the federal tax…...
The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission approved a new performance-based regulation, or PBR, framework to govern Hawaiian Electric Company by better aligning the company’s interests with that of customers’ and the state’s clean energy goals. Hawaii is mandated by a 2018 law to implement PBR, establishing a financial link between utility revenues and performance in achieving…...
Renewable energy received a boost with the enactment of the federal spending bill and COVID-19 relief package on Dec. 27, which includes tax extenders and about $35 billion in spending authorizations to support energy research and development programs. The legislation includes a two-year extension of the Investment Tax Credit for solar generation, a one-year extension…...
The California Public Utilities Commission on Dec. 21 issued a decision adopting strategies and metrics to further the integration of electric vehicles as grid resources. The decision, which adopts recommendations of the commission’s Vehicle Grid Integration Working Group, directs utilities to collaborate on interconnection and rate reforms and pilot programs, such as using EVs for…...
The U.S. Energy Department on Dec. 21 released a roadmap for its Energy Storage Grand Challenge initiative, a 10-year program launched in January to expedite the development of next-generation storage technologies. The roadmap marks the department’s first comprehensive strategy to address energy storage. The program aims to establish and sustain U.S. leadership in energy storage…...
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which established the nation's first mandatory emissions-trading program, received a further boost as Virginia finalized regulations to become its eleventh member and Pennsylvania, the third largest coal-producing state, adopted draft regulations to join the program, following New Jersey’s re-entry after a decade.
The U.S. Energy Department on Dec. 10 announced the extension of the terms of seven long-term liquefied natural gas export projects through 2050. This marks the third set of extensions since the agency issued a policy statement in July establishing the extension, changing the prior practice of granting 20-year terms. The department extended the terms…...
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities received applications from Denmark-based Orsted A/S and Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind LLC, a joint venture of EDF Renewables North America and Shell New Energies US LLC, in response to the state’s second solicitation launched in September, according to a Dec. 11 news release. The solicitation endears the award…...