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…...
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…...
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…...
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…
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.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on July 22 issued a draft guidance document for the second offshore wind solicitation for 1.2 to 2.4 gigawatts of capacity. The first round resulted in the selection of Denmark-based Orsted A/S to develop a 1.1-gigawatt wind project, known as Ocean Wind, off the coast of Atlantic City…....
The U.S. Interior Department proposed to offer all available unleased areas in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas leasing in November, according to a July 17 press release. The auction marks the seventh offshore sale under the 2017-2022 leasing program. The sale was initially scheduled for August, but was postponed…...
Renewables’ share of Colorado’s electricity generation grew from 10 percent to 25 percent between 2010 and 2019, according to a July 23 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Wind generation more than tripled since 2010, providing nearly 20 percent of the state’s electricity generation in 2019. Renewable electricity generation increased by more than double…...
The Michigan Public Service Commission on July 23 issued six orders approving utilities’ renewable energy proposals, including eight power purchase contracts between Consumers Energy Company and the members of the Independent Power Producers Coalition of Michigan. The contracts are expected to reduce costs by nearly $2.6 million over the life of the contracts. Six of…...
The U.S. Interior Department on July 23 approved the issuance of rights-of-way permits for the Alaska LNG Project across federal lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service. The $40-$45 billion project, developed by Alaska Gasline Development Corp. in partnership with BP and ExxonMobil, is expected to be the largest in…...
The U.S. Energy Department on July 20 announced an investment of approximately $64 million in 2020 for 18 projects to support hydrogen research and development under the “H2@Scale” initiative. The program is focused on wide-scale hydrogen production and utilization across multiple energy sectors to support resilience in power generation and transmission. The funding will focus…...