The U.S. Energy Department on July 14 released a draft roadmap for its Energy Storage Grand Challenge initiative, a comprehensive program launched in January to expedite the development of next-generation storage technologies. By 2030, the program aims to establish and sustain U.S. leadership in energy storage utilization and exports, with a domestic manufacturing supply chain…...
Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo on July 14 signed an agreement with 14 other states and the District of Columbia to electrify the medium- and heavy-duty bus and truck market. The memorandum of understanding sets goals of 30 percent zero-emission new vehicle sales by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050. The signatories will work through the…...
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved a plan allowing Xcel Energy Inc. to idle two of its coal-fired power plants for six months of the year, potentially saving customers up to $3.48 million by 2023, according to a July 15 press release. Under the plan, the Allen S. King Generating Station and Unit 2 of…...
The U.S. Energy Department selected twelve projects to develop carbon capture and storage processes for the nation’s power system, according to a July 13 press release. The projects will receive $11.5 million to support the first phase of the FLExible Carbon Capture and Storage, or FLECCS program, to equip technologies such as gas power generators…...
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority on July 8 announced it has entered into a partnership with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers to improve indoor quality in the post-COVID-19 environment to mitigate the risk on public health. The initiative also plans to advance building electrification and energy…...
The Michigan Public Service Commission on July 9 approved DTE Electric Co.’s amended renewable energy portfolio. The new supply-side renewable resources approved incorporate a 225-megawatt wind farm and two 25-year solar power purchase contracts of about 128 megawatts. The generation capacity, to be added over the next two years, would enable the company to comply…...
The Florida Public Service Commission on July 7 approved demand side management plans filed by the state’s five investor-owned utilities, finding that the programs are the public interest. The agency decided that the new initiatives are projected to meet conservation targets and have no adverse cost impact to customers. The commission rejected staff’s recommendation to…...
The Maryland Public Service Commission will convene a public conference next month to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on utility operations and consumer protections as the moratorium on utility service termination is set to expire on Aug. 1. The commission will seek input on regulatory measures that should be considered to mitigate and…...
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives on July 8 voted in favor of a bill that would require legislative approval before the state can impose a carbon tax or join a multi-state carbon-trading program. The Department of Environmental Protection is currently in the process of drafting regulations to allow the state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas…...
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on July 10 upheld the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s energy storage order, rejecting arguments that the agency exceeded its jurisdiction by barring states from prohibiting behind-the-meter storage participation in wholesale markets. The commission adopted the landmark Order No. 841 in February 2018, directing grid…...
Dominion Energy Inc. and Duke Energy Corp. canceled the Atlantic Coast pipeline project because of the ongoing delays and increased legal costs, which threaten the project’s economic viability, according to a July 5 press release. The 600-mile pipeline, initially announced in 2014, was planned to transport natural gas across West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina…....
The U.S. Energy Department on July 6 issued a final long-term order authorizing the Jordan Cove liquefied natural gas export project and the associated Pacific Connector pipeline in Oregon. The order authorizes the facility to export up to 1.08 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas as LNG to nations with which the U.S…....