Republican Governor Christopher Sununu on Jan. 6 announced his support for a trio of clean energy bills including measures that would expand access to net metering. Sununu vetoed several clean energy bills in the last session, including raising the state’s net metering cap to 5 megawatts from 1 megawatt, over concerns of higher electric bills.…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s long-awaited order revamping PJM Interconnection LLC’s capacity market rules directs the grid operator to extend the minimum offer price, or MOPR, to all new state-subsidized resources. Clean energy advocates sharply criticized the move citing its potential to harm renewable generation seeking to participate in the capacity market. Democratic Commissioner Richard…
The Oregon Public Utilities Commission approved guidelines to implement its community solar initiative, allowing project managers to begin creating program applications, according to a Jan. 2 news release. The program, which is designed to reduce barriers to participation, includes a 10 percent project capacity carve-out dedicated to low income customers. The initiative will allow customers…
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality reached a settlement with Duke Energy and community groups represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center to clean up coal ash at six facilities in the state, according to a Jan. 2 news release. Duke agreed to move about 80 million tons of coal ash, a toxic byproduct…
The U.S. Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management on Dec. 30 released a favorable environmental review for the Gemini solar project, a proposed 690-megawatt facility that would span 7,100 acres of BLM-administered land, located about 33 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The $1 billion project, which includes 380 megawatts of battery storage, would be the…
U.S. exports of crude oil and petroleum products exceeded imports by 89,000 barrels a day in September, a turning point from only a decade ago, when imports surpassed exports by 10 million barrels a day, according to a Dec. 31 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The agency attributed the trend to changes in…
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources announced that rebates will be extended from Jan. 1 to last through at least Dec. 31, 2021 under the “Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles,” or MOR-EV, initiative, according to a Dec. 31 news release. The department will allocate at least $27 million per year in 2020 and 2021…
Southern California Gas Company has more flexibility to meet natural gas demand this winter than last year after California regulators approved new rules that make it easier for the company to withdraw gas from its Aliso Canyon storage facility, according to a Dec. 13 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Working natural gas inventory…
Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom found that Pacific Gas and Electric’s proposed restructuring plan failed to meet the requirements of the state’s wildfire law, dealing a blow to the company’s efforts to exit bankruptcy, according to a Dec. 13 letter to PG&E Chief Executive Officer Bill Johnson. Newsom called for a feasible plan, pointing to the…
Year-over-year increases in U.S. proved reserves resulted in record-high levels of crude oil and lease condensate, up 12 percent, and natural gas up 9 percent in 2018, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Proved Reserves, Year-End 2018 report. Strong oil and natural gas prices in 2018 drove the increase in…
The Public Service Commission of Maryland has issued its annual report on the implementation of the Maryland Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard with data for calendar year 2018. According to the report, published on Dec. 10, Maryland RPS obligations were almost entirely fulfilled through the submission of the appropriate level of Tier 1 and Tier 2 Renewable Energy Credits…
The New York State Public Service Commission has announced reforms to the retail energy market to strengthen customer protections and to enhance price and operational transparency, according to a Dec. 12 press release. The resetting of the retail energy market in New York will impact the day-to-day business of energy service companies, or ESCOs, doing business…