Long-term planning strategies of natural gas utilities across the U.S. are evolving in response to ambitious clean energy and emissions reduction goals. Policies to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century are leading state regulators and utilities to explore pathways to decarbonize the energy system.
Strategic actions to optimize the distribution grid are imperative to meet the demands of the evolving power sector. Changing policies, climate action, and customer preferences have led to the growth in distributed energy resources and demand-side opportunities, prompting regulators and utilities to explore robust grid planning approaches that accommodate the growth and meet increased demand from electrification.
Amid growing federal and state efforts to encourage advanced nuclear technologies to accomplish decarbonization goals, a recent announcement to terminate a first-of-a-kind small modular reactor (SMR) power project in the U.S. signifies the hurdles facing the industry.
Strategic actions to optimize the distribution grid are imperative to meet the demands of the evolving power sector. Changing policies, climate action, and customer preferences have led to the growth in distributed energy resources and demand-side opportunities, prompting regulators and utilities to explore robust grid planning approaches that accommodate the growth and meet increased demand from electrification.
Even as the offshore wind industry is seeking to scale up, economic challenges cast shadow on future development. Inflation and supply chain disruptions have resulted in some major developers seeking to exit or revise their power purchase contracts. A recent announcement to cancel two large projects off New Jersey has dealt a setback to the industry, reflecting the deepening financial challenges of the sector.
There is a growing focus on regional collaboration to improve transmission planning and operations as grid operators and states explore strategies to enhance system reliability while transitioning to a lower-carbon grid. Recent actions include a comprehensive action plan to connect offshore wind projects to the electric grid and a multi-state proposal to establish a collaborative on interregional transmission.
Carbon management is emerging as an important component of regulatory strategies to progress towards a net-zero economy. Recent actions range from funding for the first direct air capture facilities to establishing an action committee to advance marine carbon dioxide (CO2) removal.
Evolving electric system reliability needs that stem from the anticipated unprecedented growth in intermittent resources have prompted a closer scrutiny of resource adequacy (RA) issues. The increasing share of renewables to facilitate a lower-carbon grid, coupled with fossil generation retirements and increased demand for electrification, pose emerging challenges to the ability of system operators to meet reliability requirements. RA ensures that the planned resource mix is sufficient to meet the future system capacity needs and maintain grid reliability.
Latest developments in the policy and regulatory landscape governing competitive retail electricity markets are focused on efforts to enhance consumer protection and benefits. Recent actions range from establishing stricter reviews of electric supplier licenses to cyber and data security requirements.
Clean hydrogen is expected to play an integral role in the transition to a decarbonized energy system. Federal and state initiatives are aimed at addressing barriers to scale hydrogen deployment and facilitate a sustainable clean hydrogen economy.
In the face of a rapidly evolving energy landscape, federal and state initiatives continue to support the growth and expansion of energy storage solutions. Energy storage plays a key role in the transition to a zero-emission electric grid by enabling the integration of large quantities of renewable energy while improving grid-operating capabilities.
As Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) awareness sweeps boardrooms around the world, procurement managers are forced to examine the business practices and environmental stewardship of their supply chain.
