States Put Carbon Emissions Pricing Back on the Table in Bid for Harder Push on Climate

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – States Put Carbon Emissions Pricing Back on the Table in Bid for Harder Push on Climate

Carbon Markets, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Environmental Markets, PRODUCTS, REC Feed

Measures for carbon emission pricing and studies have so far this year surfaced in at least nine states, spanning from politically moderate Montana to progressive New York. Hawaii has a proposal to investigate how to implement a carbon tax while limiting its impact on lower income residents. In Oregon, legislation has been introduced for a cap-and-trade system to implement economy-wide carbon pricing. California is considering a bill that seeks a mechanism for assessing a carbon tax on retail products. Connecticut is considering a proposal for a regional collaborative on assessing such a fee.

New York's 'Green New Deal' Aims to Quadruple Offshore Wind, Double Solar in Bid for Carbon Neutrality

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – New York’s ‘Green New Deal’ Aims to Quadruple Offshore Wind, Double Solar in Bid for Carbon Neutrality

EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, PRODUCTS, REC Feed, Renewables, Solar, Wind, Wind Power

New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo on Jan. 17 unveiled the most aggressive plan of any state to eliminate global warming emissions and achieve 100 percent carbon-free power in just a couple of decades. Cuomo's legislative package, dubbed the "Green New Deal," is designed to put the state on a path to wipe out its carbon footprint by 2040 by slashing the heat-trapping emissions not just in the power fleet, but across the entire economy including the transportation and agriculture sectors and through building efficiency.

Wind Sparks Race for Leadership Among Eastern U.S. States

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Promise of Offshore Wind Sparks Race for Leadership Among Eastern U.S. States

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Eastern U.S. states are jockeying to claim the mantle of leadership of the nation's still-budding offshore wind industry, eyeing major infrastructure upgrades and workforce training to meet procurement targets and capture the billions-of-dollars in investments promised by the clean, abundant and largely untapped coastal wind resources.

Grid Operators Set to Expand Opportunities for Energy Storage in Wholesale Markets

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Grid Operators Set to Expand Opportunities for Energy Storage in Wholesale Markets

Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Policy Landscape, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS, Wholesale Markets

Regional grid operators have filed proposals to comply with the first federal directive for broader participation of the technology in regional wholesale power markets. The California system operator is already compliant with majority of the requirements, with a market design that FERC has cited as an example for integrating storage resources. New York grid operator’s proposal poses limitations, such as lack of dual participation in wholesale and retail markets, amidst the state’s efforts to advance an ambitious 3-gigawatt goal for storage.

Four Must-Watch Power Sector Trends for 2019

Four Must-Watch Power Sector Trends for 2019

EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Insights, EnerKnol Research Reports, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS, Smart Grid, Solar

The power sector evolution continues unabated, marked by rapid growth of wind and solar, and a growing shift toward distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar, battery storage, and electric vehicles. Interest in batteries is accelerating as states seek to capitalize the multiple benefits the technology provides to the grid, while the smart grid evolution…...

Virginia's Renewable Capacity to Triple in Latest Shift from Fossil Fuels

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Virginia’s Renewable Capacity to Triple in Latest Shift from Fossil Fuels

EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar, Solar Power

Virginia is striding towards a clean energy future by paving the way for faster and larger deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The Grid Transformation and Security Act of 2018 declares that 5,000 megawatts of solar and wind energy are in the public interest, making it easier for these projects get regulatory approval. The state’s 10-year energy plan emphasizes grid modernization and innovative technologies, setting goals for renewable energy generation, energy efficiency, and electric vehicles.

Time-Based Rates Pick Up Pace as Grid Modernization Efforts Rise

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Time-Based Rates Pick Up Pace as Grid Modernization Efforts Rise

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The move towards time-varying rates is on the rise as electric utilities seek rate designs that better align with the changing energy landscape. Utilities are increasingly experimenting with time-of-use rates (TOU) – which price electricity higher when peak demand drives up system costs –as customer-sited generation eats into revenues needed to maintain the grid and amid a widening disparity between average and peak demand.

Utilities Seek Demand Charges as States Tussle with Net Metering Policies

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Utilities Seek Demand Charges as States Tussle with Net Metering Policies

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The proliferation of customer-sited generation has prompted utilities to push for demand charges – a fee based on a customer’s peak consumption during a billing period – to recover fixed costs and address cross-subsidies. Utilities face the conundrum of losing revenue as customers installing distributed generation, such as rooftop solar, rely less on the utility for power needs while also shifting costs to other customers. Solar advocates argue that these fees impact customers’ ability to control their bill, potentially wiping out the incentive to install solar.

The Renewable Green Wave Promised by Democratic Electoral Victories

The Renewable Green Wave Promised by Democratic Electoral Victories

EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Insights, EnerKnol Research Reports, PRODUCTS, Renewables, Solar, Solar Power

The political puzzle pieces are falling into place for nearly a dozen states to strengthen targets for the deployment of renewable generation following the Midterm elections, in what could serve as the latest driver for growth in solar- and wind-powered electricity. Newly elected Democratic governors in six states, ranging from Maine to New Mexico, ran on campaigns to pursue more ambitious renewable energy goals. Their rise to power not only boosts the prospect for more aggressive environmental mandates and targets, but will also mark a progressive shift in energy policy from their respective Republican predecessors, which had blocked renewable-friendly measures.

Rapid EV Growth Prompts Focus on Rate Design for Charging Services

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Rapid EV Growth Prompts Focus on Rate Design for Charging Services

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The continued growth in electric vehicle (EV) adoption has led state regulators to pay more attention to business models and rate designs that facilitate wider availability of charging infrastructure. Most recently, Pennsylvania took a big step towards innovative and dynamic pricing by clarifying that third party EV charging is not considered resale or redistribution of power. California is considering a utility proposal to replace demand charges with new subscription pricing, allowing customers to select the required amount of power for their stations. New York is analyzing the characteristics of charging systems to foster EV participation as a distributed resource. Iowa is examining business models for EV charging, while Illinois is exploring rate structures and charging practices to guide efficient integration of electric vehicles.

Ohio Seeks to Modernize Grid via Electric Vehicles, Non-wires Alternatives, and Data Accessibility

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Ohio Seeks to Modernize Grid via Electric Vehicles, Non-wires Alternatives, and Data Accessibility

EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS, Smart Grid

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio established the PowerForward Collaborative, a utility workgroup charged with monitoring the marketplace to propel the state along its roadmap of grid modernization. The collaborative will examine issues related to electric vehicles and deployment of non-wires alternatives. In addition, its two workgroups will consider integrated distribution planning and data access issues associated with grid modernization. The PowerForward roadmap aims to create a regulatory paradigm that will allow innovation to reach all customers. The plan envisions the modern grid as an open-access platform that helps applications interface seamlessly as they evolve and a marketplace that advances organically, allowing customers to buy innovative products and services from entities of their choice.

State Commitments to Procure Energy Storage Exceed 5.3 Gigawatts

State Commitments to Procure Energy Storage Exceed 5.3 Gigawatts

Energy Storage, EnerKnol Insights, EnerKnol Research Reports, Legacy Insights, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS

States have started to build the foundation for a future of battery storage to capitalize on the multiple benefits the technology provides to the grid, from helping integrate renewables to bolstering the reliability of the network. State legislatures are boosting the number and diversity of measures proposed to stoke storage markets, considering a broad array…...