Emphasis on energy efficiency and related measures, such as building electrification, have been gaining significance as lawmakers and regulators across the U.S. strive to set policies that spur climate-friendly activity to progress toward a low-carbon economy.
The U.S. Interior Department on July 5 approved the construction and operations of Ørsted’s 1.1-gigawatt Ocean Wind 1 project off New Jersey, the third commercial-scale offshore wind project in the U.S. The project would be capable of supplying over 380,000 homes and is expected to create more than 3,000 jobs through the development phase and…...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on June 29 announced the launch of the $7 billion Solar for All program, a grant competition for states, tribal governments, municipalities, and nonprofits to expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities that are primed for residential and community solar investment. The program, a part of the Greenhouse Gas…...
The U.S. Energy Department on June 27 announced the launch of its $25 million Enhancement & Innovation, or E&I, competitive grant program, which is a part of the $3.5 billion allocated to the Weatherization Assistance Program, or WAP, within the framework of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. With this significant funding pool, the…...
The U.S. Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office has announced a conditional commitment of up to $9.2 billion for three manufacturing facilities to supply batteries for Ford Motor Company’s future Ford and Lincoln electric vehicles. The office approved the conditional loan for BlueOval SK LLC, a joint venture of Ford Motor Company and SK On, a…...
Several states across the U.S. are revisiting utility resource planning processes to account for changing policy developments and demand projections while also considering long-term affordability and reliability to build a more resilient grid.
The U.S. Energy Department on June 16 announced the selection of seven states, three tribal nations, and the District of Columbia as the second cohort to benefit from over $77 million in Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants. In May, the department announced that four states and two tribal nations had been selected to…...
The U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service on June 14 provided guidance on important provisions within the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA. The department plays a leading role in implementing the IRA, as much of the clean energy investment is delivered through tax incentives. The proposed guidance clarifies eligibility, processes, and addresses…...
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas announced the launch of a new daily procured ancillary service aimed to support grid reliability and reduce real-time operational issues to balance supply and demand. The new service, called ERCOT Contingency Reserve Service, or ECRS, marks the first such service introduced to the market in more than two decades…....