Visual Primer: Distributed Solar Poised for Expansion Amid Growing Policy Support
Federal and state actions to boost distributed solar show the growing interest in harnessing the technology to achieve broader policy goals.
Visual Primer: U.S. Boosts Offshore Wind Development to Meet Decarbonization Goals
The U.S. offshore wind industry is growing stronger, spurred by expansion into new leasing areas to support the national goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and ambitious state-level commitments.
Ohio Power Board Approves 250 Megawatts of Solar Projects
The Ohio Power Siting Board on Aug. 18 approved the construction of two utility-scale solar farms totaling 250 megawatts. The projects comprise the 150 megawatt-Wild Grains and 100 megawatt-Nottingham projects slated for development in Van Wert and Harrison counties, respectively. Spanish utility Iberdrola subsidiary Avangrid is developing Wild Grains and expects construction on the project…...
U.S. Interior Begins Process for Offshore Wind Development in the Gulf of Maine
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Aug. 18 announced a request for interest aimed to determine public interest in the expansion of commercial offshore wind leases on nearly 13.7 million acres in the Gulf of Maine. The bureau also published a separate request for competitive interest in response to Maine’s research lease application to…...
New Jersey Board Accepts Study on Cost Impacts of Energy Master Plan
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on Aug. 18 accepted a cost impact study, assessing how the state’s transition to renewable energy will affect utility rates under the Energy Master Plan, or EMP. The study found that most ratepayers would be able to reduce their energy bills by electrifying buildings and transportation and lowering…...
New York Announces Third Solicitation of Large-Scale Renewables Program
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, announced on Aug. 16 the third solicitation in the process of the large-scale renewable energy purchasing program identified as Competitive Tier 2, which is intended to maintain the state’s existing renewable energy resources. The announcement underlines the significance of the state’s baseline energy production as an…...
Southwest Power Pool Reveals ‘Market+’ Service for Western Energy Market
The Southwest Power Pool Inc. (SPP), the grid operator for 17 states in the central and western U.S., on Aug. 16, 2022, announced that its “Market+” service offering designed to provide hurdle-free transmission service and facilitate reliable integration of fast-growing renewable resources, has gained the attention of customers in the Western Interconnection. The service, which…...
U.S. Added 13.4 Gigawatts of Onshore Wind in 2021: DOE
Wind generation represented 32 percent of total U.S. energy capacity growth last year, according to an Aug. 16 news release from the U.S. Energy Department. The sector employs 120,000 people and currently supplies adequate energy to power about 40 million households. The agency issued three reports discussing the onshore utility-scale, offshore utility-scale, and distributed wind…...
Ohio Supreme Court Upholds Permit for First U.S. Freshwater Offshore Wind Farm
The Supreme Court of Ohio issued a decision upholding the Ohio Power Siting Board’s issuance of a certification of environmental compatibility and public necessity to build the Icebreaker project in Lake Erie. The six-turbine, 20.7 megawatt offshore project would be constructed by the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation, around 10 miles off the coast of…...
New York Regulator Approves 500 Megawatts of Renewable Generation Projects, Major Upstate Power Line
The New York Public Service Commission on Aug. 11 approved compliance filings for five major wind and solar farms in upstate New York. The move allows 517 megawatts worth of renewable energy projects to move forward. These actions are necessary for the projects to begin construction or become operational. In a separate press release, the…...