U.S. Interior Approves 465 Megawatts of Solar Projects in California

Trump Administration Approves 690-Megawatt Solar Project, Largest in U.S.

The U.S. Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management on May 11 approved the Gemini Solar Project, a proposed 690-megawatt facility, located about 33 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The $1 billion project, which includes 380 megawatts of battery storage, is expected to be the eighth largest in the world. The project will serve NV Energy…...

U.S. Agriculture Department Announces $100 Million to Expand Biofuel Availability

U.S. Agriculture Department Announces $100 Million to Expand Biofuel Availability

The U.S. Agriculture Department on May 5 issued a notice of funding of up to $100 million in competitive grants for projects designed to boost the sale and use of renewable fuels under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program, or HBIIP. The initiative will offer cost-share grants of up to 50 percent of project costs,…...

Growing Demand for Energy Resilience Brings Microgrids to the Forefront

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – Growing Demand for Energy Resilience Brings Microgrids to the Forefront

More states and utilities are exploring microgrids as part of their resiliency strategies driven by the growing demand to bolster the reliability of the power system in the face of extreme weather events, such as storms and wildfires.

Iowa Board Approves 200 Megawatts of Solar Projects

Virginia Reopens Renewable Energy Pilot With Expanded Participation Limit

The Virginia State Corporation Commission on May 6 announced the resumption of a renewable energy pilot program, following recent legislation that expanded the statutory limit for the program. The pilot allows non-utility owners of renewable energy to sell electricity to utility customers under a power purchase agreement. Due to the high interest in the program,…...

Arizona Corporation Commissioners Propose Retail Electric Competition Rules

Connecticut Strengthens Marketing Standards for Third-Party Electric Suppliers

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority on May 6 issued a final decision adopting comprehensive marketing standards and sales practices for electric suppliers. The new standards are designed to ensure that customers choosing third-party suppliers have access to accurate information to make educated decisions. The standards apply to switching practices, solicitations and renewals, hiring and…...

California Plans to Expedite Microgrid Deployment to Prepare for Utility Power Shutoffs

California Plans to Expedite Microgrid Deployment to Prepare for Utility Power Shutoffs

The California Public Utilities Commission on April 29 proposed a decision adopting short-term actions to expedite the deployment of microgrids and related resiliency strategies that would mitigate the impacts of safety power shutoff events to avoid the risk of power lines starting wildfires. The proposal would direct the state’s large investor-owned electric utilities to streamline…...

SWEPCO Wins Arkansas Approval to Acquire 800 Megawatts of Wind Power

SWEPCO Wins Arkansas Approval to Acquire 800 Megawatts of Wind Power

The Arkansas Public Service Commission on May 5 approved a settlement agreement, allowing Southwestern Electric Power Co. to acquire up to 810 megawatts of wind energy from three projects in Oklahoma. The company will invest $1.01 billion to own 54.5 percent of a 1,485-megawatt portfolio of wind projects, which it plans to buy with Public…...

Dominion Energy Seeks Up To 24 Gigawatts of Renewables, Storage in Virginia Resource Plan

Dominion Energy Seeks Up To 24 Gigawatts of Renewables, Storage in Virginia Resource Plan

Dominion Energy Inc. on May 1 filed its 2020 integrated resource plan with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, reflecting the targets of the Clean Economy Act, which requires the company to produce its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045. Under the proposal, the company proposes to add 6.7 to 18.8 gigawatts of solar over the…...

Oregon Governor Orders Sweeping Climate Action Setting Sector-Specific Emissions Caps, Tougher Clean Fuel Targets

New York Proposes Regulations to Strengthen RGGI Emissions Cap

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on April 29 proposed regulations to advance the state’s portion of the 30 percent emissions cap reduction from 2021 to 2030, under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, which established the nation’s first regional program to cap and reduce power sector emissions. Following the program update,…...

New Jersey Proposes Rules for Solar Transition Incentive, Progresses Toward Successor Program

New Jersey Proposes Rules for Solar Transition Incentive, Progresses Toward Successor Program

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on April 27 proposed to amend its solar energy rule and create a Transition Incentive Program to replace the Solar Renewable Energy Certificate, or SREC, initiative. The board ordered the closure of the SREC program effective April 30, declaring that the state has attained the milestone set by…...

States, Environmental Groups Challenge FERC Order on PJM Capacity Market Rules

States, Environmental Groups Challenge FERC Order on PJM Capacity Market Rules

New Jersey and Maryland filed a lawsuit with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, challenging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s order directing PJM Interconnection LLC to extend the minimum offer price rule, or MOPR, to state-subsidized resources, according to an April 27 news release. Several states have criticized the move, citing its potential to harm…...

U.S. Interior Approves 465 Megawatts of Solar Projects in California

New Mexico Regulators Delay Decision on Solar Projects Planned to Replace Coal-Fired Capacity

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission on April 29 put off a decision on the Public Service Company of New Mexico’s plan for two solar-plus-battery projects to partially replace the generation from the San Juan Generating Station scheduled for retirement by 2022. In a March 27 recommended decision, hearing examiners suggested that the commission approve…...