Liberty Utilities Wins Approval for Customer-Sited Battery Pilot in New Hampshire

Liberty Utilities Wins Approval for Customer-Sited Battery Pilot in New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission on Jan. 17 authorized Liberty Utilities Co. to install up to 500 Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries behind the meter at customers’ premises under a pilot program intended to achieve customer savings through peak load reductions. Liberty said that the initiative marks the first program in the nation to combine…

Michigan Regulators Clear DTE Energy’s Voluntary Renewable Power Program

Michigan Regulators Clear DTE Energy’s Voluntary Renewable Power Program

The Michigan Public Service Commission on Jan. 18 approved DTE Electric Co.’s voluntary green pricing program tailored for large customers who choose to meet a portion of their electricity needs from renewable energy resources. The company said that the program will commence once the renewable energy projects required to support the program are in commercial operation…...

New York Governor Seeks to Quadruple Offshore Wind, Double Solar on Path to Carbon Neutrality

New York Governor Seeks to Quadruple Offshore Wind, Double Solar on Path to Carbon Neutrality

Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo on Jan. 17 announced new goals as part of the state’s “Green New Deal” to achieve 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2040. The initiative, outlined in Cuomo’s 2019 policy agenda, calls for an offshore wind target of 9 gigawatts by 2035, up from 2.4 gigawatts by 2030, adding to the combined…...

U.S. Court Upholds New England Capacity Market Exemptions For State-Sponsored Renewables

NextEra Seeks FERC Action to Protect Renewable Contracts as PG&E Faces Bankruptcy

NextEra Energy Inc. and NextEra Energy Partners L.P on Jan. 18 asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to order that Pacific Gas and Electric Company may not reject its wholesale contracts in bankruptcy without the federal regulator’s approval. PG&E announced it will file for bankruptcy protection on or about Jan. 29 as it faces billions…...

AEP Seeks New Wind Power Proposals After $4.5 Billion Plan Fails

AEP Seeks New Wind Power Proposals After $4.5 Billion Plan Fails

Southwestern Electric Power Company, a subsidiary of American Electric Power Company Inc., issued a request for proposals for 1.2 gigawatts of wind energy that would come online by Dec. 15, 2021, according to a Jan. 9 filing with the Louisiana Public Service Commission. The move comes six months after the company scrapped a $4.5-billion wind…...

Renewable Generation Additions Expected to More Than Double Natural Gas in 2019

Renewable Generation Additions Expected to More Than Double Natural Gas in 2019: EIA

In 2019, the U.S. is expected to add 23.7 gigawatts of generation capacity and retire 8.3 gigawatts, according to a Jan. 10 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. About 8 gigawatts of coal, nuclear, and natural gas generation are scheduled to retire this year, with coal accounting for 53 percent of the retirements. Texas,…

Colorado State Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Expand Community Solar Projects

Colorado State Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Expand Community Solar Projects

Colorado House lawmaker Chris Hansen, a Democrat, introduced legislation on Jan. 4 that would increase the maximum size of community solar gardens to 10 megawatts, up from 2 megawatts permitted by current law. The bill would broaden access to community projects, which offers consumers the opportunity to participate in solar installations through subscriptions, by allowing…...