Alternative energy
The DOE’s Minorities in Energy Industry Partner Network aims to build minorities’ capacity to compete for energy sector opportunities. On November 18, 2014 — the first anniversary of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Minorities in Energy Initiative (MIE) — DOE launched the MIE Industry Partner Network to increase engagement of underrepresented communities in the energy sector…....
The DOI has offered a right-of-way grant authorizing an offshore wind energy transmission line from Block Island to the Rhode Island mainland. On November 17, 2014, the Department of Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a right-of-way (ROW) grant to Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission System LLC for its proposed Block Island…...
The acquisition of Massachusetts-based First Wind marks SunEdison’s entry into the global wind market, potentially making it the world’s largest renewable energy company. On November 17, 2014, global solar developer SunEdison Inc. and its indirect subsidiary TerraForm Power Inc. announced a definitive agreement to acquire Boston-based First Wind, a leading independent wind development and asset management…...
The U.S. has announced a $3B commitment to the Green Climate Fund – the largest single pledge to date. On November 15, 2014 – eve of the 2014 G-20 Summit in Australia – U.S. President Barack Obama announced that the U.S. will contribute $3B to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the financial support mechanism aimed…...
State energy efficiency resource standards (EERS) outline near- and long-term energy use reduction requirements for utilities and third-party program administrators. EERS play an instrumental role in reducing power-sector emissions growth and could help reduce electricity consumption by as much as 10 percent by 2020. States that do not have a history of EERS or incentive…...
Four large-scale renewable energy projects selected through RPS Main Tier solicitations will add approximately 164 MW to New York’s renewable energy capacity. On November 12, 2014, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced $206M in funding to four Upstate large-scale clean energy projects aimed to reduce emissions and improve energy infrastructure resiliency. Once operational, the…...
The 2013-2014 winter polar vortex and cold snap events caused record forced generation capacity outages in the PJM Interconnection region. The high outage levels prompted PJM to reassess its capacity product definitions – and associated performance incentives and penalties – to ensure future system reliability. The currently proposed Reliability Pricing Model (RPM) reforms pose significant…...
ISO New England’s 2014 Regional System Plan underscores that retirements indicate the need for new resources to address future demand despite energy efficiency measures projected to flatten demand over time. On November 6, 2014, ISO New England (ISO-NE) issued the 2014 Regional System Plan, its annual guide on New England’s long term power-system planning efforts. The…...
The 2015 Fuel Economy Guide indicates that 2015 vehicle models comprise a larger number of fuel-efficient and low-emission vehicles in a broader range of classes and sizes compared to previous years. On November 6, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) released the 2015 Fuel Economy Guide providing information on…...
The White House has released federal agencies’ sustainability and climate plans outlining methods to incorporate energy and climate considerations into their decision-making. On October 31, 2014 – the fifth anniversary of the 2009 Executive Order on Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance – the White House released federal agencies’ sustainability and climate change adaptation plans, detailing…...
On October 16, 2014 the FERC ruled New England Transmission Owners’ base ROE unjust and unreasonable, and lowered the base rate to 10.57 percent. The rate reductions and refunds are not currently considerable financial burdens to NETO companies, however the lower ROE may impact future transmission infrastructure investments. With tightening capacity reserve margins and a shifting…...
The NRC has resumed license renewals after a two-year suspension, bringing the number of commercial nuclear power plants with renewed licenses to 74. On October 29, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report highlighting the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) resumption of license renewals, ending a two-year suspension on licensing decisions. The NRC resumed the…...