The New York State Energy Research and Development Agency is scheduled to receive responses from battery companies interested in competitive solicitations or storage development opportunities. The request was open to storage developers, battery integrators, or other companies that utilize lithium-ion technology in utility-scale applications. On April 25 the agency announced a funding opportunity for two categories of projects as part of the state’s $400 million investment to attain the ambitious goal of deploying 3 gigawatts of storage by 2030. READ MORE

The Georgia Public Service Commission will discuss Georgia Power Company’s integrated resource plan, seeking to close four of its coal generation units and procure up to 1 gigawatt of new renewable resources, which would increase the company’s renewable capacity by 18 percent by 2024. The plan includes energy-saving programs designed to help reduce peak demand approximately 1.6 gigawatts by 2022, which is 10 percent of the company’s current peak demand. READ MORE

The Ohio Public Utilities Commission will debate Apex Clean Energy’s $400 million Republic Wind project to be constructed in northern Ohio. The proposed project is an 80 turbine, 200-megawatt wind farm located on approximately 15,000 acres of open farmland in rural Seneca and Sandusky counties and designed to produce enough energy to power more than 59,000 homes every year. 17-2295-EL-BGN

The Oregon Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to complete a whitepaper on the implementation of the federal Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act, or PURPA, amid concerns by developers over the high cost of interconnection and difficulty in obtaining interconnection agreements for projects. PURPA requires utilities to purchase power from small independent electricity generators at the “avoided cost,” or the cost the utility would spend to procure the electricity itself. The commission seeks to ensure a “fair, efficient, transparent, and timely” implementation process. READ MORE

The Michigan Public Service Commission is scheduled to receive reply briefs on a proposed settlement in Consumers Energy Co.’s integrated resource plan. The Solar Energy Industries Association Inc. and Cypress Creek Renewables LLC filed objections to the plan regarding new avoided cost methodology under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. Renewable developers object to Consumers’ plan, arguing about grid connection delays for projects, while the utility says the rates for power purchase agreements are too high. The commission set a deadline of June 10 for a ruling on the proposed agreement. U-20217

The International Energy Agency will release its closely watched report on U.S. and foreign oil markets, covering supply, demand and prices. Exports of crude oil and petroleum products made up about 70 percent of all U.S. energy exports last year. Petroleum exports reached a record-high of 5.6 million barrels per day, according to the Energy Information Administration.