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…
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 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…
2013 Year-over-year GHG emissions rose 2.5 percent and are projected to rise an additional 1.1 percent over the course of 2014, mainly due to harsh 2014 winter conditions. If energy efficiency, demand response, and renewable resources are not increasingly developed, the U.S. power sector will be challenged to affordably meet emissions goals if extreme weather…
A federal appeals court has lifted the stay of EPA’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule which addresses interstate transport of air pollution that affects downwind states’ ability to meet air quality standards. On October 23, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) motion to lift…
New York’s first energy management network operations center will provide statewide public facilities with real-time energy use data to improve building performance. On October 21, 2014, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the launch of NY Energy Manager (NYEM), the state’s first energy management network operations center, at the Colleges of Nanoscale Science and…
Entergy’s site assessment study of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station estimates the plant’s decommissioning cost at $1.24B, higher than previous estimates. On October 17, 2014, Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee (ENVY) released a site assessment study for decommissioning its Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station by 2014. The study – submitted to Vermont’s Public Service Department,…
Massachusetts offered its first green bond sale in June 2013, and several additional states have offered green bonds over the last two years. Green bonds offer issuers access to capital to finance projects for water quality and infrastructure, energy efficiency, renewable energy, pollution cleanup, and other capital-intensive projects.. With the Green Bond Principles gaining marketplace…
The DOE has issued a final rule establishing standards for green building rating systems that provide certification for federal buildings. On October 10, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a final rule establishing standards for green building certification systems to strengthen federal buildings’ energy management through enhanced energy use measurement and energy efficient design….
According to EIA, the share of imports in U.S. energy consumption for the first half of 2014 reached the lowest level in 29 years. On October 10, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that net U.S. energy imports as a share of consumption for the January-June 2014 period reached the lowest…
