The District of Columbia Public Service Commission is due to receive comments on proposed amendments to rules governing the renewable energy portfolio standard, in order to obtain more accurate data about the energy output of generating facilities. The revisions would require all renewable energy generators, including behind-the-meter installations, to account for energy output using a revenue grade production meter or inverter-based production measurement equipment. Further, the proposal would require documentation of site maps or construction drawings to ensure accuracy in production reporting. The information, along with other compliance measures, is expected to assist the district in meeting its 100 percent renewable energy goal in 2032. RM29-2021-01-E

The Maryland Public Service Commission is due to receive proposals explaining evaluation protocols and cost-effectiveness for a new goal structure as part of EmPOWER Maryland, the state’s energy efficiency program. The current goal structure for EmPOWER is mandated by legislation through the end of the 2021-2023 program cycle and the commission is required to provide the General Assembly with recommendations on future goals and cost-effectiveness tests by July 1, 2022. An order issued in December 2020 authorized the transition to the next three-year program cycle and approved various proposals by the program administrators to continue operating the core energy efficiency programs in 2021-2023. 9648

The Maine Public Utilities Commission is due to receive comments on proposed amendments to consumer protection standards addressing disconnection notices and procedures during winter months. The revisions follow recent legislation, which bars transmission and distribution utilities from sending disconnection notices to residential customers during a prescribed disconnection prohibition period without receiving prior permission of the consumer assistance and safety division. A utility that violates the disconnection guidelines would face a civil penalty of up to $2,500, payable to the customer who received such notice. 2021-00266

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission will discuss a staff proposal on new prioritized performance incentive mechanisms, or PIMs, for Hawaiian Electric Companies. The commission identified four main areas to develop PIMs: grid reliability, timely retirement of fossil fuel generation units, interconnection of large-scale renewable energy products, and cost control for fossil fuel, purchased power and other costs. The proposal identifies an additional area, namely, expedited utilization of grid services from demand side resources. Hawaii is mandated by a 2018 law to implement performance-based regulation, establishing a financial link between utility revenues and performance in achieving customer-focused performance metrics. 2018-0088

The California Energy Commission will consider proposals for deployment of fueling infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission transit bus fleets. The proposals are in response to the commission’s solicitation to fund electric vehicle charging or hydrogen refueling infrastructure to support the large-scale conversion of transit bus fleets to zero emission vehicles. The Anaheim Transportation Network requested a $5 million grant for the installation of charging infrastructure and a microgrid to assist the acquisition of 50 electric transit buses. The City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation seeks a $6 million grant to install a solar and storage microgrid, chargers and charger dispensers, overhead transit bus charging and solar canopies, and battery storage. The expansion of zero-emission infrastructure supports the transition to a clean energy economy while also advancing Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order mandating medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles to be 100 percent zero-emission by 2045.