Opinion
The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders
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New England policymakers have the tech and funds for energy security. They just need to act.
Distributed renewable energy — especially when paired with energy storage — can provide near-term relief to high power prices while improving reliability.
Mike Judge ⢠Feb. 3, 2023 -
Vehicle-to-grid charging is coming fast ā hereās how regulators and utilities can prepare now
If utilities do not start planning now, in a few years we will have millions of EVs on the road that are not being used to their full potential as a source of energy storage.
Laura Sherman ⢠Feb. 2, 2023 -
Getting politics out of utility bills
Public utility commissions should explicitly bar utilities from spending customers' money on politics, using clear and common-sense definitions of political activity.
David Pomerantz ⢠Feb. 1, 2023 -
A responsible supply chain and circular economy for batteries will be critical for EVs and electric utilities
Whether it’s advanced batteries for EVs or for energy storage to meet peak grid demand, foreign pressures on strategic resources and the global supply chain are directly at odds with our domestic energy policies and ambitions.
Steve Christensen ⢠Jan. 31, 2023 -
An open letter to the Department of Energy: Enough with the technical assistance
Well-meaning as they may be, EPA and DOE, which are tasked with distributing the funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and bipartisan infrastructure law, can be painfully oblivious to the needs of recipients.
Alicia Brown ⢠Jan. 30, 2023 -
EVs are more popular than ever. Theyāre also extremely prone to cyberattacks.
If action is not taken to uniformly protect electric vehicles and charging infrastructure from cyber threats, the mobile exoskeleton of the U.S. could be targeted.
Shahid Mahdi ⢠Jan. 27, 2023 -
6 reasons why grid access charges should not be part of utilityĀ rates
Although GACs are extremely effective in recovering utility fixed and demand costs and reducing cross-subsidies, they do so regressively, posing a serious risk to the sustainable diffusion of rooftop solar technology.
Ahmed S. Alahmed ⢠Jan. 26, 2023 -
Green hydrogen ā The fuel of the future if we lead with data
Grid-enabled clean hydrogen can be a powerful decarbonization tool if the production involves 100% hourly-matched, locally-procured, clean generation established specifically for the clean hydrogen generator.
Benjamin L. Gerber ⢠Jan. 25, 2023 -
How US grid operators can defend against the unprecedented surge in power system attacks
Undertaking random security measures, better information-sharing with law enforcement, and enlisting public support are among the steps grid operators can take to address the increase in attacks.
Ben Joelson ⢠Jan. 24, 2023 -
The USĀ can go much bigger on offshore wind: 3 lessons from the UKĀ and Denmark
While 30 GW by 2030 is a good start, the U.K., Denmark, and other nations should inspire us to set our sights orders of magnitude higher.
Mike OāBoyle ⢠Jan. 19, 2023 -
California PUCās delay of microgrids program harms disadvantaged communities
This delay in community microgrid development means more vulnerability to heat waves, wildfires, power shutoffs and pollution, especially in frontline communities.
Stephanie Doyle and Shina Robinson ⢠Jan. 18, 2023 -
Busting the solar myth: A call to embrace the circular renewable economy
While there are significant global environmental and social incentives to using solar energy, its resource intensity calls into question whether solar is truly “green”. The bad news is it’s not — at least not yet.
Zoe Gossett ⢠Jan. 12, 2023 -
Retrieved from FreeWire Technologies website.
Transportation electrification and EVs: Who pays for grid upgrades?
As more utilities file detailed transportation electrification plans, modifications to service upgrade policies will become essential to avoid financial and inequitable EV adoption roadblocks.
Michael Hartnack and Jesse Hitchcock ⢠Jan. 11, 2023 -
President Biden, creating a resilience corps will maximize our investments in climate and clean energy
We must leverage effective strategies to engage the next, more diverse, generation and put them on pathways to good-paying jobs in our rapidly growing clean energy and resilience sectors.
Emily Andrews, Kristen Bennett, Kevin J. Coyle, Trevor Dolan, Kaira Esgate, Karishma Merchant and Mary Ellen Sprenkel ⢠Jan. 10, 2023 -
Solving the other half of the climate equation: Removing carbon
Net zero is not just a number; it is an equation. On one side is cutting emissions; on the other is removing carbon altogether.
Emma Gibbs, Mark Patel and Giulia Siccardo ⢠Jan. 9, 2023 -
Clean energy tax credit transferability: Hero of the Inflation Reduction Act?
Now that transferability exists for federal tax credits, financiers can unlock the tax equity portion of the capital stack to further fuel early-stage project development.
Eric Rubinstein ⢠Jan. 5, 2023 -
The hidden barrier to V2X: How states and utilities can open the floodgates for bidirectional EV charging
Avoid reinventing the wheel, minimize unnecessary review, and provide flexible service connection and interconnection options.
Ed Burgess and Dan Bowerson ⢠Dec. 22, 2022 -
All I want for Christmas is my PTCs
We have made a choice as a country that our federal energy policy will be brought to you through the Internal Revenue Code as opposed to through other means.
Raymond L. Gifford and Matthew S. Larson ⢠Dec. 21, 2022 -
Prioritizing energy efficiency to combat the climate crisis
The lack of focus on energy efficiency as a solution is not new but is becoming increasingly problematic, writes Metrus Energy CEO Bob Hinkle.
Bob Hinkle ⢠Dec. 20, 2022 -
For energy transition equity, communities must run community solar
Not just community solar, but community-owned community solar, provides an example of what a more equitable, decentralized clean energy transition could look like.
Eric Sippert ⢠Dec. 19, 2022 -
What would it take for the US to be the leader in floating offshore wind?
The U.S. would need to construct upland port facilities on a scale not seen since the massive ramp-up in ship manufacturing for World War II and speed up processes for leasing, permitting, transmission and interconnection.
Greg Matzat ⢠Dec. 16, 2022 -
How states and utilities can lower consumer bills and accelerate the clean energy transition
By acting now, state policymakers and utility regulators can put more consumers and communities on a path to long-term energy affordability and mitigate the impact of future energy price spikes.
Sara Baldwin and Hadley Tallackson ⢠Dec. 15, 2022 -
The āunprecedentedāĀ risks facing our power grid this winter should be a wake-up call for government
It’s imperative the Biden administration nominates a FERC commissioner who can set our power grid up for success by prioritizing its safety, reliability and affordability.
Todd Snitchler ⢠Dec. 14, 2022 -
Federal legislation completely changed the energy landscape.Ā How do states take advantage of it?
Implementing recent federal and state legislation will require Illinois and other states to modernize regulation of their energy systems to accommodate the anticipated rapid growth of clean energy.
Carrie Zalewski, Tetyana Rabczak and Robert Haggart ⢠Dec. 9, 2022 -
As abuse allegations proliferate, we must advance human rights across the renewable energy value chain
It’s imperative that renewable energy developers, investors, buyers and producers don’t make things worse for the very communities already enduring the brunt of climate disasters.
Malayah Redmond ⢠Dec. 8, 2022