Opinion
The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders
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A single, unified Western power market will deliver affordability, reliability and climate benefits
The expansion of the Western Energy Imbalance Market with a day-ahead market and a new independent governing authority can open major opportunities for customer benefits and increased grid reliability.
Lauren McCloy, Ben Otto, Diego Rivas and Fred Heutte • April 24, 2024 -
imaginima via Getty Images
The case for electricity transmission competition has never been clearer with today’s inflation
Both the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission have found that competitive bidding will improve grid sustainability and resiliency while lowering rates and increasing innovation.
Paul Cicio • April 23, 2024 -
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FERC’s final regional transmission rule is coming soon. It has one shot to get it right.
A strong rule will help spur the transmission lines necessary to meet America’s growing energy needs, while also setting the table for a future interregional rule to mitigate the effects of extreme weather.
Ray Long • April 18, 2024 -
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The time is ripe for utilities to play a larger role in the energy transition
Utilities should provide upfront support to low- to moderate-income customers for residential electrification and decarbonization measures to prevent them from being stuck on the existing fossil fuel systems.
Dan Bakal • April 16, 2024 -
YinYang via Getty Images
Power grids are facing more demand than ever. Policy needs to catch up.
There is a gap between operational realities and aspirational policies. That gap is growing, and not shrinking as it must.
Todd Snitchler • April 15, 2024 -
Aranga87 via Getty Images
The Future of AI will require an energy breakthrough. The answer is a fusion moonshot.
Skeptics contend that fusion has long promised much but failed to deliver. Historically, that has been true. But there is reason to believe this moment is different.
Ylli Bajraktari • April 12, 2024 -
Oliver de la Haye via Getty Images
Regulators: Don’t panic and rush to gas amid cries we’re out of power
Proposing new gas plants to serve growing demand does not occur in isolation. It is a decision that implicitly rejects alternatives as either infeasible, expensive or unconsidered.
Mike O’Boyle and Eric Gimon • April 11, 2024 -
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How electric vehicles are lowering electricity bills for everyone
Electric vehicle drivers are saving everyone billions of dollars on their monthly electricity bills, a recent study by Synapse Energy Economics found.
Jordan Brinn • April 10, 2024 -
jitendrajadhav via Getty Images
Can Retail Choice 2.0 succeed where Retail Choice 1.0 (maybe) failed?
Retail Choice 2.0 is capable of unlocking more value than ever, through smart meters, telecommunications infrastructure, AI, electrified homes and even social media, enabling both real-time feedback and customer education.
Allison Bates Wannop • April 9, 2024 -
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Maximizing the value of IRA tax incentives while minimizing investment compliance risk
The IRA is the single largest investment in clean energy in U.S. history, but industry will only benefit from the estimated $1.2 trillion in incentives if the tax credits can be successfully monetized.
Charles Dauber • April 8, 2024 -
Imaginima via Getty Images
Grid reliability’s core challenge is governance, not a changing resource mix
An outdated and parochial oversight system is the biggest threat to U.S. grid reliability.
Alexandra Klass, Josh Macey, Shelley Welton and Hannah Wiseman • April 4, 2024 -
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Supporting strategic end uses is key to making hydrogen hubs the building blocks to scale
We must deploy clean hydrogen strategically to decarbonize sectors of the economy that are hard to electrify and unlock its true potential to accelerate the phaseout of fossil fuels.
Cihang Yuan and Daniel Riley • April 3, 2024 -
The manufacturing renaissance needs well-planned transmission solutions
Increased demand with variable energy supply and volatile weather conditions require a coordinated, holistic and forward-looking approach.
Karen Onaran • April 2, 2024 -
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Don’t give up on green hydrogen
The reality is that we will never achieve a carbon-free economy without green hydrogen and green hydrogen carriers like ammonia, ethanol and formic acid.
Clay Norris • March 29, 2024 -
Wichien Tep via Getty Images
Utilities must come clean about the full value of community solar
Utilities often oppose customer-driven, third-party-owned energy projects like community solar because they threaten to supplant utility investments and utility shareholder profits.
Jeff Cramer and John Farrell • March 28, 2024 -
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Election year opportunities — and pitfalls — for emerging energy companies
Whether you are a renewable energy firm, energy manufacturing group, private investor in the space or other stakeholder, there are many ways you can become politically active and effective.
Steve Roberts and Nicole Kelly • March 27, 2024 -
"U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission headquarters" by AgnosticPreachersKid is licensed under CC BY 3.0
The SEC makes the call: Climate risk equals financial risk
When the SEC’s climate disclosure rule is paired with other climate reporting directives, the shift within the financial landscape will be monumental.
Bob Hinkle • March 26, 2024 -
YinYang via Getty Images
Grid technology could save billions but for a policy vacuum
Separate studies by Quanta Technologies and the Brattle Group found that using grid-enhancing technologies in generator interconnection could reduce wholesale energy costs nationwide by over $5 billion per year.
Neil Chatterjee • March 25, 2024 -
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Nuclear boosterism has gotten reckless
Today's misguided focus on nuclear power is diverting us from renewables, storage and efficiency, hobbling us in our race against climate chaos.
Kevin Kamps • March 22, 2024 -
Vanit Janthra via Getty Images
Unlocking the power of green hydrogen requires a workable tax credit
The Treasury Department’s draft rules for the 45V clean hydrogen tax credit will slow things to a crawl, doing the opposite of what the Inflation Reduction Act intended, which was to encourage domestic hydrogen production.
Andy Vesey • March 21, 2024 -
Permission granted by Esme Howland
FERC needs a quorum to function. Tomorrow’s Senate hearing puts that work on the line.
If FERC loses its quorum, vital natural gas projects may be delayed, stalling economic growth and hindering U.S. producers’ ability to meet energy demands.
Amy Andryszak • March 20, 2024 -
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Companies are missing opportunities with the IRA’s clean energy tax credit incentives
Washington is offering a gift that could be worth billions to corporate America.
Akshat Kasliwal, Jesse Gilbert and Vy Manthripragada • March 19, 2024 -
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How targeted electrification can support a managed transition for the gas system
Regulatory and policy changes will be necessary for targeted electrification and gas decommissioning to achieve a scale that would support meaningful cost savings for gas ratepayers.
Ari Gold-Parker, Dan Aas, Arne Olson and Amber Mahone • March 15, 2024 -
Andrei Ksenzhuk via Getty Images
Permitting reform budget request should push Congress to negotiate a bipartisan deal
Our domestic energy supply cannot be secured until the United States’ burdensome approval process is overhauled so that we can begin to get major energy infrastructure projects underway.
Liam deClive-Lowe and Paolo Mastrangelo • March 14, 2024 -
Permission granted by XCharge North America
Republicans say Biden’s EV charging program goes too far. It really doesn’t go far enough.
We need a federal program that incentivizes the buildout of EV charging infrastructure in cities by covering both a part of the capital cost and the operating cost.
Jake Potent • March 13, 2024
