Regulation & Policy

Treasury Department proposal prohibits banks from denying lending to energy, gun companies

The 45-day comment period is uncommonly short, but may allow the agency a brief window to issue the rule before the Biden administration is expected to take office Jan. 20.

By Dan Ennis • Nov. 24, 2020

California regulator approves fare-based autonomous vehicle services

The California Public Utilities Commission said the decision "establishes four goals" that apply widely to AV programs in the state, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants.

By Kristin Musulin • Nov. 23, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Trendline

Wholesale Markets

Wholesale market operators' drive to ensure reliability continues to clash with state decarbonization goals, but new proposals are emerging to better integrate emerging resources and share them across borders.

By Utility Dive staff

Climate progress in power, 5 other sectors too slow to limit global warming: report

The World Resources Institute and ClimateWorks said efforts to bolster electrification and renewable energy must accelerate, while deforestation and agricultural production raised red flags.

By Chris Teale • Nov. 23, 2020

Ohio PUC Chairman Samuel Randazzo abruptly resigns four days after FBI searched his home

The FBI raided Randazzo's Columbus home early Monday morning with a sealed search warrant thought to be connected to an ongoing investigation into political corruption and the bailout of two Ohio nuclear power plants.

By John Funk • Nov. 21, 2020

NYISO, others blast gas generators' proposed fix to alleged price distortions in capacity market

Two gas generators are asking FERC to raise the floor price for state-subsidized resources in New York's capacity market, similar to the commission's ruling in the PJM Interconnection.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 20, 2020

FERC proposes transmission rating reform, upholds PURPA, ISO-NE orders

Line ratings are considered a "tool stuck in limbo" by transmission experts that could help renewables waiting in long interconnection queues connect to the grid, while improving the overall efficiency of transmission lines.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 20, 2020

EV industry optimistic for expanded tax credits, other policy wins under 'car guy' Biden

Electric vehicle advocates are tracking several pieces of legislation they say could be passed under a Biden administration to boost transportation electrification efforts.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 20, 2020

Chatterjee congratulates Biden, Harris on election win in latest move toward FERC ideological center

Chatterjee has previously said that a Biden presidency would place him "squarely at the epicenter of the debate on the energy transition and climate change."

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 19, 2020

New Jersey regulators partner with PJM in offshore wind transmission planning

The grid operator will initiate a new type of solicitation to attract developers to address New Jersey's need to add 7.5 GW of offshore wind by 2035.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 19, 2020

States urge FERC to avoid further intrusions on authority in any future carbon pricing policy

Competitive power suppliers and natural gas interests, meanwhile, argued carbon pricing is the best mechanism for reducing emissions economically.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 19, 2020

Climate risks are accelerating. Here's what Duke, PG&E and 16 other utilities expect to pay.

Utility Dive took a closer look at how climate risks are threatening utilities — and how much it's going to cost to mitigate them.

By Nami Sumida • Nov. 18, 2020

New FERC Chair Danly cancels Chatterjee electric vehicle roundtable, nixes media briefings

The move to shut out press is a significant departure from previous commission chairs, according to former FERC staff, though some former and current FERC leaders defended his decision.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 18, 2020

Glick vows to prioritize transmission, reassess capacity markets if named FERC Chair

Commissioner Richard Glick, a frontrunner for FERC chair under Biden, has opposed many of the commission's actions in recent years, particularly those he believes directly impeding state resource decisions.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 18, 2020

Opinion

Everything old is new again: Why Big Tech is wrong about utility restructuring

Large electricity buyers push for restructuring to gain direct access to real-time wholesale prices through their buying power, not due to altruism or constructive climate policy, former FERC Commissioner Tony Clark writes.

By Tony Clark • Nov. 17, 2020

California begins to shape vehicle-grid integration strategy, considers using EVs during power shut-offs

A new proposed decision is the biggest tangible action that regulators have taken on vehicle-grid integration, one attorney said. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 17, 2020

25 US cities land on CDP's 2020 'A List'

Despite the unprecedented obstacles of COVID-19, CDP identified 88 global cities that have continued to make progress on climate action, with 34% of those cities new to the list this year.

By Kristin Musulin • Nov. 16, 2020

Mayors unveil $60B plan to support Midwest energy transition

The 'Marshall Plan for Middle America' aims to address the Ohio Valley region's projected 100,000 job losses triggered by a shift away from fossil fuels.

By Chris Teale • Nov. 16, 2020

California regulators race to implement demand response, other measures to avert 2021 blackouts

The California Public Utilities Commission will vote this week on launching a rulemaking to address future reliability issues, but could face a tight timeline. 

By Kavya Balaraman • UPDATED: Nov. 20, 2020 at 4 p.m.

Trump administration issues strategic framework to direct federal hydrogen research

The timing of the Department of Energy's release of the framework during the last hours of the Trump administration suggests broad bipartisan support for hydrogen, an energy attorney said.

By Emma Penrod • Nov. 16, 2020

Manchin 'optimistic' on prospects for passing major clean energy bill in lame duck Congress

Policy experts say there is enough common ground between Democrats and Republicans to potentially pass clean energy legislation in a lame duck session.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 16, 2020

Opinion

Environmental policy and regulation: Potential consequences of the 2020 election

Joe Biden plans to end subsidies on fossil fuels, strengthen oil and gas regulations, increase investment in clean energy, and recommit the U.S. to the Paris Climate Accord — the questions are how and when, the authors write.

By Boyd Bryan and Alex Prochaska • Nov. 16, 2020

Deep Dive

MOPR reconsidered: Competitive generators move away from FERC's PJM order, toward carbon pricing

Though competitive suppliers initiated the complaint that led to the Minimum Offer Price Rule expansion, they are now pivoting toward more markets-based mechanisms, largely in response to state threats to exit the markets altogether.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 13, 2020

Republican Senate may create limits, but Biden will have multiple avenues to act on clean energy, analysts say

Some analysts believe Biden will follow in President Barack Obama's footsteps, persuading Congress where he can and pursuing a regulatory path where he cannot. Others suspect energy policy may fall by the wayside.

By Emma Penrod • Nov. 13, 2020

San Francisco's gas ban on new buildings could prompt statewide action

The vote adds San Francisco to the growing list of nearly 40 California cities to pass such ordinances since Berkeley's historic ban in July 2019. 

By Kristin Musulin • Nov. 12, 2020

Deep Dive

Transmission troubles? A solution could be lying along rail lines and next generation highways

Multiple studies show the need for interregional transmission is growing and proposals to streamline siting will help, but cost allocation remains a barrier.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 12, 2020