FERC Order 2023 won’t solve fundamental interconnection problems: Commissioner Clements

“The reality is, when we have these complex issues, you don't just solve it, like the good old days, with one rule,” Clements said Thursday. “This is going to be a series of steps.”

By Ethan Howland • Nov. 3, 2023

DOE picks National Grid, Berkshire Hathaway, Grid United transmission projects in first capacity buys

The planned transmission projects in New England and the West could carry 3.7 GW of clean energy while bolstering grid resilience, DOE said Monday.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 30, 2023

Supply Chain and Asset Traceability for Electric (SCATE) with Unique IDs and Smart Tags

A new IEEE Industry Connection program is developing a specification for Unique IDs and Smart Tags to enable supply chain and asset traceability.

By Alicia Farag • Oct. 30, 2023

CPUC proposals for PG&E revenues insufficient for necessary safety work: CEO Poppe

A ratepayer advocate stressed, however, that utilities can’t have a blank check approach to safety.

By Kavya Balaraman • Oct. 27, 2023

131 companies press for 100% decarbonized power systems in all countries by 2040

The coalition, which includes companies like EDP and Ørsted and represents nearly $1 trillion in annual revenue, is asking policymakers to end reliance on fossil fuels through regulations and clean-energy investments.

By Zoya Mirza • Oct. 27, 2023

Key lessons for an economical and reliable path to a 100% clean electricity system

While the near- and mid-term path to reach an 80%-90% clean system is relatively clear, the technological mix of the final leg is still highly uncertain.

By Derek Stenclik and Priya Sreedharan • Oct. 27, 2023

DOE issues draft plan for speeding up, improving grid interconnections

The draft road map goes beyond the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s recent interconnection reform rule, in part by calling for fast-track interconnection options.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 26, 2023

Bloom Energy, Google, others back microgrid tax credit extension

The push for the microgrid controller investment tax credit extension comes amid growth but also emerging challenges for the sector.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 25, 2023

Princeton’s Zero Lab has it wrong on corporate renewable energy procurement and emissions

The authors disagree with Zero Lab’s core conclusion that any procurement strategy other than hourly matching will have “zero or near-zero long-run impact on system-level CO2 emissions.”

By Jake Oster, Rob Threlkeld, Chad Reed and Hannah Hunt • Oct. 25, 2023

AI can play a game-changing role in the clean energy transformation

People need to be trained on how and when to use AI. Just because you can use AI to solve a problem doesn’t mean you should.

By Jeremy Renshaw • Oct. 24, 2023

Invenergy’s 5-GW Grain Belt transmission project faces continued opposition at FERC

The Missouri Landowners Association wants Invenergy to re-apply for Grain Belt’s negotiated rate authority, a move that could delay the financing and construction plans for the $7 billion project.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Oct. 24, 2023

FERC directs NERC to draft reliability standards for wind, solar and storage

With inverter-based resources occasionally tripping offline, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Oct. 19 ordered that new reliability standards take effect by the end of the decade.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 20, 2023

Let’s get hydrogen right from the start: We need a tax credit that is practical and workable

DOE’s recent hydrogen hub awards represent tens of thousands of clean energy jobs across the U.S., which could be at risk if upcoming tax credit guidance limits the ability to scale hydrogen quickly.

By Katrina Fritz • Oct. 19, 2023

Failing to expand the grid may be biggest threat to US energy transition: National Academies

A panel of experts urged FERC to “expeditiously” issue its pending transmission planning and cost allocation reforms and to make sure wholesale power markets can support a shift to 100% clean energy.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 19, 2023

Investments in PJM-area power plants hurt private equity funds’ performance: report

Poor returns could prompt disinvestment in a market where private capital has played a critical role, an analyst says, but that may not be a bad thing for the energy transition.

By Emma Penrod • Oct. 19, 2023

DOE announces ‘largest-ever investment in America’s grid,’ giving $3.5B across 44 states

The first round of funding under the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program will boost U.S. renewable capacity by more than 10% within this decade, said DOE officials.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 19, 2023

Utilities, charging companies battle over EV fast chargers, slowing deployment amid massive needs

State and federal policies are driving utilities and EV charger providers to transform U.S. transportation. They have found common ground in some areas but cannot agree on the utility role in fast charging deployment.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 18, 2023

Electric grids could be the ‘weak link’ of clean energy transition, IEA warns

A new report from the International Energy Agency urges grid developers and operators to look to digital solutions to enable grid flexibility through energy storage and demand response.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 18, 2023

PJM asks FERC to approve capacity market reforms in push to bolster grid reliability

The PJM Interconnection urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve its proposal by mid-December so changes could be put in place ahead of its upcoming capacity auction.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 17, 2023

Reworking the grid to accommodate offshore wind is a matter of ‘extreme urgency’: Ørsted exec

The limited points of interconnection on the Atlantic coast make collaborative and creative planning a necessity, said Ørsted’s Head of Electricity Policy Lopa Parikh.

By Diana DiGangi • Oct. 12, 2023

2024 US power sector conferences to watch

Start planning for this year’s events, which will cover the clean energy transition, state and federal energy policy and more.

By Larry Pearl • Updated Feb. 16, 2024

California Gov. Newsom signs climate disclosure bills but worries about ‘overall financial impact’

The two bills would require large companies to disclose their supply chain emissions and report on climate-related financial risks, but the governor raised concerns about the deadlines and the cost to businesses.

By Zoya Mirza • Oct. 11, 2023

No more delays or excuses: California must build clean energy now to replace fossil fuels

We need Gov. Newsom to sign SB 619 so that 2023 is the last year state agencies can point to insufficient clean energy generation as a reason for delaying the closure of outdated fossil fuel plants.

By Ed Smeloff • Oct. 6, 2023

DOE provides $22M to drive smart manufacturing for small- and medium-size facilities

The money will go towards 12 state-run programs to make smart manufacturing tech and high-grade computing more accessible to small businesses. 

By Kate Magill • Oct. 5, 2023

California legislation would require greenhouse gas emission, climate financial risk disclosures

The bills, which await approval from Gov. Gavin Newsom, echo some requirements of the SEC’s proposed climate risk disclosures for public companies.

By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 5, 2023