Renewables: Page 86
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Elizabeth Regan, Industry Dive/Utility Dive
FERC proposal would 'gut' PURPA, could lower rates utilities pay to solar developers
The proposed rule would allow states to set the avoided cost rate based on changing market conditions, which would lessen small solar's ability to compete in the market, renewable energy groups contend.
By Catherine Morehouse • Updated Oct. 8, 2019 -
Dominion proposes 2.6 GW offshore wind project, positioning Virginia as 'hub' for regional development
The $7.8 billion project is the largest yet proposed in the U.S., with Dominion aiming to bring it online in three 880-MW phases, beginning in 2024 and expanding in 2025 and 2026.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 20, 2019 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Kevork Djansezian via Getty Images
TrendlineSustainability
Companies are pursuing increasingly ambitous sustainability goals around clean energy, but integrating rising amounts of renewables, minimizing environmental impacts, and achieving carbon reduction targets can be challenging.
By Utility Dive staff -
Utility-scale solar pipeline hits 37.9 GW, driven by falling costs and corporate buying: Report
Despite a slow quarter for installations, U.S. utility solar project announcements have surged in the first half of 2019, thanks to "unprecedented" levels of procurement, a new analysis finds.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 18, 2019 -
Virginia Gov. Northam orders 100% carbon-free power by 2050
The governor's order also calls for the state to reach 30% renewable energy and reduce its power consumption 10% below 2006 levels by 2022.
By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 18, 2019 -
Duke Energy commits to 100% carbon-free power by 2050
The utility said it plans "to advocate for sound public policy that advances technology and innovation...[including] advanced renewable energy, longer-lasting storage and new nuclear technologies."
By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 18, 2019 -
Arizonans could save $3.5B with quicker coal to solar+storage transition, report finds
Research commissioned by the Sierra Club examined 11 coal units slated for closure in 2035 or later. Moving that timeline up to 2023 would result in significant savings, it found.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 18, 2019 -
Opinion
Burlington, Vermont's net zero energy roadmap showcases how utilities can lead on climate
The city's goal of eliminating fossil fuel use across the electric, thermal and ground transportation sectors, may be one of the most ambitious local climate goals in the nation, writes Burlington Electric's Darren Springer.
By Darren Springer • Sept. 18, 2019 -
DTE issues renewables RFP, targeting ownership, not PPAs
DTE Energy's request for proposals targets wind and solar resources coming online between 2021 and 2023 — a stretch of time when the utility has proposed to add up to 775 MW of renewables.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 17, 2019 -
Sponsored by 7X Energy, Inc.
Fixed block solar and storage power solution
In a world that’s shifting to a more sustainable energy future, solar plus storage is a solution to meet peak demands.
Sept. 16, 2019 -
Opinion
MOPR Madness: 2 wrongs don't make a right
Regardless of the exact cost of PJM's plan to address state subsidy impacts on its capacity market, the amount is large and unnecessary, Electricity Consumers Resource Council's Devin Hartman writes.
By Devin Hartman • Sept. 13, 2019 -
Louisiana utilities to pay less for rooftop solar power under new net metering rules
The changes will also allow utilities to recover any lost revenues from the excess power provided by rooftop solar, "a pretty remarkable turn," says one opponent.
By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 13, 2019 -
Sunrun partnership enhances HECO's ability to tap into DER systems when power demand spikes
The developer has teamed up with OATI to offer 4.3 MW of capacity and fast frequency service to the Hawaiian Electric Company through 1,000 solar+storage systems across Oahu residences.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 12, 2019 -
Michigan urges MISO, PJM to improve regional reliability after Consumers compressor station fire
In a letter to the grid operators, the state's governor and head regulator called for quicker interconnection processes to improve regional resource diversity and a reexamination of demand response capabilities.
By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 12, 2019 -
Renewables, storage poised to undercut natural gas prices, increase stranded assets: RMI
If all proposed gas plants are built, 70% of those investments will be rendered uneconomic by 2035, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute.
By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 11, 2019 -
Los Angeles approves 'historically low cost' solar+storage project
The Department of Water and Power's Board of Commission authorized power purchase agreements for the Eland Solar and Storage Center, which includes 400 MW of solar generation and 1,200 MWh of energy storage.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 11, 2019 -
Santee Cooper forecasts coal phaseout, 1 GW new solar as base case for potential sale
The state-owned utility prepared the forecast at the direction of South Carolina legislators who are considering selling the company to pay off debt from the failed V.C. Summer nuclear project.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 11, 2019 -
Tri-State joins suite of new participants in Southwest, California energy imbalance markets
The California ISO and Southwest Power Pool each recently announced new members. SPP's Western Energy Imbalance Service market is expected to begin operations in 2021.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 11, 2019 -
Deep Dive
As utilities scramble to manage explosive DER growth, is power grid autonomy a solution?
The U.S. electric grid could face hundreds of millions of distributed resource deployments in the near future. But optimizing these data points may exceed human ability.
By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 11, 2019 -
Bipartisan Senate bill allocates $100M to ease residential solar, storage permitting
The bill from Sens. Susan Collins and Martin Heinrich would direct the Energy Department to create the Distributed Energy Opportunity Board, to streamline local permitting and inspection for qualifying systems.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 10, 2019 -
SDG&E looks to raise minimum bill 400%, citing solar-driven cost shift
The utility says more than $400 million in costs to maintain the grid are annually shifted from solar to non-solar residential households in its territory.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 9, 2019 -
Connecticut 100% carbon-free plan is chance to move beyond ISO-NE gas focus: DEEP chief
State regulators plan to move toward the governor's aggressive goals through analyzing ancillary services as an alternative to the region's current reliance on natural gas buildouts.
By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 9, 2019 -
Connecticut governor calls for 100% carbon-free power by 2040
The Lamont administration also committed to building out some natural gas infrastructure, frustrating some advocates.
By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 5, 2019 -
Deep Dive
The unknown costs of a 100% carbon-free future
State approaches to 100% clean energy vary, and while several costs remain unknown, some utility solutions are emerging.
By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 3, 2019 -
Rhode Island issues 10-year tax credit to draw offshore wind business
The state uses its Qualified Jobs Tax Credit program to attract companies to relocate or expand, and wind O&M companies have been approved for $2.8 million in credits over a decade.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 29, 2019 -
Is PREPA ready for hurricane season?
The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority has "a fragile system," according to the utility's director of project management, and "it still hasn't been elevated to the codes and standards for a Category 4" storm.
By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 29, 2019
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