Tag Archives: energy storage

Southwest Power Pool moves to boost reliability, storage amid CEO resignation

By Julia Gheorghiu, Utility Dive

The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Board of Directors on Monday approved 21 stakeholder policy recommendations on critical issues, such as enhancing reliability and cost allocation for new transmission. The SPP’s Holistic Integrated Tariff Team (HITT), made up of 15 stakeholders, offered recommendations to prepare the regional transmission operator for the grid of the future, including improvements to the wholesale energy market.

The transmission operator’s generation portfolio has changed dramatically over the past decade, with 50 GW of wind, 28.5 GW of solar and 5.7 GW of storage in its interconnection queue as of June. Stakeholder recommendations focused on this reality, asking SPP staff to create a white paper on energy storage and the future impacts of a battery storage buildout. Read more here.

MORE NEWS, OPINION & RESOURCES

The Common Sense Colloquy: Q&A with Abby Hopper of SEIA, Solar Energy Industries Association. This blog was originally published by RenewPR as part of the Common Sense Colloquy series.
Invenergy to sponsor youth leadership organization, the National FFA, Windpower Engineering
Invenergy, a Midwest-based developer and operator of sustainable energy, recently announced a historic sponsorship of the National FFA Organization. Invenergy is the first sustainable energy company to establish a nationwide investment of this scale with the organization.
Empire Electric catches renewable fever, spreads it to neighbors, PV Magazine
By 2023, Empire plans to add it its generation portfolio nearly 700 MW of renewables, with 600 MW of wind leading the way. This is a ton of development for pretty much any utility, and for one serving just 173,000 customers, it’s enough to meet demand multiple times over, even if every single customer had a business or small factory, which they do not. Hats off to Empire District Electric Co. for recognizing that the energy revolution is coming and embracing that future.
College harnessing power of the sun, Jacksonville Journal-Courier
The project is a part of the Illinois Power Agency’s Adjustable Block Program, which provides incentives for solar photovoltaic systems to help the state reach its goal of producing 25% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025.
Iowa Republicans care about clean energy, too. Contributed Opinion by former state legislator Bryan Sievers, Quad City Times
Senate committee passes bill that includes climate change section, American Public Power Association
As scientists predict ‘killer heat’ in near future, ag companies and farmers prepare, by Christopher Walljasper, Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
California farmers are planting solar panels as water supplies dry up, Los Angeles Times
Electric Vehicles 101, Natural Resources District Council
This is the ninth blog in a series about our Midwest electric vehicle adventure.
This Is What the Midwest EV Revolution Looks Like, Natural Resources District Council
The rapid maturation of the U.S. energy storage market, PV Magazine
This op-ed by global law practice Eversheds Sutherland looks at some of the financial drivers and supporting policies that underlie the rapid development of the U.S. energy storage market.
Investments in Energy Storage Grow as Battery Costs Fall, Power Magazine
Research company BloombergNEF (BNEF) in its latest forecast published Wednesday said energy storage installations worldwide will grow across the next two decades, from the 9 GW/17 GWh of capacity deployed as of last year, to 1,095 GW/2,850 GWh by 2040, as battery costs fall by half by 2030 compared to today’s levels. It said two markets—stationary storage and electric vehicles—will drive demand for batteries.
The Opportunity to Save Money, Energy, and Carbon With Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings, Rocky Mountain Institute. This blog coincides with the launch of Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI’s) latest report, Value Potential for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings in the GSA Portfolio: A Cost-Benefit Analysis. The report provides lessons that could help any building owner to unlock the cost-, energy-, and carbon-savings potential of grid-interactive efficient buildings and is based on our work with the US General Services Administration.

Small Missouri utility proposes big pivot to clean energy in latest resource plan

Written by Karen Uhlenhuth, Energy News Network

Missouri’s smallest investor-owned utility is charting a dramatically different course two years after being acquired by new owners. The Empire District Electric Co. in Joplin, Missouri, serves about 173,000 customers in southwestern Missouri and parts of Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Its current capacity consists of about 65% natural gas, 30% coal and 5% renewables in the form of wind and hydropower. Read more here.

Photo Credit: Lucia Bourgeois / U.S. Department of Energy

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING

Boston, San Francisco and Seattle Rank Highest on National ‘Clean Energy Scorecard’, Energy Manager Today. For the first time, the ACEEE Scorecard tracks policy efforts to advance renewable energy in addition to energy efficiency, because both are needed to build a clean energy future and address climate change. It is the most comprehensive national report that tracks city progress toward climate goals.
Corporate Investment In Solar Energy Surges, Forbes
Behind Adobe’s bold plan to build an all-electric building, GreenBiz
RE100 Update: Adobe is among 191 RE100 companies that have made a commitment to go ‘100% renewable’. A growing number of them are encouraging their suppliers to do the same. Read about the actions they are taking and why.
Center Stage Podcast: Encouraging sustainability leaders to chase their moonshots, GreenBiz
Proposed legislation would extend solar investment tax credit 5 years, Utility Dive
Wholesale electricity market design for rapid decarbonization: A decentralized markets approach, Utility Dive
CEFC looks to energy storage, grid stability, after record spend on renewables, Renew Economy The federal government’s green bank says it will sharpen its focus on energy storage and other technologies to support the stability of the national grid, as it caps off another 12 months of record investment in renewable energy.
NextEra inks 700 MW wind + solar + battery project, largest in the US, Utility Dive
The false promise of nuclear power, Opinion Contributors Jay Lifton and Naomi Oreskes, The Boston Globe. The financial group Lazard recently said that renewable energy costs are now “at or below the marginal cost of conventional generation” — that is, fossil fuels — and much lower than nuclear.
Solar panels cast shade on agriculture in a good way, News Release, EurekaAlert

Tri-State announces transformative Responsible Energy Plan

Tri-State News Release

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association is pursuing an aggressive Responsible Energy Plan to transition to a cleaner energy portfolio, while ensuring reliability, increasing member flexibility and with a goal to lower wholesale rates.

“Our membership and board are unified in our pursuit of a cleaner, reliable and lower-cost resource portfolio,” said Rick Gordon, chairman of the cooperative’s board of directors. “We are making a strong and unequivocal commitment to transform Tri-State’s resource portfolio in a prudent and responsible manner.” Continue reading here.

From Tri-State’s Website

Our cooperative approach to a clean grid starts now.
We are pursuing an aggressive transition to a cleaner energy portfolio.

How we are transforming

Developing a Responsible Energy Plan [to] comply with aggressive carbon reduction, renewable energy and resource planning requirements, ensure reliability and affordability and strive to lower wholesale rates while maintaining our strong financial position.
Engaging with former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and the Center for the New Energy Economy to facilitate a stakeholder process that will contribute to our Responsible Energy Plan.
Creating more opportunities for our members to develop local renewable energy by considering the types of memberships and contracts we offer.
Increasing our renewable resources, with new wind and solar projects and a request for proposals for even more projects.
Exploring opportunities with solar and energy services providers to make more community-scale solar, energy storage and electric vehicle infrastructure more available to our members at a lower cost.

Learn more about Tri-State’s Responsible Energy Plan.

Additional Recommended Reading

Rural Electricity Provider Announces Early Coal Plant Closure, Focus on Renewables, by Grace Hood, Colorado Public Radio. Tri-State hopes its renewable energy plan will lower electricity bills for 1.3 million customers, while cleaning up power delivered across rural parts [of] Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.
US report says a Green New Deal must help electric co-ops switch to renewables, by Miles Hadfield, Co-operative News. As more and more electric co-ops across the USA signal a growing interest in renewable energy, a report has called for a new program to transition rural economies to clean power. The document, Rural Electrification 2.0, says: “The US public is increasingly demanding clean energy to pursue energy independence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Rural America could power a renewable economy – but first we need to solve coal debt, Clean Cooperative

The global transition to clean energy, explained in 12 charts

By David Roberts, Vox

Renewable energy is starting to make a dent in electricity – Fifth Chart:
All the growth and investments in renewable electricity are starting to add up. Renewables represent more than a third of the world’s installed capacity and, as the graphic below shows, more than 26 percent of global electricity produced.

That said, hydropower, at almost 16 percent, makes up more than half the renewables total. What people tend to think of as renewables, wind and solar, make up only a combined 8 percent. Even in electricity, renewables have a long way to go. Read more here.

FEATURED GLOBAL INITIATIVE: CLIMATE ACTION 100+

To date, more than 300 investors with more than $33 trillion in assets under management have signed on to this initiative. Climate Action 100+ is coordinated by five partner organizations: Asia Investor Group on Climate Change, Ceres, Investor Group on Climate Change, Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, and Principles for Responsible Investment.

MORE NEWS & RESOURCES

United States Spend Ten Times More On Fossil Fuel Subsidies Than Education, Forbes
IMF leader Christine Lagarde has noted that the investments made into fossil fuels could be better spent elsewhere, and could have far reaching positive impacts: “There would be more public spending available to build hospitals, to build roads, to build schools and to support education and health for the people. We believe that removing fossil fuel subsidies is the right way to go.”
Previously Posted Resource: According to the International Monetary Fund, the United States subsidizes fossil fuels at a cost of $649 billion a year.
How did solar energy get so cheap? UW prof probes history of technology, Wisconsin State Journal. Greg Nemet, a professor with UW-Madison’s La Follette School of Public Affairs, released a book this month titled How Solar Energy Became Cheap that explores the policies, programs and business models that made it happen and looks at how those could be applied to new technologies.
Wood Mackenzie Boosts US Solar Market Forecast as Florida Blossoms, Greentech Media
“Solar’s growth is increasing everywhere, including traditional solar states — but also pretty rapidly in less traditional solar states,” Colin Smith, senior solar analyst at WoodMac, said in an interview.
New York Senate passes the biggest renewable energy mandate in the nation, PV Magazine
New Efforts To Increase Solar Power In North Dakota, KX Net
Kansas high school to save estimated $30K annually using solar energy, Education Dive
Renewables would displace 86 GW of gas in Beyond Carbon campaign, PV Magazine
Solar panel reliability: How reliable is solar power?, SolarReviews
Solar Workforce Diversity Series: Solar training programs aim to open doors for former prison inmates, Energy News Network
Solar carports go national: photo essay, PV Magazine
Even if your car is baking in the hot summer sun, you can imagine it staying cool under one of these solar carports recently built all across the country. Technologies include prefabricated framing, double cantilever canopies, and water management systems.
Solar air conditioners – how solar can cool your home, SolarReviews
Utilities’ energy storage growing like gangbusters, GreenBiz
Why Electrified Transportation Needs Microgrids, Greentech Media
Nissan Leaf batteries are lasting a very long time, Green Car Reports News Release, KFXL Fox Nebraska

Tri-State power wholesaler requests new solar projects as United Power, other members seek flexibility

By Sam Lounsberry, Longmont Times-Call

As Westminster-based regional power wholesaler Tri-State Generation and Transmission on Thursday announced it is seeking proposals to build a number of solar projects between 10 and 200 megawatts, its largest member United Power continues asking its parent for policy changes to allow more renewable energy development at the local level.

Tri-State’s pursuit of more solar power comes after announcements earlier this year of two projects — one wind farm and another solar farm being built by Boulder-based Juwi — totaling 204 megawatts, and the power wholesaler for 43 electric cooperatives and power districts serving rural communities across Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and New Mexico claims its pursuit of a new solar project this year represents its increasing interest in owning solar. Continue reading here.

Photo: United Power’s recently-installed Tesla battery. United Power has said it has lost out on large commercial customers to nearby Xcel Energy’s service territory because the local utility can only offer so much renewable power on its grid under current Tri-State rules limiting its members from generating more than 5% of their demand loads themselves through renewables or other means.

NEWS FROM OTHER STATES

Iowa officials consider energy storage tax credit, ‘value of storage’ study, Energy News Network
Iowa study recommends closer look at storage’s benefits, American Public Power Association
Minnesota law opens clean energy financing program to new construction, Energy News Network
Six Flags Great Adventure says park is ‘almost fully-powered by solar energy’, Fox Business
New Jersey charts path to 100% clean energy by 2050, with 3.5 GW offshore wind by 2030, Utility Dive
New Jersey Drafts Pathway To 100% Clean Energy, Solar Industry
The State of New Jersey has released a draft energy master plan (EMP), which provides an initial blueprint for the total conversion of the state’s energy profile to 100% clean energy by 2050.
Hawaii’s On-Bill Financing Program Unlocks Energy Upgrades for the Masses, Greentech Media The Aloha State’s GEM$ program enables renters and low-income households to install solar and energy-saving equipment with no upfront costs.
Solar panels drop Richmond family’s energy bill to $8: ‘I can’t believe it!’, WTVR

GLOBAL NEWS

Off-Grid Solar Energy Use Is About to Explode Thanks to These Key Regions: Employment could triple by 2020, Inverse

EV NEWS

Largest EV charging companies in US join forces to expand customer access to stations, Utility Dive. Electrify America and ChargePoint announced a “roaming partnership” on Tuesday to allow customers of each electric vehicle (EV) charging network to charge on either network with a single account and no additional fees.
Utility, EV coalition calls for 50% transportation energy reduction by 2050, Utility Dive
Rivian will repurpose used EV batteries for solar power in Puerto Rico, ENgadget

Kennedy’s role involves exploring energy solutions

By Laura King-Homan, The Wire, OPPD Blog

Courtney Kennedy doesn’t just tour wind farms. Kennedy, OPPD’s manager for alternative energy programs, and her team also research new alternative energy technologies, explore partnerships with large customers and work with system planning groups on how to best meet OPPD’s future load needs with alternative energy solutions. In short, Kennedy and her team are where the utility, and customers, can turn to get answers about renewable energy. Continue reading here.

Photo Credit: Omaha Public Power District

NEWS FROM OTHER STATES

Sedgwick County school now has Kansas’ largest privately-owned solar power system, The Wichita Eagle
In Michigan: Consumers Energy gets nod to embark on 5-GW solar plan, phase out coal, Renewables Now
Google plans $17M expansion in Michigan to add ‘significant’ number of jobs, FOX Business
N.J. offers initial blueprint for shift to 100% clean energy by 2050, American Public Power Association. The draft Energy Master Plan is available here.
World’s largest battery system planned for Nevada solar plant, PV Magazine
Five Texas Electric Coops Sign Collective Solar Power Purchase Agreement, Solar Magazine
Though small, the collective negotiation and purchase marks a first for the Texas solar power market, as well as a first for Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI) SHINE distribution-scale, community solar energy program.
Six Flags Great Adventure Now Powered by Solar Energy, Finger Lakes Times
This Virginia city is rooted in tobacco, but its revival is drawing power from solar, Energy News Network
Walmart, US Solar Announce Agreement for 36 Community Solar Gardens, PR Newswire

How PV is changing the world of energy

By Sandra Enkhardt, Senior Editor of PV Magazine Deutschland

The annual expansion of photovoltaics throughout the world surpassed the 100 GW mark last year. The multi-terawatt market is looming on the horizon and PV is becoming a “game changer” in the global energy system in five specific areas, according to a consortium of research institutes. Read more here.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING

Colorado Gov Polis unveils roadmap to 100% carbon free by 2040, signs 11 clean energy bills, Utility Dive
Pennsylvania’s State College Adopts 100% Renewable Energy Goal, North American Windpower
State College is the 17th community in Pennsylvania to commit to 100% clean, renewable energy and the first outside of southeastern Pennsylvania. It is also the 126th municipality to adopt this goal nationally, says the Sierra Club.
Anheuser-Busch Embraces Solar to Power Past Its 100% Renewables Target, Greentech Media
The brewing giant announced a 222-megawatt solar project with Recurrent Energy in Texas, a fast-growing hot spot for corporate solar deals.
Wisconsin Sees Growing Interest In Wind Production: Declining Costs, Federal Incentives Driving Factors, Wisconsin Public Radio
North Dakota’s First All-Electric School Bus Unveiled, School Transportation News
Energy storage deployments double *and* triple in first quarter, PV Magazine
Wood Mac reports that in the first quarter of 2019 energy storage power deployed grew 232% year over year to 149 megawatts, while capacity increased 110% to 271 megawatt-hours as Arizona, New Jersey and New York saw strong growth.
How Microgrid Infrastructure Will Enable the Electrification of Transportation, Microgrid Knowledge. Schneider Electric’s Andy Haun explores the role microgrid infrastructure will have in the electrification of transportation.
Renewable energy 101: Key terms you need to know, CNBC
Sustainable Energy breaks down some of the most important words and terms in the renewable energy world.

INTERVIEW

#Solar100’s Nat Kreamer: Clean Energy’s Captain America, PV Magazine Guest Post
Richard Matsui, Founder & CEO of kWh Analytics, speaks with Nat Kreamer, CEO of Advanced Energy Economy: Nat Kreamer served in the Afghan War with special forces in the U.S. Navy, helped found what is now the largest residential solar company in the United States, held the position of board chair at Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and was recognized by President Obama as a “Champion of Change” for his work as a veteran in clean energy. Now he’s bringing these experiences to his role as CEO of Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), where he leverages policy advocacy and inter-industry collaboration to advance clean energy.

Young’s focus: Supporting businesses, building teams

By Paula Lukowski, The Wire, OPPD Blog

An engineer by trade, Wyndle Young enjoys math and science, but he also has an affinity for music, entertainment and sports. That combination has come in handy for Young. He has shaped a successful career on the customer-side of the energy business over the past 27 years by blending his technical and social interests. Now, he is developing a new business strategy for small and mid-size commercial customers as manager of Mid/Small Commercial & Industrial Sales & Services for OPPD. The department develops, implements and manages core business and product and service programs for approximately 40,000 commercial customers. Continue reading here.

Additional Recommended Reading

OPPD solar program sold out, waitlist has begun, by Laura King-Homan, The Wire
It only took 49 days for OPPD residential customers to purchase all available shares of the utility’s new community solar program.
5,000 Square Miles, by Paula Lukowski, The Wire
Legislation would make public power eligible for storage grants, American Public Power Association Blog. The American Public Power Association is voicing support for legislation recently introduced in the House and Senate that would boost research and development of technologies to increase energy storage capabilities and make public power utilities eligible for storage technical assistance and grants.

Statement: House leaders unveil bill to help U.S. meet Paris Climate Agreement goals

Environment America News Release

Today leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives announced the
introduction this week of H.R. 9: The Climate Action Now Act.

“The United States is uniquely capable of developing and implementing the solutions we need — transitioning to a society completely powered by clean energy, electrifying our cars, and expanding mass transit and bike lanes. We have the research universities and institutions, the renewable energy technology, and most of all, the indomitable spirit of innovation that has powered America for more than 200 years. All we need is the political will to make it happen.

This bill is just a first step in solving the climate crisis and maintaining our global standing. We sincerely hope this is a building block on our road to a 100 percent carbon-neutral future, which is what science tells us is crucial to stave off the worst impacts of climate change. Environment America looks forward to working with these leaders and anybody — no matter their political party or where they’re from — who wants to join the effort.” Read the entire statement here.

ENVIRONMENT AMERICA’S CLIMATE ACTION RESOURCES

Environment America’s priorities are working to urge campuses, cities and states to lead the way to 100% renewable power, go big on solar, and harness the abundant wind power off the Atlantic coast. Environment America’s 100% Renewable campaign is focused on three arenas: college and university campuses, cities and states, and Congress.

Voices for 100% Renewable Energy
100% Renewable Campaign: Campuses, Cities & States
Climate Solutions from Day One: 12 Ways Governors Can Lead on Climate Now
Ten Ways Your City Can Go Solar Guide lays out steps that cities can take to adopt more solar energy.
Mayors for Solar Energy
Making Sense of Energy Storage report helps cities understand the role that energy storage can play in their renewable energy transition.
Renewable Energy 101: Ten Tools for Moving Your Campus to 100% Clean Energy
Renewable Energy 100: The Course to a Carbon-Free Campus
Solar Homes Campaign
Solar Homes: The Next Step for Clean Energy
Solar Homes Report by the Environment Maine Research and Policy Center. Installing solar panels on all new homes would accelerate the growth of solar energy capacity. Installing solar panels on all new homes built from 2020 to 2026 would result in more solar energy capacity than the entire U.S. currently has installed. By 2045, installations on new homes would total 203 GW – 3.5 times as much solar capacity as the nation currently has installed. (Details on sources and methods for estimates can be found in the Methodology).

Learn more about Environment America’s Clean, Green & Renewable Energy campaigns here.

Previously Posted
Mayors join call for more solar power, Norfolk Daily News

More Utilities Make Big Commitments to Climate Action

By Sophia Ptacek and Sheryl Carter, Natural Resources Defense Council

Utility clean energy commitments have strengthened and multiplied since we inventoried some of the most newsworthy announcements last year. Xcel Energy recently became the first major utility to commit to eliminating 100 percent of its carbon emissions by 2050. Platte River Power Authority, a publicly owned utility in Colorado, announced its pledge to provide 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2030. And MidAmerican Energy, a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, will be the first U.S. utility to provide customers with electricity generated from 100 percent renewable energy by 2020, less than a year away . . . Climate commitments keep coming. Read more here.

MORE ENERGY TRANSITION STORIES & BLOOMBERG’S NEW MOVEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

100% zero-carbon energy policies advance in three states, PV Magazine
Bills to move to 100% carbon-neutral electricity by 2030 and 2045 advanced in Washington and New Mexico, while Minnesota’s governor announced a plan to move his state to 100% zero-carbon by 2050.
Minnesota 100% carbon-free bill joins flurry of state level clean energy action, Utility Dive
Nukes not included: 100% renewable energy proposed in Illinois, PV Magazine
Senator Cristina Castro and Representative Ann Williams have introduced The Clean Energy Jobs Act, which would raise the state’s RPS to 45% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% renewable energy by 2050.
Like peanut butter and jelly, wind+solar in a 1.2 GW deal, PV Magazine
NextEra and KKR have partnered on a portfolio of ten operational wind+solar assets, totaling 860 MW of wind and 328 MWac of solar, in a $900 million convertible equity finance deal.
North Dakota finally embraces big solar, PV Magazine
For the first time, North Dakota will have a solar installation at least 1 MW in size. Actually, that’s an understatement, as state regulators have approved Geronimo Energy’s bid for a
200 MW project outside of Fargo.
As Detroit studies solar potential, residents focus on community benefits, Energy News Network
City of Binghamton Offering No-Cost Community Solar Energy, WICZ
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – Mayor David announced the City of Binghamton will take part in NYSERDA’s Solar for All program, in hopes to reduce the energy burden of low-income houses with no-cost community solar subscriptions.
Utah Bill To Move Communities To Net-Zero Energy By 2030 First Of Its Kind, KPCW
New resource library helps cities boost buildings’ energy efficiency, Smart Cities Dive
5 new corporate climate initiatives revealed at GreenBiz 19, GreenBiz
Canada Just Joined IRENA — Here Is Why That Matters, CleanTechnica
It marks a continued growth in membership for IRENA year on year, with the membership almost doubled from 85 members in 2011. At present more than 80% of countries are members, including major world powers such as China, United States, Russia and the European Union.
Our Highest Office, My Deepest Obligation, by Michael Bloomberg, Bloomberg Opinion
I’m not running for president, but I am launching a new campaign: Beyond Carbon.

NEW SLIDESHOW

WINDExchange Publishes New Offshore Wind Slideshow
As part of its series of wind information slideshows, WINDExchange published Block Island and Beyond: Offshore Wind Energy in the United States. This slideshow provides a brief introduction to offshore wind in the United States, including the country’s first installation off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island. The slideshow is also available as a PowerPoint file.

Pixabay Photo

Nebraskans for Solar

Solar: the energy of life