[USA] “Local Leaders Celebrate Rhode Island’s First Net Zero Energy Ready Residential Development”

[National Grid, 1 April 2019]

Rhode Island has begun the construction of its first Net Zero Energy residential development. This development will be built by h.a. Fisher Homes and the development is expected to be completely energy efficient so that all (or most) energy consumed can be provided by local renewable energy systems. The development will be located in Warwick, Rhode Island- and the first homes will be finished by the fall of this year. There will be a total of 9 single-level condominiums involved in the project. It is interesting to note that Rhode Island is ranked 3rd nationally for its energy efficiency successes. Brian Schuster, Director of Customer and Community Management for National Grid Rhode Island said of the project, ““The Residential and Commercial Energy Efficiency programs we manage are reaching thousands of customers ever year to help to reduce energy costs and consumption. Just as importantly, these programs are helping to meet Rhode Island’s clean energy goals and the vision we have for the Northeast 80×50 Pathway.”

[USA] “PG&E Announces New Chief Executive Officer and Appointment of a Refreshed Board of Directors; New Leadership Focused on Enhancing Safety Culture and Operational Excellence”

[PG&E, 3 April 2019]

PG&E has appointed William Johnson as the new CEO and President of the company. PG&E has also selected 10 new directors for its Board of Directors. Prior to this new position, William Johnson served as the President and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority. These “significant” changes in leadership is meant to emphasize the company’s renewed efforts at prioritizing safety, operational effectiveness, and “successfully navigating” the company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The PG&E Board commented on the changes, “We have heard the calls for change and have taken action today to ensure that PG&E has the right leadership to bring about real and dynamic change that reinforces our commitment to safety, continuous improvement and operational excellence. We believe our new CEO and the newly constituted Board will help PG&E address California's evolving energy challenges and deliver what our customers expect from their energy company."

[USA] "Georgia Power Announces New Microgrid Project with Georgia Tech"

[Southern Company, 6 March 2019]

Georgia Power will build a new 1.4MW microgrid - the Tech Square Microgrid- at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia. The microgrid will begin operations this fall. It will serve as a research microgrid and be used to determine how well a microgrid can be integrated into and operate as part of the wider electrical grid. The microgrid will include fuel cells, battery storage, diesel generators, and a natural gas generator- but it will also be able to integrate and "accomodate microturbines, solar panels and electric vehicle chargers." Paul Bowers, Chairman, President, and CEO for Georgia Power, stated of the collaboration, " "Working with Georgia Tech gives us an opportunity to drive innovation by collaborating with one of the nation's leading research institutions while students and faculty get a firsthand learning experience on an operating power system."

[USA] "Clean and Green: Duke Energy Issues Second Green Bond"

[Duke Energy, 7 March 2019]

Duke Energy's subsidiary, Duke Energy Progress, has issued $600 million in green bonds; the money generated from these bonds will go towards green energy projects such as the development of new solar farms in North and South Carolina. The green bonds are priced at a 3.45% fixed-rate coupon and with a 10-year maturity. This is the second round of green bonds Duke Energy has issued; the first round amounted to $1 billlion of green bonds issued in November 2018 by Duke Energy Carolinas. Duke Energy's green initiatives have already reduced the company's by 31% from 2005 levels. Steve Yoing, Duke Energy's Executive Vice President and CFO, stated, "We are providing our customers and communities with ever-cleaner energy – and these investments help us get there even faster as we expand renewable energy across the Carolinas. We saw strong interest in our first green bond last year and are excited to expand these offerings for investors.”

[USA] “FPL’s Four Newest Solar Power Plants Now Powering Customers, Adding More Than 1 Million Solar Panels to One of the Cleanest Systems in the Country”

[FPL, 31 January 2019]

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has begun operations for four new solar power plants located in St Lucie County, Miami-Dade Country, Volusia County, and Columbia County. Each plant has a capacity of 74.5 MW – a total of 300 MW of additional solar capacity for FPL amounting to a total of 1,250 MW of universal solar capacity. The new plants are expected to provide over $40 million in savings for FPL customers. Eric Silagy, President and CEO of FPL, acknowledged the company’s clean energy efforts saying, “These solar plants are the latest tangible evidence of our unparalleled commitment to investing in clean energy technologies for Florida affordably – a strategy that has already dramatically reduced emissions and produced billions of dollars in savings for Floridians.” These four new plants are part of FPL’s “’30-by-30’ plan to install more than 30 million additional solar panels across Florida by 2030’” – amounting to about 11,000 MW of installed capacity.

[USA] “In Civil Settlements with the United States and California, Fiat Chrysler to Settle Allegations of Cheating on Federal and State Vehicle Emissions Tests”

[EPA, 10 January 2019]

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V., FCA US, and affiliates were accused of violating the Clean Air Act and California laws. But the company managed to reach a settlement with the Department of Justice, the EPA, and the State of California. The resulting settlement requires Fiat Chrysler to start a recall program that would repair over 100,000 non-compliant diesel vehicles sold or leased sin the US and would have to offer an extended warranty on these repaired cars. In addition, the automobile company needs to pay $305 million to settle the claims of manipulating emission tests and failing to disclose the illegal devices used to defeat the emission tests. Finally, the company will have to create a program to mitigate the excess pollution caused by the exploitation of emission tests by their vehicles. Fiat has also entered into a separate settlement with the state of California which requires the company to pay another $19 million for Fiat’s non-compliant vehicles in California. Separately, the company must pay $6 million to United States Customs and Border Protection to resolve accusations of the illegal importation of 1,700 non-compliant vehicles. It is important to note that these settlements do not “resolve any potential criminal liability.”

[USA] “U.S. Department of Energy Awards $25 Million for Next-Generation Marine Energy Research Projects”

[DOE, 8 January 2019]

The DOE has allotted $25 million in funding for 12 research projects categorized as “next-generation marine energy devices.” These chosen projects are meant to help reduce capital costs and stimulate innovation in the marine energy industry. Marine energy devices “includes ocean wave power, tidal and river/ocean current” devices that can be used to generate electricity. There are three separate subcategories under which these projects can fall under: early stage device design research, controls and power take off design integration and testing, dissemination of environmental data and analyses to facilitate the marine energy regulatory process. The Under Secretary of Energy, Mark Menezes, stated that “these early-stage research and development projects are key to the development of water power as part of DOE’s ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy.”

[USA] “Xcel Energy Aims for Zero-Carbon Electricity by 2050”

[Xcel Energy, 4 December 2018]

Xcel Energy has announced their intention to achieve a zero-carbon electricity mix by 2050. On the way towards this goal, Xcel will reduce CO2 emissions 80% by 2030 (from 2005 levels). Xcel’s vision is the most ambitious within the electricity industry so far. Xcel does note, however, that it’s 2050 goal requires the integration of technologies that are not cost-effective/commercially available today. For this reason, the utility is focused on the development of advanced technologies and encouraging policies that aid this technological growth. Ben Fowke – Chairman, President, and CEO of Xcel Energy – stated, “This is an extraordinary time to work in the energy industry, as we’re providing customers more low-cost clean energy than we could have imagined a decade ago. We’re accelerating our carbon reduction goals because we’re encouraged by advances in technology, motivated by customers who are asking for it and committed to working with partners to make it happen.”

[USA] “EEI President Tom Kuhn Congratulates Newly Confirmed FERC Commissioner Bernard McNamee”

[EEI, 6 December 2018]

The Senate has voted in favor of Bernard McNamee’s FERC Commissioner nomination 50 to 49.  McNamee will replace Robert Powelson, who was nominated by Trump to FERC in May of 2018. McNamee has faced controversy for his ties to the fossil fuel industry and what can be seen as aversion to the renewable industry and environmental sector in general. Tom Kuhn, President of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), congratulated McNamee for his Senate confirmation saying, “EEI and America's electric companies thank Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the Senate for recognizing the importance of maintaining a full Commission and for voting to confirm Commissioner Bernard McNamee. There are many critical issues impacting EEI member companies and their customers. Among them, we need to update the transmission planning process, streamline the siting and permitting process, and develop predictability for the return on equity for transmission projects in order to attract investment, all while ensuring the reliability and security of the energy grid. We also need to modernize the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) because market abuses are creating billions of dollars in unnecessary costs for customers.”

[USA] “EV Drive Coalition Launches to Reform & Recharge Electric Vehicle Tax Credit”

[EV Drive Coalition, 13 November 2018]

Electric vehicle and EV charging companies like Tesla, GM, Nissan, ChargePoint, Plug in America, Volta, as well as various consumer and environmental stakeholders., have united to form the EV Drive Coalition. This coalition was created to persuade Congress into extending the federal electric vehicle tax credit. While the original tax credit has succeeded in helping commercialize electric vehicles, the tax credit must be extended to ensure “continued market growth and stabilization.” One of the members of the EV Coalition, Dan Turton, Vice President of Public Policy at General Motors North America declared, “A federal tax credit to help make electric vehicles more affordable for all consumers is integral to reaching a zero emissions future and establishing the U.S. as the leader in electrification. We feel that the tax credit should be modified so all customers continue to receive the full benefit going forward.”

[USA] “National Grid Expands Partnership with AutoGrid in Series D Investment”

[AutoGrid, 14 November 2018]

On November 14, National Grid Partners and AutoGrid, a data analytics startup, announced their latest partnership and direct investment agreement to develop “advanced applications of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven optimization, enabling predictive control of grid-edge assets.” This partnership is based off of AutoGrid’s $32 million Series D investment round. Lisa Lambert, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at National Grid and the Senior Vice President of National Grid Partners, stated “They have one of the best utility-focused AI teams in Silicon Valley, and we believe there is a tremendous market opportunity for them to grow rapidly over the next few years. We are also actively engaging AutoGrid to help meet our strategic objectives in the grid analytics category." AutoGrid is one of our first direct investments.  As a side note, this is not the only partnership National Grid has with AutoGrid; the two have a gas demand-response pilot in New York.

[USA] “Kentucky Power Seeks New Solar Projects in Eastern Kentucky”

[Kentucky Power, 17 October 2018]

Kentucky Power is aiming to add up to 20 megawatts of solar energy in response to growing customer interest in renewables and efforts to diversify the company’s electric generation mix. Matt Satterwhite, Kentucky Power’s President and Chief Operating Officer, noted the interest from businesses saying, “We have had requests from business customers in our region to explore solar energy options that could help them meet their own green energy goals,” and added that increased solar “could help our communities diversify their economies and boost development in eastern Kentucky as more and more businesses seek renewable energy to power their operations.” The company is currently seeking bids for new solar resources. In turn, Kentucky Power “may buy solar facilities from winning bidders.” To qualify as a bid, the projects must be located in the company’s service territory and have an interconnection with PJM or Kentucky Power’s distribution system. In addition, the bidding project must be at least 5 megawatts in size and be operation by December 31, 2021.

[USA] “Dominion Energy Seeks Input on Renewable Energy Expansion”

[Dominion Energy, 17 October 2018]

Dominion Energy has issued a request for information (RFI) from non-residential (i.e. commercial, industrial, and governmental) customers on their renewable energy preferences and interest. This data will then be used to inform the company’s plans to develop 3,000 megawatts of additional solar and wind projects that should be under development or go online by 2022. This effort is encouraged under the state’s new Grid Transformation & Security Act which was passed on July 1, 2018. Among other things, this legislation focuses on increasing clean energy investments -touted to encourage “the largest increase of renewable energy resources in the state’s history- and modernizing the grid. Corynne Arnett, Dominion Energy’s Vice President of Customer Service, added that Dominion “welcome[s] the opportunity to learn more about the renewable energy targets and goals of business and governmental customers across the state. This information will help us adapt renewable programs to meet customer needs as we grow our renewable generation fleet in Virginia, which is currently the 4th largest solar fleet in the country among utility holding companies."

[USA] “IPCC 1.5°C Report: A ‘Wake-Up Call’ for World Leaders”

[World Resources Institute, 7 October 2018]

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a special report detailing the impacts of warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. This report is the response to a UNFCCC invitation when the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015. The IPCC report details the differences between the impact of a 1.5 degree increase in warming and a 2 degree increase and shows that even a .5-degree difference can drastically increase the prevalence and intensity of extreme weather events and sea level increases that is directly tied to climate change. The report also emphasizes the need for a comprehensive and multi-prong solution that considers not only decarbonization of the economy, but also reforestation, consumerism, and carbon captures and storage technologies. Dr. Andrew Steer, President and CEO of the World Resources Institute, stated, “Limiting warming to 1.5 degrees will require a radical transformation of economic and social systems at a scale never seen before. This is difficult, but by no means impossible. We know how to do it, and we know that it will lead to a much healthier economy and much healthier citizens. We now know that accelerated climate action can lead to large economic benefits, including a $26 trillion win…The urgent message of the IPCC report must be carried into the halls of power and the negotiation rooms at COP24. This should be a moral imperative for all leaders around the world.”

The full report can be found here: http://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/

[USA] “Duke Energy to Invest $500 Million in Battery Storage in the Carolinas Over the Next 15 Years”

[Duke Energy, 10 October 2018]

Duke Energy has announced their intent to invest $500 million in battery energy storage technologies in North and South Carolina over the coming 15 years. These investments will add about 300 megawatts of battery capacity in the region (currently there is less than 30 megawatts of capacity). One of Duke’s first steps towards achieving this goal is their Hot Springs Microgrid project located in North Carolina.  This project includes a 2-megawatt solar facility and a 4 megawatt lithium-ion battery project and is part of the company’s “Western Carolinas Modernization Project” which focuses on increasing the clean energy footprint in that region. Duke’s other battery storage projects include a 9-megawatt lithium-ion battery located in Asheville, a 95 kWh zinc air battery that can be found in Haywood County- both projects are in North Carolina.  Rob Caldwell, President of Duke Energy Renewables and Distributed Energy Technology, praised his company’s innovative efforts, saying, “Duke Energy is at the forefront of battery energy storage, and our investment could increase as we identify projects that deliver benefits to our customers. Utility-owned and operated projects in North Carolina and South Carolina will include a variety of system benefits that will help improve reliability for our customers and provide significant energy grid support for the region."

[USA] “Florida Power & Light Company Crews Responding to Widespread Power Outages in the Wake of Hurricane Michael”

[Florida Power and Light, 11 October 2018]  

With Hurricane Michael’s landfall in southeastern United States, electric utilities such as Florida Power & Light (FPL), have intensified their efforts to restore power to communities in Florida, Georgia, and parts of South Carolina. Over 1,000 FPL employees and contractors are working to help restore power and are supporting search and rescue efforts; of these, 50 are full-time contractors whose focus is purely search and rescue. The company is also providing mobile fueling for Florida Highway Patrol vehicles. Eric Silagy, President and CEO, commended his company’s efforts saying, “Last year, restoration workers from as far away as Canada traveled to Florida to help restore power following Hurricane Irma, and we’re honored to do the same for those affected by this devastating storm.” (As of the morning of October 12, “1.4 million utility customers from Florida to Virginia were without power.”) [1]

[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/live-news/hurricane-michael-damage-florida-flooding-georgia-power-outage-weather-deaths-today-live-updates/

[USA] “DOE Applauds Vogtle Decision”

[DOE, 26 September 2018]

The construction of Vogtle 3&4, located in Georgia, was approved in a September 26, 2018 vote by all four of the project’s co-owners (Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power, and Dalton Utilities). This project will be the US’s first large scale utility-based nuclear project in over 30 years. Vogtle 3 is expected to come online in November 2021 and Vogtle 4 a year late in November 2022. The project will also support jobs in Georgia – employing over 7,000 workers during construction and 800 permanent jobs post-construction. As a result, the plant will provide reliable and clean energy to approximately 500,000 homes for decades. DOE’s Spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes expects that the completion of this project will cement the US’s leadership in nuclear technology. Hynes also hopes that “this project will mark the beginning of a nuclear renaissance in America.”

For more info, please click here: https://www.southerncompany.com/newsroom/2018/sept-2018/all-vogtle-owners-vote-to-move-forward.html

[USA] “Massachusetts Clean Energy Advocates Welcome SMART Program Order”

[SEIA, 27 September 2018]

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has issued its Order on the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program. The issuance of this order was one of the final steps to be taken before the SMART program, whose legislation was signed in 2016 by Governor Charlie Baker,[1] could be implemented. The details of this legislation can be found at the Massachusetts legislature’s portal.[2]The program is expected to boost the state’s solar industry and increase solar jobs as well by extending access to 75% of Massachusetts residents who previously could not install rooftop solar. As a result, Massachusetts’s leadership in the solar industry began to falter. However, with the implementation of the program, solar will once again thrive in the state. This program is also expected to provide a savings of $4.7 billion to ratepayers. Sean Garren, Senior Director of Northeast for Vote Solar, stated, “Solar projects have been stalled across the Commonwealth for more than a year now awaiting the launch of the SMART program, which will still be weeks from now. These projects will mean local investment, new jobs and property taxes, as well as a cleaner and more resilient energy system.”

[1] https://www.mass.gov/news/department-of-public-utilities-issues-order-to-continue-solar-development

[2] https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S1979

[USA] “Acting EPA Administrator Wheeler Concludes Visit to G7 Environmental Ministers Meeting”

[EPA, 20 September 2018]

The EPA Administrator concluded his visit to the G7 Environmental Ministers Meeting on September 20, 2018. The meeting involved leading officials from Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, and the European Commission. Wheeler participated in one-on-one as well joint sessions. These sessions often focused on reducing air and water pollution, transitioning to a low carbon economy, resource efficiency, food waste, and improving “natural infrastructure to reduce coastal risk.” Wheeler and the European Union Commission delegate, Daniel Calleja, also talked about developing an air quality exchange in order to share technical information between EPA and EU experts.  Wheeler stated of the conference, “The United States is pleased with the progress being made by global leaders to advance practical solutions that will reduce marine litter, minimize food waste, and improve air quality. We look forward to continuing constructive dialogue.”

[USA] “Cape Fear River Flooding Damages Sutton Lake, Causes Safe Shutdown of Natural Gas Plant”

[Duke Energy, 21 September 2018]  

Flooding of the Cape Fear River has cause Duke Energy’s L.V. Sutton 625 mw natural gas plant to shut down. The river’s flooding has “caused breaches in the cooling lake dam surrounding the cooling lake.” Water from the cooling lake also flowed into the natural gas plant itself. While there are two coal ash basins near the Sutton plant, Duke does not believe that the ash has breached the steel wall separating the basin and the cooling lake. Duke Energy has employees in place who are securing the area while engineers are developing and activating repair plans for the site. Duke also predicts that, based on historic data, that there is “little to no chance that cooling lake water will contribute to a measurable change to water levels in the area.”