[USA] “Portland General Electric’s Ambitious Smart Grid Test Bed Launches”

[Portland General Electric, 15 July 2019]

Portland General Electric (PGE) has launched its latest venture into new and innovative technologies, the Smart Grid Test Bed. The Test Bed aims to “integrate smart grid technology on a scale never before attempted in the United States.” The project will cover three neighborhoods in its service territory – and over 20,000 of their customers will be able to participate in the demand response programs involved with the test bed; they will also be able to receive incentives for using smart-home technologies. The pilot will also help boost the development of distributed energy resources like rooftop solar, batteries, thermostats, water heaters, and EV charging.  PGE hopes this project will be a major step in creating a virtual power plant and “will help address climate change, empower communities in how they consume energy and create a more resilient power system, all while saving customers money.”

[USA] “Governor Phil Scott Details Initiatives to Increase Electric Vehicles in Vermont”

[Office of Governor Phil Scott, 12 July 2019]

Phil Scott, the Governor of Vermont, is steadily working on boosting the use of EVs in Vermont. Vermont has a Comprehensive Energy Plan that targets having 50,000 plug-in electric vehicles (with Vermont registration) by 2025; there are only 3,100 PEVs registered to the state at the moment. In his FY 2020 budget, Scott also suggested a $1.1 million incentive to encourage low and moderate-income residents to purchase or lease and EV. In addition, the state released a Transportation Bill that stipulates requirements for encouraging the development and deployment of public chagrining infrastructure. Governor Scott said of EVs, “Electrifying the transportation sector will help clean the air and keep millions of dollars within our economy. While more work needs to be done, Vermont has taken strong steps toward a renewable transportation sector. Accelerating vehicle electrification will continue to be a priority of my Administration.”

[USA] “Duke Energy Passes Major Renewable Milestone: 1 Gigawatt of Owned Solar Energy Capacity”

[Duke Energy, 2 July 2019]

Duke Energy’s North Rosamond Solar Facility came online this past June, and with it, Duke “passed the 1 GW threshold of utility-scale owned and operated solar facilities nationwide.” Duke energy’s solar portfolio is spread over 10 states and includes nearly 70 projects amounting to 1.1 GW – which at peak, could power around 2 million homes. Most of these projects are located in North Carolina, where the utility owns 40 solar facilities. In addition to its owned solar, Duke is also a large purchaser of solar energy. As a result, Duke’s 4 GW of owned and purchased renewables account for over 9% of it’s total generated electricity. Rob Caldwell, senior vice president of Duke and president of Duke Energy Renewables & Business Development, stated that, “One GW is a notable milestone, but we have plans for much more.”

[USA] “Construction Begins on Dominion Energy Offshore Wind Project”

[Dominion Energy, 1 July 2019] 

Dominion Energy has begun construction of their new Offshore Wind project that can be found off the coast of Virginia. The wind site consists of two 6 MW turbines that once online, the project will supply 3,000 homes with power at peak. Dominion has partnered with Ørsted, a Danish offshore wind developer, is supporting Dominion with the offshore aspects of the project, while the L.E. Myers Company is covering the onshore construction work. Customers are not expected to face a rate increase for this pilot project as stipulated in the Grid Transformation and Security Act of 2018; instead, the project will be funded from through existing base rates. Dominion plans to continue their investments in wind with a goal of investing $1.1 billion by 2023.

[USA] “Gov. Whitner, MDARD to Allow Commercial Solar Panels on Michigan Farmland”

[The Office of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 3 June 2019]

Michigan Governor Whitmer along with the state Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) will allow land “currently enrolled in the department’s Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program to be used for commercial solar array purposes.” There is currently 3.4 million acres of farmland that is enrolled under the state’s Farmland and Open Space Preservation program (which provides tax incentives for landowners to keep their land for agricultural use only. By changing this rule to allow commercial solar panels, the state’s clean energy program will also grow. If an area is converted back to open land after the use of solar panels, the policy also dictates conditions to ensure this is properly done. MDARD Director Gary McDowell stated of the effort, ““This administrative decision will not result in a loss of useable farmland. The change ensures that Michigan’s farmland is preserved so we can continue to feed our communities while also balancing the need to develop renewable energy sources. This is an exciting new opportunity for Michigan's farmers to diversify while they continue to face challenging circumstances.”

[USA] “Ameresco Helps Town of Westport, Massachusetts Transform Closed Landfill into Source of Renewable Energy and Revenue”

[Ameresco, 11 June 2019]

Ameresco, an energy efficiency and renewable energy company, has partnered with the city of Westport, Massachusetts to install a 622 KW DC solar panel facility at the city’s shuttered landfill. Ameresco will be responsible for the facility’s “design, construction, operations and maintenance of the solar farm, at its own expense.” This project has been a goal for this town for the past 10 years by turning a “non-productive asset (the closed landfill) for a revenue-generating activity” while also meeting the city’s clean energy goals. The project will begin operation in August of 2019.

[USA] “Deputy Secretary Brouillette Statement on G20 Energy and Environment Ministerial”

[Department of Energy, 18 June 2019]

G20 Energy and Environment Ministers met in Karuizawa, Japan and at the end of their meeting, they release a joint communique saying that it is important to talk about how best to lead energy transitions and still improve the “’3E+S’ (Energy Security, Economic Efficiency, and Environment + Safety). This message also takes important note of the issue of climate change and changes in the environment. In his statement about the meeting U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy, Dan Broillette:

·         Thanked Japan for hosting the meeting

·         Said that the G20 continues to support strengthening the energy security of all countries

·         Agreed that energy diversity is vital to achieving energy security

·         Condemned the oil tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz

·         Stated that “according to the IEA, the United States has reduced our energy-related emissions more than any nation”

·         Appreciates the G20 members achievement of finalizing a “reasonable and common-sense communique”

［USA］First Solar, Rocky Mountain Power to Deliver Clean Energy for Facebook Data Center

[First Solar, 30 May 2019]

First Solar’s Cove Mountain 2 solar power plant will provide energy to Facebook’s Eagle Mountain Data Center in Utah through a Power Purchase Agreement with Rocky Mountain Power (part of PacifiCorp and Berkshire Hathaway Energy). Cove Mountain 2 will be a 122 MW AC site and will begin its operations in 2020. The project is expected to provide electricity equivalent to 36,000 average Utah homes to Facebook and through the use of solar energy, it is equivalent to removing 46,000 cars from the road. In addition, the project is expected to save 800 million liters of water annually. Paul Clements, Director of Energy and Infrastructure at Facebook, stated, “This project is an important part of our commitment to support all of our data centers and offices with 100 percent renewable energy in 2020. Our data centers are among the most water- and energy-efficient facilities in the world. Working with First Solar and Rocky Mountain Power allows us to ensure that our data center will be supported by new renewable energy resources – like this solar power plant – in the same electrical grid as our data center.”

[USA] “Governor Polis Releases Roadmap to 100% Renewable Energy and Bold Climate Action”

[Colorado Governor Jared Polis, 30 May 2019]

Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat) has released a new energy plan for the state that focuses on achieving 100% renewable energy by 2040. The plan also provides specific “directions, policies, and actions,” and the state’s progress thus far. Some of the efforts include modernizing the public utilities commission, increasing the number of green jobs available, encouraging energy efficiency, etc. Polis stated of the vision, “The roadmap is not just about a vision, but includes concrete steps that will help us reap the economic benefits of renewable energy, curb pollution of our air, and fight climate change. Colorado has always been a leader in clean-tech innovation and we have no intentions of slowing down.”

[USA] “Walt Disney World Resort Celebrates Earth Day with Massive New Solar Facility Capable of Powering Two Theme Parks”

[Walt Disney World News, 18 April 2019]

In honor of Earth Day, Walt Disney World Resort has unveiled a new 270-acre, 50 MW solar facility, that has been built in collaboration with the Reedy Creek Improvement District and the solar developer Origis Energy USA. This site generates enough energy to operate 2 of the 4 theme parks at Disney annually. It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions “by tens of thousands of tons per year” and is a step towards Disney’s goal of reducing emissions 50% compared to 2012 levels. The solar facility has also been built to make over 2/3 of the site more friendly to pollinators and other insects, some of which are endangered or are at-risk species. Angie Renner, Environmental Integration Director at Disney Park’s Experiences and Consumer Products section, stated, ““At Disney, every day is Earth Day, and we hope our guests and cast members will be as inspired and amazed as we are at what this new solar facility means for our community and planet. This is an ambitious step forward for our renewable energy efforts.” Some specs for the project include:

·         500,000 + solar panels

·         During peak sun, the site will provide up to 25% of Walt Disney World’s demand

·         Largest solar facility in Orange County

·         50,000 + tons of greenhouse gas emissions reduce (equivalent of removal of 10,000 cards per year)

[USA] “GMP Launches Vision to Have 100% Renewable Energy by 2030”

[Green Mountain Power, 13 April 2019]

The Vermont utility, Green Mountain Power, has announced their intention-at the GMP Earth Day Every Day Fair- to have a 100% carbon-free energy supply by 2025 and 100% renewable energy supply by 2030. Green Mountain Power’s current energy mix consists of 90% carbon free energy and over 60% of that is renewable. Mary Powell, President and CEO of Green Mountain Power, stated of the endeavor: “There is so much we can accomplish together in Vermont to cut carbon, and at the same time increase reliability for customers in the face of increasingly frequent and severe storms.  The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report makes clear, we have to act now, and take bold steps to cut carbon. The report issued in October of 2018 shows we have just 12 years to bend back the curve on carbon. Green Mountain Power is determined that through innovation, collaboration and grit, we can make remarkable strides and be the example of the change we want to see and deliver this energy future to benefit the customers we serve.”

[USA] “CleanChoice Energy Community Solar Opens New Prince George’s County Solar Farm”

[CleanChoice Energy, 10 April 2019]

CleanChoice Energy is almost finished with the construction of a 3 MW community solar farm in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The Simba Community Solar Farm will help participating residents save around 10% of their utility bill. In the first year, the project will generate around 4,500,000 kWh – thereby being able to avoid 3,500,000 pounds of coal. This project aims to expand access to solar – especially for those who are not able to have rooftop solar.

[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.”