［USA］CPUC outlines new proposal for decarbonizing buildings in California

On February 12, 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) published a proposed decision outlining two new pilots that would set the state on the path toward decarbonizing its buildings with an estimated cost of $200 million over four years.[1] The two pilot programs are Building Initiative for Low-Emissions Development (BUILD) program, which would incentivize low emissions technologies in new residential buildings, and the Technology and Equipment for Clean Heating (TECH) initiative, which would expand the market for low-emission space heaters in both new and existing residential buildings. The CPUC's proposed decision would allocate 40% of the total $200 million budget for the BUILD program, and 60% for the TECH initiative. The proposed pilot programs stem from a 2018 state senate bill, SB 1477, which mandated that the CPUC must develop BUILD and TECH.[2] According to SB 1477, California has seen very little growth in near-zero emissions construction practices and clean heating despite the economic savings they would provide. To comply with the senate bill and achieve the growth in near-zero emissions it proscribes, the CPUC launched its building decarbonization rulemaking in January, 2019. It also intends to align its policies with building energy efficiency standards and create a broader framework for building decarbonization policy.[3]

[1] http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M326/K933/326933578.PDF

[2] https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB1477

[3] http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M264/K629/264629773.PDF

［USA］Dominion Energy announces 2050 net-zero emissions commitment

Dominion Energy announced its commitment to reaching net-zero emissions in its power generation and natural gas operations by 2050 on February 11, 2020.[1] Dominion has previously committed to cut methane emissions from its natural gas operations by 50% between 2010 and 2030 and carbon emissions from its power generating facilities by 80% between 2005 and 2050. So far, Dominion has cut carbon emissions approximately 50% since 2005 and reduced methane emissions by nearly 25% since 2010.

Under the new net zero goal, Dominion will decrease methane emissions by 65% by 2030 and 80% by 2040, from 2010 levels. To achieve these reductions, Dominion will extend licenses for its nuclear generation fleet, promote customer energy efficiency programs, and invest in wind and solar power. Additionally, Dominion plans to invest in carbon-beneficial renewable natural gas (RNG) projects that will capture an amount of methane from U.S. farms at least equivalent to any remaining methane and carbon dioxide emissions from the company's natural gas operations. The utility did acknowledge that achieving this goal will also require supportive policies and technology advancements.

[1] https://news.dominionenergy.com/2020-02-11-Dominion-Energy-Sets-New-Goal-of-Net-Zero-Emissions-by-2050

［USA］Vineyard Wind rethinks offshore wind project timeline following BOEM permitting update

On February 11, 2020 Vineyard Wind, an offshore wind developer, announced that its offshore wind project off the coast of Massachusetts will not be in commercial operation in 2022 as previously expected following an updated permitting timeline from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on February 7, 2020.[1][2] BOEM is aiming to issue the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the project on November 13, 2020, and a final decision on December 18, 2020. The previous permitting timeline would have led to a final EIS by June 7, 2019.[3] The BOEM stated that the delay is due to comments from stakeholders and cooperating agencies that requested a more robust analysis. BOEM has also decided to supplement the draft EIS and solicit comments on its revised cumulative impacts analysis. Vineyard Wind needs the EIS before it can begin construction on its offshore wind project. However, to qualify for the federal production tax credit, Vineyard Wind would have needed to begin construction by the end of 2020.

[1] https://www.vineyardwind.com/press-releases/2020/2/11/statement-on-boem-timeline

[2] https://www.boem.gov/vineyard-wind

[3] https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/state-activities/Vineyard-Wind-SEIS-Permitting-Timetable.pdf

［USA］House Democrats Release $760 Billion Framework to Make Infrastructure Investments Across U.S.

The Chairs of three committees in the U.S. House of Representatives released a five-year, $760 billion infrastructure blueprint, the Moving Forward Framework, on January 29, 2020 that they say would address the country's maintenance backlog while also cutting emissions in the transportation sector.[1] Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal (D-MA) emphasized that a key part of their framework is the need to bring emissions down and fight against climate change.

The proposal would invest $329 billion to modernize bridges and highways, $105 billion in transit, $55 billion in rail, and $86 billion to improve broadband internet access to unserved and underserved areas.[2] It would also increase the amount of alternative fueling options like electric vehicle (EV) chargers available. A major obstacle to the proposal, though, is how to finance the proposed investments. Despite support from Americans to raise taxes to create revenue for transportation infrastructure maintenance, Congress has been unable to reach an agreement in years past due to concerns about possible political fall-out from increasing the taxes. At a press conference, Democratic leaders declined to say how they would foot the bill for the new proposal.

[1] https://transportation.house.gov/news/press-releases/chairs-defazio-pallone-neal-release-760-billion-framework-to-make-transformative-infrastructure-investments-across-us

[2] https://transportation.house.gov/imo/media/doc/Moving%20Forward%20Framework.pdf

［USA］ Department of Energy Announces $125.5 Million in New Funding for Solar Technologies

On February 5, 2020 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $125.5 million in new funding for research to advance solar technology through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Solar Energy Technologies Office.[1] DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office Fiscal Year 2020 Funding Program (SETO 2020) will help to continue the steady decline in solar costs. In addition, projects will tackle a variety of challenges facing the solar industry, including enabling solar and storage, enhancing cybersecurity protections, manufacturing, developing solar-powered microgrids, and siting solar with agriculture. The solar funding announcement follows a series of other funding opportunities recently announced be EERE. On February 4, 2020, EERE announced up to $43.8 million to advance geothermal research and development, and on January 23, 2020 the office announced $300 million investment in sustainable transportation.[2] [3] [4] These funding opportunity announcements total more than $463 million and is the largest EERE investment made this early in the fiscal year over the past six years.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-announces-1255-million-new-funding-solar-technologies

[2] https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/energy-department-announces-188-million-hydrothermal-and-low-temperature-geothermal

[3] https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/energy-department-announces-25-million-enhanced-geothermal-systems-research

[4] https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-announces-nearly-300-million-sustainable-transportation-research

［USA］New Jersey outlines sweeping plans to achieve 100% clean energy by 2050

On January 27, 2020, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) released a wide-ranging “Energy Master Plan” with details on how the state could achieve 100% clean energy by 2050.[1] [2] To reinforce the initiatives proposed in the plan, the governor also signed  Executive Order No. 100 which directs the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to make comprehensive regulatory reforms.

Current efforts by the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are insufficient to achieve the target of 80% reduction from 2006 levels set by the state’s Global Warming Response Act passed in summer 2019 and the plan seeks to address this gap.[3] The governor’s plan provides more specifics on how the state can reach this goal by delineating seven areas of focus: the transportation sector, renewable energy and DERs, energy efficiency, the building sector, the use of "integrated distribution plans," incentivizing clean energy in underserved communities, and attracting supply chain businesses to create clean energy "clusters." Major suggestions in the plan include ensuring 7.5 GW of offshore wind is part of the energy mix by 2035, requiring utilities to explore “non-wire solutions” (i.e. projects or investments that may defer or replace distribution or transmission upgrades by reducing load), and building up EV charging infrastructure.

[1] https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562020/approved/20200127a.shtml

[2] http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20200127/84/84/03/b2/2293766d081ff4a3cd8e60aa/NJBPU_EMP.pdf

[3] https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562019/approved/20190617a.shtml

［USA］Dairyland Power Cooperative plans to retire 345 MW of coal

Dairyland Power Cooperative, a Wisconsin electric utility, announced in January 2020 that it is planning to retire Genoa Station 3, a 345 MW coal plant, in 2021, five to ten years earlier than previously planned.[1] Utility officials ultimately determined cheaper, cleaner resources were preferable over keeping the coal plant open. This announcement follows a January 16, 2020 Wisconsin regulatory decision approving Dairyland’s 625 MW gas-fired Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC), which will be co-owned with Minnesota Power, a Minnesota utility. The gas plant, which will serve customers in Minnesota and Wisconsin, requires permission from both Minnesota and Wisconsin regulators. Although the plant received approval from Minnesota regulators in October 2018, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ordered further analysis in December 2019 and directed Minnesota’s Public Utilities Commission to do an environmental impact assessment of the plant. Dairyland is currently reviewing the Court of Appeal’s decision to determine how it will impact the project’s timeline.

[1] https://www.dairylandpower.com/content/dairyland-announces-genoa-station-3-retirement-plans

［USA］ New Jersey proposes utilities recover lost revenues, earn bonuses for beating energy savings targets

On January 22, 2020, New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU) released a proposal that would give utilities the opportunity to earn bonuses or incur penalties for beating or failing to meet energy efficiency savings targets.[1] In addition, the proposal would allow utilities to recover lost revenues related to their efforts. The cost recovery proposal follows a straw proposal released in December 2019 that outlined how utility efficiency programs will be managed and suggested implementation of new energy-saving pilots.[2] Both proposals would help implement the changes to New Jersey’s energy system the Governor Phil Murphy (D) signed in May of 2019 which boosted efficiency targets and set a 50% renewable goal by 2030.[3] In addition to addressing how utilities will approach efficiency measures, the cost recovery proposal will help address how utilities will pay for the changes under the Clean Energy Act of 2018. The 2018 law requires electric utilities to achieve annual energy use reductions of 2% or greater within five years of the new rules being implemented which imposes significant costs for utilities.

[1]https://www.bpu.state.nj.us/bpu/pdf/publicnotice/NJBPU_EE_Final_Cost_Recovery_Mechanism_Proposal_1.22.20.pdf

[2]https://www.bpu.state.nj.us/bpu/pdf/publicnotice/EE_%26_Peak_Demand_Program_Administration_Straw_Proposal_122019.pdf

[3] https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562018/approved/20180523a_cleanEnergy.shtml

［USA］APS Commits to Carbon-free Power by 2050

On January 22, 2020, Arizona Public Service (APS), Arizona’s largest electricity provider, announced a goal to deliver 100 percent clean, carbon-free electricity to customers by 2050.[1] APS also has a nearer-term 2030 target of achieving a resource mix that is 65 percent clean energy, including 45 percent from renewable energy. The utility also plans on ending all coal-fired generation by 2031 which is seven years earlier than previously planned. Currently, APS gets 22 percent of its power from coal and 26 percent from gas and oil.[2] The Palo Verde nuclear plant accounts for 25 percent of the mix, renewables deliver 12 percent, and demand-side management accounts for 16 percent. The APS commitment is notable because Arizona has not passed sweeping climate or carbon policy at the state level. The decision places APS on a list of major electric utilities committing to carbon-free energy sources. Other utilities committed to decarbonization include Xcel Energy, Duke Energy, and Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG).

[1] https://www.aps.com/en/About/Our-Company/Newsroom/Articles/APS-sets-course-for-100-percent-clean-energy-future

[2] https://www.aps.com/-/media/APS/APSCOM-PDFs/About/Our-Company/Doing-business-with-us/Resource-Planning-and-Management/2017IntegratedResourcePlan.ashx

［USA］New Bill Introduced in Georgia Legislature Would Require Companies to Treat Coal Ash Like Municipal Solid Waste

A new bill—H.B. 756— that would require disposal of coal ash or combustion residuals (CCR) to be as rigorous as municipal solid waste (MSW) was introduced by Rep. Robert Trammell (D) in the Georgia legislature on January 14, 2020.[1] In December 2019, Georgia became the second state allowed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to run its own coal ash permitting program which will allow the state flexibility in how it cleans up the toxic waste. Georgia Power's current plans for closing its ash sites includes leaving CCR in unlined ponds. By contrast, MSW in Georgia is disposed in landfills with both bottom liners and collections systems for leachate.

Recently, concerns over the risk of groundwater contamination have grown and a number of states have mandated coal ash cleanup. North Carolina, for example, ordered Duke Energy to excavate roughly 72.5 million metric tons of CCR.[2] There has been no such order in Georgia, though a 2018 report on the coal-fired power plants in the state found that groundwater was contaminated near all but one site.

[1] http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20192020/187853.pdf

[2] https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-energy-north-carolina-regulators-and-environmentalists-reach-agreement-to-permanently-close-all-remaining-ash-basins-in-north-carolina

［USA］Brookings Report Finds Land Battles Jeopardize Wind and Solar Development

A new report released in January 2020 by the Brookings Institution finds that although renewable energy is popular, siting projects may become more difficult as wind and solar take up more land across the United States.[1] The report emphasizes several problems with renewable energy siting. Wind and solar generation require about 10 times as much land per unit of power produced than fossil fuel plants and unlike fossil fuels, they are located only where the resource is available. In addition, most new wind turbines being installed in the United States today are the height of a 35-story building and can often be seen for long distances. All of these factors play a role in how accepting local communities are of new renewable energy development. People often cite concerns over property values, noise, and bird deaths caused by wind turbines.

According to the Brookings report, some renewable technologies like offshore wind turbines and rooftop solar could offer workarounds for these problems. However, the report states that technological solutions are not enough and policy solutions such as regulations that declare sensitive areas off limits while streamlining development elsewhere in designated renewable zones should be considered.

[1] https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/FP_20200113_renewables_land_use_local_opposition_gross.pdf

［USA］Seattle to Transition Municipal Buildings Away from Fossil Fuels

On January 8, 2020, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan signed Executive Order 2020-01 to advance a Green New Deal for the city.[1] The executive order’s goals mirror those in the city’s climate action plan, released in April 2018, and includes substantial provisions for transitioning municipal buildings away from using fossil fuels through electrification.[2] Under the executive order, all new or substantially altered city-owned buildings will be required to use electricity rather than fossil fuels for activities such as heating, cooling, or cooking. In order for buildings to be considered completed or altered during the 2021 or 2022 budget year, strategies for using electricity over fossil fuels must be submitted by June 1, 2020. An interdepartmental team is tasked with forming a strategy to electrify buildings by January 2021.

By electrifying its buildings, Seattle is taking a big step towards reducing its carbon emissions. According to the Sierra Club, buildings are responsible for 35% of Seattle’s emissions.[3] Although there are some concerns that electrifying buildings does not solve issues of fossil fuel reliance—79% of national energy production comes from fossil fuels—, Seattle is a unique case.[4] According to the city’s utility, Seattle City Light, 91% of the city’s energy mix is hydroelectricity while coal and natural gas make up 1% each.[5]

[1] https://durkan.seattle.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2020/01/Final-Executive-Order-2020-01-Advancing-a-Green-New-Deal-for-Seattle_.pdf

[2] http://greenspace.seattle.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SeaClimateAction_April2018.pdf

[3] https://www.sierraclub.org/washington/sierra-club-s-response-mayor-durkan-s-executive-order

[4] https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=41353

[5] https://www.seattle.gov/light/FuelMix/

［USA］Recent ACEE Report Finds Most Utilities Aren't Getting Full Value from Smart Meters

According to a report released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) on January 9, 2020, most utilities are missing the opportunity to utilize advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to help customers conserve energy.[1] AMI has grown rapidly in the past decade, now accounting for nearly half of all meters in the U.S. At the end of 2019, there were 98 million smart meters deployed by utilities and by the end of 2020, that number could reach 107 million.[2] However, ACEEE found that these smart meters are being underutilized by utilities; of the 52 utilities ACEEE surveyed, only one, Portland General Electric (PGE), was found to use smart meters to their fullest potential. PGE taps into all six use cases ACEEE identifies for applying API data: time of use rates, real-time energy use feedback for customers, behavior-based programs, data disaggregation, grid-interactive efficient buildings, and conservation voltage reduction.

These use cases leverage AMI data by pairing it with customer engagement tools, pricing strategies, and programs that support customer action. A failure to optimize AMI investments can lead to regulators denying future grid modernization efforts. In 2019, for example, Virginia regulators rejected Dominion Energy’s proposal for a smart meter deployment.

[1] https://aceee.org/sites/default/files/publications/researchreports/u2001.pdf

[2]　https://www.edisonfoundation.net/iei/publications/Documents/IEI_Smart%20Meter%20Report_2019_FINAL.pdf

［USA］ Elizabeth Warren Unveils ‘Blue New Deal’ With Support for Offshore Wind

On December 10, 2019, Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren announced an environmental proposal that recommends a variety of ocean-related conservation and energy plans titled the “Blue New Deal.” [1] One of the primary focuses of Warren’s proposal is how the U.S. can use the ocean as a place for energy development and production. While she cites a variety of clean energy technologies, including more out-there proposals for wave energy and algae-based biofuels, Warren emphasizes offshore wind as an area for major growth. The Blue New Deal lists several benefits of offshore wind including carbon-free energy production and boosts to the economy. Warren’s campaign cites statistics that by 2030 offshore wind from Maine to Maryland could provide 36,000 full-time jobs in the U.S. Currently, only one offshore wind project—the 30-megawatt Block Island farm off the coast of Rhode Island [2]— is in operation but several developers have major offshore installations in the works. Under the Blue New Deal, federal clean energy tax credits would be extended but any incentives available to offshore wind would depend on the project benefiting nearby communities. These promises address current concerns in coastal communities that offshore wind will hurt their economies.

[1] https://elizabethwarren.com/plans/blue-new-deal

[2] https://kokosingindustrial.com/projects/block-island-wind-farm/

［USA］Vineyard Wind wins 804 MW bid for offshore wind in Connecticut

On December 5, 2019, Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) selected Vineyard Wind, an offshore wind developer, to proceed to contract negotiations with electric distribution companies in the state to provide 804 MW of offshore wind through the development of the Park City Wind Project.[1] The bid was selected through a request for proposals from DEEP following the signing of HB 7156 (also called Public Act 19-71) on June 7, 2019 which requires the state to solicit up to 2,000 MW of offshore wind. [2],[3] The project is the largest purchase of renewable energy in Connecticut’s history—accounting for 14% of the state’s electricity supply—and is considered a major step toward Governor Lamont’s goal of a 100% zero-carbon electricity supply by 2040. The Park City Wind Project is Vineyard Wind’s second offshore wind project in the U.S. and will be built in the same federal waters lease area as the developer’s Massachusetts project. It is expected to come online in 2025.

[1] https://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?Q=610542&A=5009

[2] https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2019&bill_num=7156

[3] https://www.cga.ct.gov/2019/ACT/pa/pdf/2019PA-00071-R00HB-07156-PA.pdf

［USA］ NorthWestern Energy to acquire 25% share of Colstrip; plans to reduce carbon by 90%

NorthWestern Energy, a utility company based in Sioux Falls, SD, announced on December 10, 2019 that it plans to purchase Puget Sound Energy's (PSE) 25% share of Montana's coal-fired Colstrip Unit 4 for just $1.[1] If the plan is approved by the Montana Public Service Commission and Washington Utilities Transportation Commission, NorthWestern would procure 185 MW of generation from Colstrip Unit 4 which would bring its totally share of the unit to 55%. According to NorthWestern, the purchase, although contrary to its carbon-reduction goals, will help the utility to meet a winter peak capacity deficit and preserve reliability for its customers. Currently, NorthWestern’s energy portfolio for Montana is 60% carbon-free. The utility will set aside the benefits from the transaction to address the environmental costs associated with its existing ownership when the time comes to retire Unit 4. For PSE, the sale of its share of the Colstrip unit will help the utility reduce its coal fleet by 50% and give them a lead on meeting Washington state’s requirement for electric utilities to eliminate coal-fired generation from their portfolios in the next five years.[2],[3]  

[1] http://www3.northwesternenergy.com/our-company/media-center/current/news-article/2019/12/10/NorthWestern-Energy-to-acquire-25-share-of-Colstrip-Unit-4-from-Puget-Sound-Energy

[2] https://www.pse.com/press-release/details/pse-moves-closer-to-coal-free-electricity-years-ahead-of-schedule?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=TWITTER&utm_campaign=Engagement

[3] https://www.utc.wa.gov/regulatedIndustries/utilities/energy/Pages/CETAoverview.aspx

［USA］Dan Brouillette Confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be Secretary of Energy

On December 2, 2019, the day after Secretary Rick Perry resigned, the United States Senate confirmed Dan Brouillette—former Deputy Secretary of Energy under Secretary Rick Perry—to be the 15th U.S. Secretary of Energy in a bipartisan vote of 70-15.[1] The vote follows the November 14th Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on Brouillette’s nomination where he pledged to fight for Department of Energy’s (DOE) budget and reiterated his commitment to a holistic approach to energy which includes using coal and other fossil fuels as baseload energy.[2] Before his transition to the DOE, Brouillette worked in the transportation private sector for United Services Automobile Association (USAA) and Ford Motor Company, where he served in leadership positions.[3] He also worked in several government positions prior to his private sector work such as Chief of Staff to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/dan-brouillette-confirmed-us-senate-be-secretary-energy

[2] https://www.energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/full-committee

[3] https://www.energy.gov/articles/dan-brouillette-sworn-deputy-secretary-united-states-department-energy

［USA］ITIF Releases Report on Using Tax Incentives to Drive Clean Energy Innovation

The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a think tank that promotes innovation-friendly policies in science and technology, released a report on December 2, 2019 that found that existing federal tax credits for solar and wind power need to be reformed and are not conducive to development of new clean energy technologies.[1] According to the report, an extension of credits would favor the most widely used technologies over younger, more expensive alternatives that could eventually prove superior. Currently, tax credits for solar and wind are set to wind down over the next few years. The investment tax credit (ITC), most typically used for solar, drops from 30% in 2019 to 10% in 2022 for utility-scale systems and for residential systems it disappears completely in 2022. Starting next year, wind developers can no longer claim a production tax credit (PTC) for new projects. Despite these phase-downs or phaseouts, the ITIF says that both the wind and solar industries would keep growing. Instead of an extension to these tax credits, the ITIF report envisions new tax credits for early adopters of new technologies and innovations, which would allow companies to scale up and work out the kinks in their product.

[1] https://itif.org/publications/2019/12/02/less-certain-death-using-tax-incentives-drive-clean-energy-innovation

［USA］Nevada PUC floats proposal for 1,000 MW storage target by 2030

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) submitted a proposal to the Nevada state’s Legislative Counsel Bureau on November 26, 2019.[1] Under the proposal, PUCN would adopt a 1,000 MW statewide energy storage target for utilities by the end of 2030. To achieve this, it is proposed that there would be biennial targets, beginning with 100 MW by the end of 2020 and then ramping up to 400 MW and 800 MW by 2024 and 2028, respectively. Beginning in 2022, utilities in Nevada would be required to file progress updates with the commission. The proposal comes more than two years after SB 204 directed the commission to look into requiring utilities to purchase storage.[2] PUCN has looked into the costs and benefits of storage and commissioned a report on these concerns in 2018 which found that the most cost-effective amount of storage for Nevada’s market conditions in 2030 was in the 700 MW to 1,000 MW range.[3] Most recently, NV Energy, a public utility, proposed on June 24, 2019 to procure 590 MW of energy storage which would put the proposal by the PUCN seven years ahead of schedule.[4]

[1] http://pucweb1.state.nv.us/PDF/AxImages/DOCKETS_2015_THRU_PRESENT/2017-7/43083.pdf

[2] https://legiscan.com/NV/bill/SB204/2017

[3] https://brattlefiles.blob.core.windows.net/files/14618_economic_potential_for_storage_in_nevada_-_final.pdf

[4] http://pucweb1.state.nv.us/PDF/AxImages/DOCKETS_2015_THRU_PRESENT/2019-6/39888.pdf

［USA］Lyft Adds 200 EVs to Denver Rental Program

Lyft, a ride-share company similar to Uber, announced on November 14, 2019 that it deployed 200 long-range electric vehicles (EVs) into its Express Drive program in Denver. This is the largest EV deployment in state history and one of the largest in the country. The introduction of EVs in Denver follows an announcement earlier this year on February 6, 2019 that Lyft intends to introduce thousands of EVs to their program across multiple cities, and will make it easier for riders to request them through Green Mode, an option to ride in EVs instead of their gasoline-reliant counterparts. The Express Drive program operates in nearly three dozen U.S. cities and allows drivers to rent vehicles through Lyft’s partners instead of committing to longer-term options. Having EVs as a rental option will help solve one of the biggest barriers to adoption of EVs: cost. According to Lyft, the EVs will also help the drivers save on cost, potentially saving them $70-100 per week on fuel costs alone.

References：
https://blog.lyft.com/posts/lyft-denver-ev-2019
https://www.lyft.com/expressdrive
https://blog.lyft.com/posts/2019/2/6/making-cities-more-liveable-with-electric-vehicles