[USA] Colorado regulators approve Xcel’s $110 million transportation electrification plan

On January 11, 2021, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) formally approved Xcel Energy’s $110 million “2021-2023 Transportation Electrification Plan,” which includes installing approximately 20,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at residential, commercial, and public sites across Xcel's Colorado service territory.[1][2] Xcel’s plan, which was first filed in 2020, comes as a result of a bipartisan bill passed in 2019 that directed Colorado’s electric utilities to file applications to enable the deployment of EV charging stations and support EV adoption. Colorado has set a goal of having 940,000 EVs on the road by 2030 and Xcel has stated that their plan is designed to help the state achieve that goal. Xcel's plan includes an emphasis on ensuring EV adoption for all customers, with approximately 15% of the program budget directed toward equity-focused programs. The approved plan includes a $5 million pilot to provide rebates to income-qualified customers to support low-income adoption of EVs. Through this pilot, Xcel will offer upfront $5,500 rebates for new EV purchases and $3,000 for used EVs for qualifying customers. Xcel’s plan also includes adding programs and rates to help manage the new charging load. According to Utility Dive, Xcel's plan will add about 67 cents to monthly customer bills.

[1] https://www.dora.state.co.us/pls/efi/EFI_Search_UI.Show_Decision?p_session_id=&p_dec=28011

[2] https://www.nrdc.org/experts/miles-muller/colorado-approves-110m-transportation-electrification-plan

[USA] EIA: Wind and solar will make up 70% of new capacity in 2021

According to a U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) update on the latest inventory of electricity generators, wind and solar will represent more than two-thirds of new energy production to come online in 2021, while battery storage capacity is set to quadruple over the next year.[1] 39.7 GW of new electricity generating capacity is set to start commercial operation in 2021. 15.4 GW of that capacity will be solar photovoltaic (PV), making it the largest source of new capacity at 39%. More than half of new utility-scale solar PV capacity is planned for four states: Texas (28%), Nevada (9%), California (9%), and North Carolina (7%). 12.2 GW of wind capacity is scheduled to come online in 2021, putting it at 31% of new capacity with more than half of additions in Texas and Oklahoma. This is a decrease from 2020, which saw 21 GW of wind come online. 4.3 GW of battery power capacity additions are expected to come online in 2021 which will more than quadruple battery storage capacity. About 3% of the new capacity in 2021 will come from the new nuclear reactor at the Vogtle power plant in Georgia. Planned natural gas capacity additions are set at 6.6 GW, with more than 70% of these planned additions in Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

[1] https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=46416

[USA] Gov. Cuomo announces largest procurement of offshore wind by a state

On January 13, 2020 during a multiday series of State of the State speeches, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) announced the largest award of offshore wind contracts by a U.S. state as part of the state’s broader plan to scale up renewable power over the next decade.[1] New York selected Equinor and incoming strategic partner bp to develop two new offshore wind farms about 20 miles off the coast of Long Island.[2] Empire Wind 2 will provide 1,260 MW of renewable offshore wind power and another 1,230 MW of power will come from Beacon Wind 1. Equinor has not released expected commercial operations dates for these projects, yet. Combined with Equinor’s existing commitment to provide 816 MW of renewable power from Empire Wind 1—expected to come online in 2024—Equinor will provide 3.3 GW of offshore wind power to New York. According to Cuomo, the newly announced wind farms will bring $8.9 billion in investment and create more than 5,200 jobs. Cuomo also announce that New York will contract 23 solar farms and one hydroelectric facility in 2021, which will produce more than 2,200 MW of clean power.  When the large-scale renewable and offshore wind facilities are complete, more than half of the state’s electricity will come from renewable sources, putting the state ahead of schedule for reaching its goal of 70% renewable energy by 2030.

[1] https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Newsroom/2021-Announcements/2021-01-13-Governor-Cuomo-Outlines-2021-Agenda-Reimagine-Rebuild-Renew

[2] https://www.equinor.com/en/news/202101-us-offshore-wind.html

[USA] U.S. federal government says SolarWinds hack hit fewer than 10 agencies

In a joint statement on January 5, 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Office of The Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the National Security Agency (NSA)—which make up the Cyber Unified Coordination Group (UCG) task force—said that the compromise of IT service provider SolarWinds in 2020 was part of an ongoing information gathering effort and was likely Russian in origin.[1] The massive breach started in March 2020 when hackers compromised IT management software from SolarWinds. The breach compromised an email system used by senior leadership at the Treasury Department and systems at several other federal agencies. According to the joint statement, of SolarWinds’ 18,000 customers, USG believes that “a much smaller number” were targeted following the initial hack. Additionally, USG said that fewer than ten agencies were targeted by the hack and the task force is now working to identify and notify nongovernment entities that may have also been affected.

The joint statement also outlined USG’s actions and the next steps of the investigation. The FBI will remain focused identifying victims, collecting evidence, analyzing the evidence to determine the group responsible, and sharing results with stakeholders. CISA will focus on sharing information quickly and has created a free tool for detecting unusual and potentially malicious activity related to the SolarWinds hack. ODNI is coordinating the intelligence community to ensure the UCG has the most up-to-date intelligence and is also providing information to key stakeholders. Finally, the NSA is supporting the UCG by providing intelligence, cybersecurity expertise, and actionable guidance to the UCG partners.

[1] https://www.cisa.gov/news/2021/01/05/joint-statement-federal-bureau-investigation-fbi-cybersecurity-and-infrastructure

[USA] Dominion and Duke release plan to dismantle cancelled Atlantic Coast Pipeline

In a filing dated December 16, 2020 but made public on January 5, 2020, developers of the now canceled Atlantic Coast Pipeline—Dominion Energy and Duke Energy—proposed a plan to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for dismantling the project.[1] The Atlantic Coast Pipeline was an $8 billion natural gas project that would have crossed West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, but was cancelled in July 2020 due to delays from legal proceedings. The plan outlines a two-year timeline for decommissioning parts of the pipeline that were nearly complete and restoring effected land. It also defines where the developers intend on clearing felled trees and where they plan to leave the area alone. The plan includes abandoning roughly 31 miles of pipe that has already been placed in the ground. The developers noted that an additional 83-mile stretch of terrain has been cleared but have no pipe laid. According to spokesperson Aaron Ruby, Dominion will not release easement agreements with landowners to use their property.[2] Land seized through eminent domain also remains in Dominion and Duke’s possession despite landowners fighting the eminent domain proceedings in court.

[1] https://atlanticcoastpipeline.com/resources/docs/public_acp%20disposition%20and%20restoration%20plan.pdf

[2]https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2021/01/06/stories/1063721877?utm_campaign=edition&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eenews%3Aenergywire

[USA] DOE releases its first energy storage strategy

On December 21, 2020, the Department of Energy (DOE) released the Energy Storage Grand Challenge Roadmap, the DOE’s first comprehensive energy storage strategy.[1] Announced in January 2020 by Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette, the Energy Storage Grand Challenge (ESGC) seeks to increase domestic production of energy storage and create American leadership in storage. DOE also released two companion ESGC reports, the 2020 Grid Energy Storage Technology Cost and Performance Assessment and the Energy Storage Market Report 2020, to provide easily accessible data and information to energy stakeholders.

DOE’s roadmap includes a goal to develop and domestically manufacture energy storage technologies that can meet all U.S. market demands by 2030. To achieve this, DOE has a suite of initiative including promoting continued research, boosting the manufacturing and supply chain for batteries, providing relevant energy storage data, and enhancing workforce development programs. The DOE aims to achieve a $0.05/kWh levelized cost of storage for long-duration stationary applications, which include utility-scale battery storage facilities that can store energy for 10 hours or more, by 2030. The reduction would be a 90% reduction in costs and would help facilitate “commercial viability” for storage across a wide range of uses. The DOE also aims to lower the costs of battery packs for EVs with a driving range of 300 miles to $80/kWh by 2030, which is 44% lower than current battery packs. If achieved, the DOE projects that electric cars would be competitive with standard gasoline cars.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-releases-energy-storage-grand-challenge-roadmap

[Japan] JERA Signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ExxonMobil and the People’s Committee of Hai Phong City to Participate in an Integrated LNG to Power Project in Northern Vietnam

On October 28, 2020, JERA announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ExxonMobil Hai Phong Energy (EMPHE, Headquarters: Texas, the United States), and the People’s Committee of Hai Phong City, Vietnam to jointly work on an Integrated Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to Power Project. The project aims to establish an LNG value chain that consists of an LNG import terminal and an LNG-fired power plant in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. JERA is one of Japan’s major energy companies and was established through a joint venture between Tokyo Electric Power Fuel & Power (Headquarters: Tokyo) and Chubu Electric Power (Headquarters: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture).

Hai Phong City is the largest port city in northern Vietnam. The city has seen fast economic growth over the years and its annual power consumption is expected to double over the next decade. EMPHE aims to meet the city’s future electricity demand with cleaner energy. EMPHE has submitted an application to the Vietnamese government for the project to be considered and potentially included in Vietnam’s National Power Development Plan (PDP), which sets out the long-term vision for Vietnam’s energy security and development.

The project is being conducted as part of the Japan US Strategic Energy Partnership (JUSEP), a Japan-US collaborative framework that facilitate economic growth and global security through developing an affordable and reliable energy supply in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. [1] The MOU was signed at the Indo-Pacific Business Forum hosted by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, with the presence of government officials from Japan, the U.S., and Vietnam.

JERA aims to become a provider of cutting-edge solutions to solve global energy problems. Through this mission, JERA will contribute to addressing energy challenges in Vietnam by leveraging its experience in LNG value chains.[2] [3]

[1] https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2017/pdf/1107_001a.pdf

[2] https://www.jera.co.jp/information/20201028_545

[3] https://www.jera.co.jp/english/information/20201028_545

[USA] NC Supreme Court rules Duke won’t foot $9B coal ask cleanup bill, shareholders may still pay half

On December 11, 2020, the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that Duke Energy and its shareholders will not have to bear the full brunt of the coal ash cleanup costs.[1] In January 2020, Duke reached a settlement with environmental groups that requires the utility to excavate a total of 124 million pounds of coal ash from Duke’s coal plant sites over the next 10 to 15 years.[2] Duke estimates the total cost of the cleanup to cost $8-9 billion. Duke has repeatedly said that absorbing these costs would likely weaken its balance sheet.[3] The CEO has also said the company would be unwilling to reach a settlement with environmentalists on whether the utility can profit from the cleanup.

The NC Supreme Court decision partially upholds the North Carolina Utilities Commission’s (NCUC), the government agency that regulates utilities in the state, initial ruling that coal ash costs should be included in the cost of service used to establish the utilities’ retail rates, essentially putting the cost on Duke’s ratepayers. The NCUC’s decision was challenged by the state’s attorney general who argued that Duke should bear the costs of the cleanup and filed a brief in the NC Supreme Court to appeal the decision. The court also ruled that the NCUC should reconsider its rejection of North Carolina Public Staff’s “equitable sharing” proposal. The NC Public Staff’s, which helps consumers resolve disputes with utility companies, proposal would split the cost of cleanup between ratepayers and shareholders and extend the timeline for paying off the costs, but would not allow the utility to profit from the cleanup. The court's ruling does not mean the NCUC has to implement the NC Public Staff’s proposal, only that the commissions needs to consider "all potentially relevant facts."

[1] https://appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=1&pdf=39826

[2] https://www.southernenvironment.org/news-and-press/news-feed/n.c-settlement-results-in-largest-coal-ash-cleanup-in-america

[3] https://www.utilitydive.com/news/uncertainty-over-earnings-return-for-8b-north-carolina-coal-ash-cleanup-we/583267/

[USA] Biden picks two-term Michigan Governor Granholm to lead DOE

According to Politico on December 15, 2020, President-elect Joe Biden will pick former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm to be the head of the Department of Energy (DOE).[1] Granholm, who served two terms as Governor of Michigan from 2003 to 2011, has been a strong advocate for zero-emissions vehicles and has argued that the U.S. risks being left behind by other countries if it does not develop alternative energy technologies. In an op-ed in the Detroit News, Granholm wrote, “[T]he private sector needs greater support and political will from our policymakers to help us fully realize the potential of a zero-carbon future. The economics are clear: The time for a low-carbon recovery is now.”

Picking Granholm for DOE secretary is a clear sign that Biden wants the department to play a central role in achieving the targets of Biden’s climate plan. While the DOE’s budget is primarily devoted to maintaining the U.S.’s nuclear weapons arsenal, it also operates 17 national labs that help develop advanced technology used in renewables, nuclear energy and fossil fuel production. Under the Obama administration, the DOE oversaw tens of billions of dollars in loan guarantees and grants that expanded the adoption of solar and wind power and helped drive down the costs of renewables. The DOE also sets appliance standards, conducts research on innovations like electric heat pumps, and oversees building and residential energy efficiency programs, all of which will be key to reducing emissions from buildings.

[1] https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/15/biden-to-tap-former-michigan-gov-granholm-to-lead-energy-department-445782

[USA] GE Renewable Energy announces first U.S. wind turbine blade recycling program

On December 8, 2020, GE Renewable Energy announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement with Veolia North America (VNA), a consulting firm that provides solutions to promote sustainability and a circular economy, to recycle blades removed from its onshore turbines in the U.S. during upgrades and repowering efforts, the first program of its kind in the U.S.[1] GE plans to use this agreement to recycle the majority of blades that are replaced during repowering efforts. Once the blades are removed from the turbines, they will be shredded at VNA’s processing plant in Missouri and then used as a replacement for coal, sand, and clay at cement manufacturing facilities. Nearly 90% of the blade material, by weight, will be reused as repurposed material for cement production. More than 65% of the blade weight will replace raw materials and about 28% of the blade weight will provide energy for the chemical reaction that takes place in the kiln. Environmental impact analysis by Quantis U.S. found that the process will make while reducing CO2 emissions from cement production by a net 27%. According to the GE press release, similar recycling processes in Europe have been effective at a commercial scale. GE has committed to reducing the environmental impacts of its products throughout their life cycles. To this end, GE announced a pledge in 2019 to decarbonize its operations and achieve carbon neutrality by the end of 2020.

[1] https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-renewable-energy-announces-us-blade-recycling-contract-with-veolia

[USA] NRDC Report: LNG as bad for climate as coal over next 20 years

According to a report released on December 8, 2020 by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a non-profit environmental advocacy group, projected increases in U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are likely incompatible with holding the rise in global temperature at 1.5° Celsius.[1] [2] The report, titled “Sailing to Nowhere: Liquefied Natural Gas Is Not an Effective Climate Strategy”, found that although greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from U.S. LNG are lower than coal over a 100-year time span, methane’s more immediate impact compared to CO2 means the "near-term" climate effect of LNG over the next 20 years is similar to coal. The emissions from the LNG industry will generate up to 213 million metric tons of new GHG emissions by 2030, which is equal to the annual emissions of 28 to 45 million fossil fuel-powered cars, according to the report. Much of LNG’s climate impact also comes from the extraction, transport, liquefaction, and re-gasification of LNG. The report also emphasized that the long lifespan of LNG infrastructure “locks in” fossil fuels instead clean energy which prevents of clean energy technologies like wind and solar, which produce significantly lower life-cycle GHG emissions, from expanding. The report concluded that the estimated social cost of U.S. LNG exports was $8.1 billion in 2019 and would be $30.5 billion per year by 2030.

[1] https://www.nrdc.org/resources/sailing-nowhere-liquefied-natural-gas-not-effective-climate-strategy

[2] https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/sailing-nowhere-liquefied-natural-gas-report.pdf

[USA] LBNL releases annual studies on wind and solar, solar gaining ground

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) released its annual wind energy data update in August 2020 and its annual utility-scale solar data update in November 2020.[1] [2] During a webinar on December 8, 2020 that compared the data from these studies, Mark Bollinger, one of the lead authors on the studies, concluded that solar is gaining ground on wind and natural gas in terms of projects seeking approval to connect to the grid.[3] On average, although solar is still more expensive, it delivers a greater net financial benefit to customers on average, according to Bollinger.

LBNL noted that new solar projects are benefiting from a growing trend toward "hybrid" combinations of renewable generation with battery storage which help with the “duck curve” challenge. This growing trend is helped by the federal investment tax credit, for which solar and battery hybrid projects are eligible while wind and battery pairings are not. However, whether wind or solar power is cheaper depends heavily on the region due to varying environmental conditions. The lab also emphasized that wind and solar still total no more than 10% of U.S. electricity output and there are several issues that could slow renewable market growth. Phaseouts of federal tax credits could significantly slow down market growth. Bollinger also added that in regions where the two power sources compete, "they tend to cannibalize their own market value” which could further slow down renewable growth.

[1] https://eta.lbl.gov/publications/wind-energy-technology-data-update

[2] https://eta.lbl.gov/publications/utility-scale-solar-data-update-2020

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUXDG7SzIl8

[USA] Vineyard Wind selects GE as wind turbine supplier; puts project on hold

On December 1, 2020, Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Avangrid Renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), announced that it has selected General Electric (GE) as the supplier of wind turbine generators for its Vineyard Wind 1 project.[1] Vineyard Wind 1 is an 800MW project located off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts and will be the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S. As a part of this decision, Vineyard Wind has decided to temporarily withdraw its Construction and Operations Plan (COP) from further review by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in order to conduct a final technical review associated with the inclusion of GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X wind turbine generators. According to Vineyard Wind’s CEO, Lars T. Pedersen, the company believes that the move will avoid more federal delays and provide the shortest timeline for delivering the project. Vineyard Wind expects the review to take several weeks after which it will continue the permitting process with BOEM. The company still plans to reach financial close in the second half of 2021 and begin delivering energy to Massachusetts in 2023.

[1] https://www.vineyardwind.com/press-releases/2020/12/1/vineyard-wind-selects-ge-renewable-energy-as-preferred-turbine-supplier

[USA] Senate Votes to Confirm Christie and Clements to FERC

The Senate voted on November 30, 2020 to confirm the nominations of Republican-pick Mark Christie and Democrat-pick Allison Clements to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).[1] Clements, who will be filling the spot left by Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur in July of 2019, will serve on the commission until 2024 and Christie, who will fill the spot left by Commissioner Bernard McNamee in June 2020, until 2025. Clements has over two decades of experience in federal energy regulation for the public and private sector. Christie has served as the chairman of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, a state regulatory agency whose authority includes utilities, since 2004. The pair was nominated by the White House in July 2020 and advanced by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in November 2020. Their confirmation by the Senate means FERC will have a full quorum for the first time since before the departure of Commissioner Robert Powelson in 2018. The other members of FERC are Chairman James Danly (Republican), former Chairman Neil Chatterjee (Republican), and Commissioner Richard Glick (Democrat). FERC will be a majority Republican body until June 2021 when former Chairman Neil Chatterjee's term ends.

[1] https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/news/senate-votes-confirm-christie-clements-commission

[USA] Mayors unveil $60B “Marshall Plan for Middle America”

On November 12, 2020, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and other mayors from Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia announced the "Marshall Plan for Middle America," a $60 billion per year plan running from 2021 to 2030 that will help the region transition away from fossil fuels toward more a sustainable economy.[1] The nonpartisan plan was drafted by academic and policy researchers based at the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the City of Pittsburgh, the Steel Valley Authority and the Heartland Capital Strategies Network, and the Enel Foundation. The plan calls for federal and private funds to provide $15 billion in block grants to local governments to make buildings more energy efficient; $15 billion in low-interest loans for clean energy production; $15 billion in tax incentives for manufacturers to develop clean energy equipment; and $15 billion in workforce development funds to help further understanding of clean energy. The plan notes that although local action has been taken, federal help is key, especially for jurisdictions in rural Appalachia that struggle economically. The authors estimate that the investments will generate an average of about 270,000 direct plus indirect jobs and an additional 140,000 induced jobs, for a total average annual increase of about 410,000 jobs.

[1] https://www.sustainablebusiness.pitt.edu/sites/default/files/mp4ma_roadmap_-_final_1.pdf

[USA] New Jersey regulators to collaborate with PJM on developing offshore wind transmission solutions

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) announced on November 18, 2020 that it has submitted a solicitation to develop offshore wind transmission solutions in 2021 with PJM Interconnection, which makes New Jersey the first state to engage in this type of transmission planning.[1][2] The State Agreement Approach (SAA), a new type of solicitation established by FERC Order 1000, is intended to explore new frameworks to advance offshore wind energy. The SAA, which was unanimously approved by the BPU, requests PJM to incorporate New Jersey's offshore wind public policy objectives into its transmission planning process starting in the first quarter of 2021 and authorizes PJM to solicit potential offshore wind transmission solutions from developers on behalf of BPU. Under this solicitation process, the BPU will examine details on ready-to-build transmission options, including key considerations such as cost, siting, environmental impacts, and the timeframe for construction. The results of the 2021 solicitation will be revealed by PJM later in 2021 in collaboration with New Jersey.

New Jersey’s goal of generating 7.5 GW of power from offshore turbines by 2035 is second only to New York and will rapidly expand the state’s renewable energy. During the state’s first two offshore wind solicitations, BPU staff recommended a coordinated approach to generation and transmission. However, with the resource set to expand substantially, the BPU recognizes that there needs to be an integrated transmission plan early in the planning process so that there is no double building or unnecessary environmental disruption.

[1] https://www.nj.gov/bpu/pdf/boardorders/2020/20201118/8D%20-%20ORDER%20Offshore%20Wind%20Transmission.pdf

[2] https://www.bpu.state.nj.us/bpu/newsroom/2020/approved/20201118a.html

[USA] Report: Rule changes at DOE could save U.S. households $230 a year on utility bills by 2050

On November 17, 2020, the Appliance Standards Awareness Project and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy released a report that found that energy efficiency rules from the Department of Energy (DOE) for 47 products could reduce carbon emissions by 1.5 billion to 2.9 billion metric tons through 2050 which is equal to the closing 13 to 25 coal plants.[1] The standards that the report recommends could be met using current technology and completed over the next few years. The report noted that of the 47 products the report recommended standards for, strengthened standards for residential water heaters, commercial and industrial fans, residential furnaces, and light bulbs could provide the greatest potential emissions reductions.

The rule changes would save the average U.S. household more than $100 a year in utility costs by 2030, $230 a year by 2035, and nearly $350 a year by 2050. Cumulatively, consumers and businesses could potentially save $1.1 trillion on utility bills. The standards would also reduce peak electricity demand by almost 90 GW by 2050, which is equivalent to about 13% of total peak demand today. According to the report, the DOE could achieve greater emissions reductions by setting standards for products that do not currently have any standard and by improving test procedures used to rate products’ energy and water use. The report does acknowledge, though, that the DOE has not finished any updates for appliance standards since the beginning of the Trump administration, and as of November 2020, it has missed 28 legal deadlines for reviewing appliance standards.

[1] https://www.aceee.org/press-release/2020/11/report-biden-could-slash-carbon-pollution-energy-costs-efficiency-standards

[USA] APS proposes plan to give $144 million to Arizona tribes and others affected by coal plant closures

According to The Arizona Republic, Arizona Public Service (APS), Arizona’s largest electric utility and a subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, is proposing a plan to offer $144 million to aid three coal country and Native American communities where the company plans to close its remaining coal-run power plants.[1] Under the plan, APS would increase investments in Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe and Joseph City area while retaining workers, providing electricity to regions in the Navajo Nation that are off the power grid, and developing renewable energy projects. APS is the majority owner of the Four Corners Power Plant on Navajo land which employs 327 people, 80% of them Native American. 350 people work at a Navajo Nation-owned coal mine next to the plant. Four Corners is scheduled to close by 2031. APS is also the majority owner of the Cholla Power Plant in Joseph City, which employs roughly 200 people and is scheduled to close by 2025, with one of the three remaining units closing in 2020. According to the CEO of APS Jeff Guldner, APS is trying to prevent layoffs with the 2020 closure.

[1] https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/energy/2020/11/06/arizona-public-service-co-offering-144-million-tribes-coal-country/6180829002/

[USA] 14 states sue DOE over failure to update appliance efficiency standards

On November 9, 2020, 12 states and two cities[1] filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District. against the Department of Energy (DOE) over the DOE’s failure to review and update 25 standards for a wide range of appliances including washers and dryers, dishwashers, microwaves, water heaters, room air conditioners, small electric motors, furnaces, and fans.[2] According to the lawsuit, the updated standards could save $580 billion in energy costs and avoid over 2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. In the November lawsuit, the states say the Trump administration has violated the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) which requires standards to be reviewed every six years. The EPCA covers more than 60 categories of appliances; these appliances account for about 90% of the total amount of energy consumed in homes, 60% of the energy used in commercial buildings, and 30% of the energy used by industry. A similar lawsuit was filed on October 30, 2020 by six environmental and consumer groups[3] which asked that the court direct the DOE to "promptly initiate rulemakings and complete reviews" of the missed standards.[4] 

[1] New York, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, the District of Columbia and the city of New York.

[2]https://oag.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2020%2011%2009%20Missed%20Deadline%20Complaint%20with%20Attachments%20FILED.pdf

[3] Natural Resources Defense Council, Public Citizen, Sierra Club, the Center for Biological Diversity, Consumer Federation of America, and the Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants with Earthjustice as their counsel

[4] https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/complaint-doe-standards-delay-20201030.pdf

[USA] DOE Report: Certain policies key to lower barriers to low-income rooftop solar uptake

A new study from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) published in Nature Energy in November 2020 found that three of the five policy and business models studied increased adoption of solar photovoltaics (PV) among low- and middle-income households—defined as households that were earning less than the median income in counties where they were located—thus increasing adoption equity.[1] The study, titled “The impact of policies and business models on income equity in rooftop solar adoption,” was led by Eric O’Shaughnessy, a Berkeley lab affiliate researcher, and co-authored by Galen Barbose, Ryan Wiser, Sydney Forrester, and Naïm Darghouth, all of Berkeley Lab’s Electricity Markets & Policy group, which conducts research to inform decision-making in the U.S. electricity sector.

According to the study, as much as 42% of the U.S.’s rooftops that could accommodate solar panels are in low- to moderate-income housing but many solar programs are not bringing these households in the rooftop solar market which could "decelerate" the solar industry and slow emission cuts. The study evaluated the effects of five types of programs or business models on adoption equity: financial incentives targeted at low- and middle-income households; leasing, which reduces upfront costs; Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing (PACE), a program to finance PV through property tax payments that is only available in California, Florida, and Missouri; financial incentives offered to customers of any income level; and Solarize, a community initiative to recruit a coalition of prospective PV adopters. Their analysis found that the first three types of interventions – targeted incentives, leasing, and PACE – are effective at increasing adoption equity.

[1]  https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/11/09/how-to-accelerate-solar-adoption-for-the-underserved/