News

Tampa Bay Times mentioned AEE's 2019 Advanced Energy Jobs Fact Sheet and quoted AEE's Dylan Reed in its coverage of Florida's growing energy efficiency field which highlighted an E2 report. Read quotes below and the entire Tampa Bay Times piece here. 

Saving energy is big business. There are entire firms dedicated to figuring out ways to lower electricity bills. Others help by manufacturing efficient appliances, installing energy-saving windows or creating better building materials. The technologies don’t often dazzle like the latest iPhone, but they have a profound impact on how much power people and businesses consume.

In fact, energy efficiency is the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. energy industry, according to a report from business group E2, or Environmental Entrepreneurs. More than 2.3 million people nationwide worked in the field in 2018, up 76,000 from the previous year...

Microgrid Knowledge reported on AEE's recent DER Report with an in-depth summary of the benefits, case studies and observations by AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read excerpts below and the entire Microgrid Knowledge story here. 

If allowed to participate in wholesale markets, distributed energy resources (DERs) can improve the grid’s reliability and resilience and reduce its costs. But regulators are not giving these resources needed market access, says a new report. Published by Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), ”Putting Distributed Energy Resources to Work in Wholesale Electricity Markets,” calls for federal and state regulators to cooperate with wholesale market operators and utilities to ensure that DERs can participate in markets.

 A new report shows benefits in bill savings, jobs, and GDP would exceed costs for switch to
100% carbon-free energy, as called for by Gov. Northam

WARRENTON, Va., September 24, 2019 – Virginians would benefit in monthly electricity bills, jobs, income, and state GDP, as well as health and environment, by a transition to zero-carbon sources of electricity. That is the top finding of a new report released today by business group Virginia Advanced Energy Economy (Virginia AEE).

The Denver Post referenced AEE's Colorado Jobs Report in its coverage of energy efficient jobs in the state per E2's report (which draws from same jobs data set AEE used.). Read excerpts below and the entire Denver Post story here (sub. req.). 

The number of Coloradans working in energy efficiency grew by 7.2% in 2018 and they now make up 22 percent of the state’s energy workers, a new report says. The report released Monday said energy efficiency is the fastest-growing segment in the U.S. energy field, employing more than 2.3 million nationwide and 34,342 in Colorado.

Utility Dive quoted AEE's Amisha Rai in its coverage of six recent EV related bills passed in California that could be impacted by the Trump Administration's emissions rollback threat. See excerpts below and read the full UD brief here. It was also reposted by Supply-Chain Dive here.

California lawmakers made progress on advancing the state's electric vehicle market this legislative session, despite President Donald Trump's Wednesday announcement that his administration intends to challenge the state's ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.

Augusta Free Press covered AEE's reaction to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's Executive Order to have 100% Clean Energy by 2050 by including quotes from AEE's Harry Godfrey. Read excerpts below and the entire Augusta Free Press story here. AEE's statement was also covered by Smart Grid Today (sub. req.). 

Virginia Advanced Energy Economy reacted today to Gov. Ralph Northam’s Executive Order calling for the Commonwealth to use 100% clean energy to meet its electric power needs by 2050. The governor’s plan includes more immediate goals focused on the deployment of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and battery storage over the next decade.

“We applaud the governor for setting clear goals and driving Virginia’s transition to 100% clean energy,” said Harry Godfrey, Executive Director of Virginia AEE. “We are confident that, using an array of advanced energy technologies, we can readily meet the Governor’s goal while helping to save money for Virginia families and businesses and grow our economy.”

Virginia Advanced Energy Economy's Harry Godfrey Reacts to Governor's Call for 100% Clean Energy

Business group applauds Gov. Northam for issuing Executive Order for the Commonwealth to reach 100% clean energy sources by 2050

RICHMOND, September 17, 2019 — Today, business group Virginia Advanced Energy Economy (Virginia AEE) reacted to Governor Northam's Executive Order calling for the Commonwealth to use 100% clean energy to meet its electric power needs by 2050. The Governor's plan includes more immediate goals focused on the deployment of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and battery storage over the next decade.

“We applaud the Governor for setting clear goals and driving Virginia's transition to 100% clean energy," said Harry Godfrey, Executive Director of Virginia AEE. “We are confident that, using an array of advanced energy technologies, we can readily meet the Governor's goal while helping to save money for Virginia families and businesses and grow our economy."

RTO Insider covered AEE's new DER report and quoted AEE's General Counsel Jeff Dennis and Director Caitlin Marquis on FERCs recent DER data request from RTOs. Read excerpts below and the entire RTO Insider story here (sub. req.).  

FERC is asking RTOs for information on aggregated distributed energy resource portfolios in their wholesale markets — the first significant movement in a possible rulemaking on DER in more than a year. On Sept. 5, FERC’s Office of Energy Policy and Innovation sent identical letters to all the RTOs and ISOs seeking data on their existing aggregated DER interconnections (RM18-9)...

S&P Global quoted AEE's JR Tolbert in its coverage of the approaches environmentalists and utility companies are pursuing to close remaining coal plants and how to recover costs. Read excerpts below and the entire S&P Global story here. 

In July 2018, an energy lobbyist emailed three New Mexico state lawmakers to urge them not to give utility companies a free pass to recoup their investments in abandoned coal-fired power plants. Environmentalists were drafting a bill to shield utility shareholders from the cost of closing coal plants in the state, and Bruce Throne, a lawyer and, at the time, a lobbyist for power producer Southwest Generation Operating Company LLC, warned that ratepayers could pay a steep price if regulators were stripped of their authority to "balance the interests of [utility] customers and investors." Unswayed, lawmakers cleared the way for utilities to recover their coal investments by selling bonds that are paid off by ratepayers, a process known as securitization.

The Denver Post quoted AEE's Director Caitlin Marquis in this piece about Fortune 500 companies in Colorado (Ball Corp., Vail Resorts, and DaVita Kidney Care) adopting 100% renewable energy programs. Read excerpts below and the entire Denver Post story here.

When you’re a Ball Corp., Vail Resorts or DaVita Kidney Care, your carbon footprint can be massive. On the flip side, that footprint, which spreads across multiple locations in this and other countries, can be transformative if your goal is to go 100% renewable energy.

That’s exactly what the Colorado-based Fortune 500 companies are aiming to do. All three have set targets for phasing out the use of fossil fuels and reducing their greenhouse-gas emissions.

Five Case Studies Show How Distributed Energy Resources Can Participate in Wholesale Markets and Provide a Range of Benefits

New report from Advanced Energy Economy demonstrates the benefits of allowing DER participation in wholesale markets, and identifies remaining barriers

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 12, 2019 - Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy released a white paper outlining case studies of participation in both retail and wholesale markets by a range of distributed energy resources (DERs), including battery storage (both standalone and paired with distributed solar), electric vehicles (EVs), and microgrids. The five case studies explore business models and use cases across the country today, and explain how market rules have limited opportunities for participation.

The Denver Post covered AEE's Colorado Jobs fact sheet, quoting AEE Principal Emilie Olson, and AEE members CLEAResult and Uplight. Read excerpts below and read the entire Denver Post story here. 

National organization says state is seeing economic dividends from policies promoting renewables, emission-reduction goals. Job growth in Colorado’s so-called “advanced energy” industry — including renewable energy, energy efficiency, electrified transportation, biofuels — has been robust and is expected to expand by about 9% this year, according to new data from a national trade organization.

More Workers in Colorado Advanced Energy Than in Hospitals, Double Those in Mining, Oil & Gas — With Robust 9% Growth Expected in 2019

Colorado advanced energy employment increased to 65,400 workers, growing 4% last year
double the state’s overall jobs growth 

DENVER, September 4, 2019 — Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) released a fact sheet showing that Colorado has 65,400 people working in advanced energy across the state. This represents more workers than those in Hospitals (60,401), and double those working in Mining, Oil & Gas Extraction (28,410) across the state.