News

Grist's Beacon Newsletter reported on the economic impact of COVID-19 on renewable energy companies referencing AEE's member survey in its daily roundup. Read excerpts below and the entire Grist piece here. 

The COVID-19 pandemic is pushing clean energy businesses to the brink, halting work to make buildings more efficient and install chargers for electric vehicles. The industry group Advanced Energy Economy reported that nearly a third of its members have reduced their workforces because of the virus, and nearly half have been unable to complete work due to the new restrictions...

E&E News covered the $2 trillion stimulus bill noting AEE CEO Nat Kreamer's open letter to Congress, the administration, and quoting AEE's Dylan Reed. Read excerpts below and the entire E&E News piece here (sub. req.). 

The historic $2 trillion rescue bill moving through the House today was probably never going to be a green stimulus bonanza. But when the short-term crisis is over, Congress and the White House will have to turn their attention to the resulting recession, if not depression. And that's when the debate will begin in earnest over whether recovery legislation should create jobs by propping up flagging petroleum and coal producers or by helping the renewable energy sector. It's those recovery packages — which are likely to come over the next year, when the balance of power in Washington may have changed — that will hash out whether companies that tap into federal aid must improve their climate performance...

E&E News covered industry impact of the economic decline on the advanced energy industry, including AEE's survey findings. Read excerpts below and the entire E&E News piece here. 

The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) and Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), which represent developers and a wide variety of organizations with an interest in clean energy, conducted separate surveys of their members and found widespread concern that developers could miss deadlines for claiming federal tax credits for renewable projects. As many as three-fourths of respondents told ACORE they expected at least some impact on their ability to qualify for credits, and 57% said the impact would be "significant."

PV Magazine reported Arizona Corporate Commission is initiating a process to establish rules for reaching 100% renewable energy by 2050, featuring AEE's 100% clean energy states tracking map. Read excerpts below and the entire PV Magazine piece here. 

The Arizona Corporation Commission has directed its staff to develop a set of rules to achieve 100% clean energy by 2050, said Commission Chair Robert Burns in a letter on Wednesday. Commissioner Sandra Kennedy wrote the same day that while she preferred a standard of 100% clean energy by 2040, because “the science is clear regarding the need for aggressive decarbonization,” she would support a 2050 deadline to achieve majority agreement.

Virginia Mercury covered how the current economic and financial crisis may affect implementation of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, quoting AEE's JR Tolbert and AEE member Sigora Solar's Karla Loeb. Read excerpts below and the entire Virginia Mercury piece here. 

Three weeks ago, Virginia’s Democrat-led General Assembly passed the most ambitious plan for transitioning off of fossil fuels and onto renewable energy sources to come out of the South yet. It was a banner moment for environmentalists. Among the promises they secured were state commitments to build out 24 gigawatts of solar, wind and energy storage by 2035 — almost 40 percent more than the existing capacity of the fossil fuel units owned by the state’s largest utility, Dominion Energy — and annual targets that would bind the utilities to progressively including more and more renewables in their energy portfolios. Then the new coronavirus hit, and the financial markets tanked.

Companies report disruptions due to COVID-19 public health crisis, response to address immediate needs, and actions to position advanced energy for economic recovery 

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 26, 2020 – National business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) has sent an open letter to U.S. congressional leadership and the White House reporting on COVID-19 disruptions to industry, describing companies' response to help address the immediate health care crisis, and proposing actions to ensure the advanced energy industry's ability to contribute to economic recovery. Findings came from a survey of AEE member companies, which are engaged in a wide range of renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage, grid services, and electric vehicle businesses, as well as purchasing advanced energy goods and services.

S&P Global covered aspects of the coronavirus aid bill Congress passed related to energy, noting AEE recommendations. Read excerpts below and the entire S&P Global piece here. 

The U.S. Senate's final version of the coronavirus response bill contained few direct energy provisions but numerous items that could benefit the industry and its employees. Among them, the updated bill includes worker protection provisions and a $500 billion lending facility that could assist energy companies. On March 25, after several days of negotiations, the Senate passed a $2 trillion bill, the nation's third response to the coronavirus outbreak. The House will consider the proposed legislation on March 27.

Utility Dive covered the omission of the advanced energy sector within the $2T stimulus package that was passed by the House and Senate, referencing AEE position that shift to direct pay would be no-cost. Read excerpts below and the entire UD piece here. 

Relief for the renewable energy sector was not included in the $2 trillion support package the Senate unanimously passed on Wednesday. Despite a push from Democratic Senators and clean energy leaders to include tax credit extensions and other provisions in the package, Senate leadership chose instead to focus on healthcare and broader economic aid. But industry stakeholders say several of the broader economic provisions could provide employment and other relief to the sector, and there is still opportunity for inclusion in inevitable future federal legislation that will be needed to address the industry-wide impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Renewable Energy World covered FERC's approval of New York Independent System Operator (NYSIO)'s dual participation model, noting AEE siding with FERC on legal proceeding. Read excerpts below and the entire Renewable Energy World piece here. 

New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) received FERC approval for its dual participation model. Dual participation refers to resources that participate in both wholesale and retail markets. This model has positive benefits for distributed energy resources, including aggregated energy storage.

Denver Post reported on impact of the coronavirus pandemic on solar energy projects across the state amid uncertainty around tax credit incentives, including AEE's ask to Congress to shift to permanent direct cash payments in lieu of unworkable tax credits. Read excerpts below and the entire Denver Post piece here. The story and AEE's position were also covered by Washington Examiner and Smart Grid Today (sub. req.).

Colorado’s solar industry, among the country’s strongest, is joining forces with solar companies nationwide to push for extension of tax credits so they can finish projects being slowed or put on hold by the coronavirus outbreak. Concerns about not getting solar panels and other components from Asian countries in time have eased somewhat as China reports progress in fighting COVID-19, the highly infectious disease caused by the new coronavirus, and starts firing up idled manufacturing plants.

Utility Dive published an article by AEE CEO Nat Kreamer noting impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the advanced energy industry and recommending a no-cost legislative fix for Congress to keep projects, companies and workers moving forward. Read excerpts below and the entire UD piece here. 

As the nation confronts the coronavirus crisis, protecting human health and safety, mitigating the financial impact on people facing job loss or disruption, and addressing the disruption of those industries that are most affected by this health crisis must be the priority. Many of the 3.5 million workers in the advanced energy industry have jobs on the line right now. COVID-19 has disrupted the global supply chain of the advanced energy industry, which impacts the industry's workforce, suppliers and customers.

It’s a no-cost way to keep liquidity in system, keep clean energy projects on track and employees working in the face of COVID-19 disruption, energy finance expert says – and it should be made permanent

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 23, 2020 – National business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) has sent a letter to congressional leadership urging them to convert renewable energy tax credits to direct payment in order to support clean energy development in the face of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to make the switch to direct payment permanent. This no-cost action would bolster liquidity in financing as the U.S. Congress works to support the economy during an unprecedented public health crisis.

Washington Examiner covered how Virginia became the first Southern state to target 100% clean energy with the passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, noting AEE's engagement and study, and quoting key patron Senator McClellan. Read excerpts below and the entire Washington Examiner piece here. 

Dominion Energy, Virginia’s largest utility, didn’t have much of a choice but to sign onto a 100% clean electricity goal after Democrats took the state’s legislature in 2019. “It's a matter of, we are going to get there, and you can either be part of the conversation on how to get there or not,” Jennifer McClellan, a Virginia state senator representing the Richmond area who was the lead sponsor of the state’s recently passed 100% carbon-free electricity legislation.

Utility Dive covered PJM Interconnection's compliance filing with FERC proposing implementation plans for FERC's  Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) order, quoting AEEs Jeff Dennis. Read excerpts below and the entire UD piece here. 

PJM Interconnection on Wednesday issued a compliance filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that largely satisfied some of the biggest critics of the regulatory body's controversial Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) order. FERC's December order attempted to effectively raise the floor prices for state subsidized resources bidding into the wholesale market, eliciting concerns that the new rules could effectively nullify state policies attempting to increase deployment of new zero-emissions resources.

GTM Squared explains the new storage market opportunity created by the just-passed Virginia Clean Economy Act, quoting AEE's Harry Godfrey. Read excerpts below and the entire GTM2 piece here (sub. req.).

A new energy bill makes Virginia a market to watch... Virginia, as it stands today, can hardly be called an energy storage market. But its legislature just passed a clean-energy omnibus bill so comprehensive and thorough that, almost overnight, it converted the state into a storage market to watch.

Utility Dive covered recent passage of the EV bill passed in Florida (and other states) quoting AEE's Dylan Reed. Read excerpts below and the entire UD piece here. 

Utah lawmakers on Thursday passed legislation that would allow Rocky Mountain Power to invest $50 million in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, as part of the state's effort to grow adoption of emissions-free transportation. House Bill 396 now heads to Republican Gov. Gary Herbert's desk, where advocates say he is likely to sign it. Similarly, Florida lawmakers on Wednesday passed Senate Bill 7018 which directs the state's Department of Transportation to consult with the Public Service Commission, Office of Energy and other stakeholders to develop a long-term plan for electric vehicle infrastructure expansion. And in Washington, lawmakers on March 9 passed legislation to adopt California's existing zero-emissions vehicle mandate and require the state reach 8% EV sales by 2025...

Smart Energy Decisions featured a guest column from AEE's Caitlin Marquis explaining the impact of FERC's Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) on corporate renewable energy buyers. Read excerpts below and the entire Smart Energy Decisions piece here. 

The energy world is full of acronyms, and the hottest four-letter word of 2020 is, without contest, MOPR. MOPR stands for “Minimum Offer Price Rule,” and it has become a top concern of clean energy advocates, advanced energy developers, and states since December when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a much-anticipated decision on the rule. Applying to PJM Interconnection, which operates the bulk power system in all or part of 13 mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia, the FERC order poses a threat to both state clean energy policies and voluntary purchases of renewable energy in the largest U.S. energy market, and potentially all the organized wholesale markets under FERC jurisdiction, where direct corporate purchases of renewable energy are expanding.

S&P Global covered the passage of Florida's EV infrastructure bill (as part of a larger piece on uncertainty around recent oil prices) quoting AEE's Dylan Reed. Read excerpts below and the entire S&P Global piece here. 

As states such as Florida adopt electric vehicle infrastructure legislation, electric utilities face uncertainty about how much power demand could be affected, in light of the recent crash in oil prices, analysts said Thursday. On Wednesday, Florida's GOP-controlled House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 7018, "Essential State Infrastructure" for the signature of Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican. Support in both chambers was bipartisan.

Vox covered the passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act referencing AEE's Virginia Energy Transition Report. and jobs fact sheet. Read excerpts below and the entire Vox piece here. The story was also covered by Science Times here.

Over the last decade or so, Virginia has gradually transitioned from a purple to blue state. Now it will embark on another transition, from fossil fuels to clean, carbon-free electricity. After voting for Republican presidents going back to Richard Nixon in 1972, Virginians began consistently voting for Democrats for president in 2008. And they have a long tradition of Democratic governors, the latest being pediatric neurologist and Army veteran Ralph Northam, elected in 2017.

TALLAHASSEE, March 12, 2020 — Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy reacted to Florida House passage of SB 7018* yesterday, a bill that directs the Florida Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Florida Public Service Commission, Office of Energy, and relevant stakeholders, to develop a “Master Plan” for electric vehicle infrastructure expansion. The House vote was 97-19 and follows Senate passage late Friday, clearing the bill for the Governor's signature. 

Utility Dive reported Indiana passed a bill making it more difficult to retire coal-fired power plants, quoting AEE's Dylan Reed. Read excerpts below and the entire UD piece here. 

Indiana on Tuesday passed House Bill 1414, which will make it harder for utilities in the state to retire their coal generation. The House version of the bill was significantly altered in the Senate, drawing greater support from critical groups including the Indiana Energy Association (IEA) which represents electric and gas utilities in the state. 

Florida Politics covered the unanimous passage of SB 7018 by the Florida Senate as action moves to the House today, quoting AEE's Dylan Reed. Read excerpts below and the entire FLAPOL piece here. 

The Legislature is expected to pass legislation calling for a study on expanding the state’s electric vehicle charging grid Wednesday. That bill (SB 7018), carried through the Senate by Thonotosassa Republican Sen. Tom Lee, now looks for its final passage in the House before heading to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The measure would also allow the Department of Transportation (FDOT) to construct staging areas for emergency response, adds a “shot clock” for utility infrastructure permits, and create cases for utilities to cross rural land while protecting the environment.

Utility Dive covered passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act quoting Virginia AEE's Harry Godfrey and highlighting AEE commissioned 5 Lakes Energy costs analysis. Read excerpts below and the entire UD piece here. 

The Virginia Clean Economy Act, which enjoyed wide support from environmental and clean energy groups, cleared both chambers and was sent to the governor's desk on Friday. The package presents a Democratic-led path to ambitious climate goals, and many clean energy advocates are lauding the effort as an example for other states. However, analysis from the State Corporation Commission has the leading utility in the state, Dominion Energy, collecting approximately $50.8 billion more from its customers due to the provisions.

Utility Dive covered Democratic U.S. senators filing amendments to the American Energy Innovation Act that would prevent FERC's (minimum price rule) MOPR, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis and Dylan Reed. Read excerpts below and the entire UD piece here. 

"Congress is concerned about barriers to the participation of advanced energy technologies in these markets, and also concerned, I think, about the balance of state policies and federal regulation of the wholesale markets," Managing Director and General Counsel at Advanced Energy Economy Jeff Dennis told Utility Dive.

"I think the fact that we saw ... amendments on that introduced was pretty significant." Of the hundreds of amendments introduced by the Senate since the legislative package was first unveiled Feb. 28, only 18 made it into the modified version filed by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Murkowski last week. But the FERC amendments, introduced by four Democratic senators, indicate several growing frustrations around the actions of federal energy regulators, said Dennis...

TALLAHASSEE, March 6, 2020 — Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy reacted to Florida Senate passage of SB 7018, a bill that directs the Florida Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Florida Public Service Commission, Office of Energy, and relevant stakeholders, to develop a “Master Plan” for electric vehicle infrastructure expansion. The Senate vote was 38-0.

Greentech Media reported details about the just-passed Virginia Clean Economy Act quoting Virginia AEE's Harry Godfrey. Read excerpts below and the entire GTM piece here. North American Windpower, Solar Power World, CleanTechnica, SmartGrid Today (sub. req.), and E&E News also covered the news, quoting Godfrey.

The Clean Economy Act passed Virginia’s House of Delegates by a 51-45 vote on Thursday and the state Senate by a 22-17 vote on Friday, clearing the way for the bill to be signed by Governor Ralph Northam, who issued an executive order calling for it last year. Both votes were carried by Democrats who won majorities in both houses from Republicans in last year’s election, although one House Democrat voted against it and one Republican Senator voted in favor of it. 

National business group applauds Virginia Senate for completing legislation that puts Commonwealth on path for 100% clean energy by 2045, saving customers money, and creating tens of thousands of jobs. 

RICHMOND, March 6, 2020 – Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy applauded the Virginia Senate for passing SB 851, the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), a bill that puts the Commonwealth on a historic path for 100% clean energy by 2045 while saving customers money, and creating tens of thousands of jobs. The Senate vote was 22-17 for SB 851, the same bill passed by the House of Delegates late yesterday.

“Today, we passed the most significant clean energy legislation in Virginia history. This historic legislation is a major step forward towards investing in clean energy and job creation across Virginia,” said Senator Jennifer McClellan*. “The Virginia Clean Economy Act will move Virginia from the back of the pack to become a leader on clean energy."

"We applaud the Virginia Senate for completing final passage of this historic legislation, which puts Virginia on a path to 100% clean energy by 2045 by transitioning to more energy efficiency, solar and wind energy resources," said Harry Godfrey, director, Advanced Energy Economy. "This is a truly remarkable leap forward in Virginia energy policy! With passage of this legislation, practically overnight our Commonwealth goes from a laggard to a leader in the race to 100% clean energy." 

Virginia Mercury covered the passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act in both the House and Senate including floor debates and challenges quoting AEE's JR Tolbert and AEE member Sigora Solar. Read excerpts below and the entire Virginia Mercury piece here. This story was also covered by the Washington Examiner (quoting Godfrey), Richmond Times Dispatch  (Godfrey pictured with bill patrons, sub. req.), and August Free Press (quoting Godfrey).

The Virginia Clean Economy Act cleared its last hurdle in the General Assembly this week when both the House of Delegates and the Senate agreed to a final version that reflected the more aggressive House timeline of making Virginia’s electric grid carbon-free by 2045 while also incorporating stronger protections for electric utility ratepayers. The bill, SB 851, heads to the desk of Gov. Ralph Northam, whose administration has been heavily involved in pushing it forward. Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, the Senate patron of the bill, called the passage “a major historic moment” that will “break our reliance on fossil fuels...”

Associated Press covered the Virginia Clean Economy Act's passage in the House as it makes its way to the Senate, noting AEE's role and analysis of positive ratepayer impact. Read excerpts below and the entire AP piece here. 

A sweeping energy bill that supporters said would make Virginia a national leader in addressing climate change passed the state House Thursday amid warnings by critics that it will carry a steep price tag. The legislation, called the Virginia Clean Economy Act, moved to the Senate for its expected final passage. One of the new Democratic majority’s priorities this session, the bill would overhaul how Virginia utilities generate electricity, laying out a path toward zero carbon emissions by 2045. It paves the way for an enormous expansion of offshore wind generation, solar or onshore wind generation, and the use of battery storage technology, which advocates say will create thousands of jobs...

National business group applauds House of Delegates for putting Commonwealth on path for 100% clean energy by 2050, saving customers money, and creating tens of thousands of jobs. Senate action up next, with session ending Sat., March 7

RICHMOND, March 5, 2020 – Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy applauded the Virginia House of Delegates for passing SB 851, the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), a bill that puts the Commonwealth on a historic path for 100% clean energy by 2050 while saving customers money, and creating tens of thousands of jobs. The final vote was 53-45*.

RTO Insider covered a forum held by NYU's School of Law and Duke University where carbon pricing was discussed by panelists including AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read excerpts below and the entire RTO Insider piece here (sub. req.).

More than 10 years after the failure of the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill, carbon pricing’s time may be nearing — seemingly good news to those concerned about climate change. But carbon pricing won’t solve the climate crisis by itself or persuade states to abandon their own clean energy policies, speakers said Tuesday at a forum in D.C. sponsored by New York University School of Law Institute for Policy Integrity and Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions...

Renewable Energy World covered unanimous approval of FPL's new customer-driven solar energy program by the Florida Public Service Commission, quoting AEE's Gloria Li. Read excerpts below and the entire Renewable Energy World piece here. (This news was also reported by S&P Global and Solar Builder) 

This week, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC), located in Tallahassee, unanimously approved the Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL) SolarTogether program. The program entails the development of 1,490 MW of solar capacity in the next two years and aims to help propel Florida as a leading provider of solar energy. Reduction of the state’s dependence on fossil fuels is a major goal of the project as well.

E&E News covered Florida PSC's approval of FPL's SolarTogether, the largest utility customer solar program ("green tariff") in the nation quoting AEE's Dylan Reed. Read excerpts below and the entire E&E News piece here. 

The largest community solar program in the nation will go ahead in Florida, after regulators approved a $1.79 billion slate of projects yesterday from utility Florida Power & Light Co. SolarTogether, as the program is known, will bring 20 new solar farms online by the middle of next year, adding up to just under 1,500 megawatts. That will double the country's current amount of community solar capacity, according to FPL.

Utility Dive covered unanimous approval of FPL's new customer-driven solar energy program and tariff by the Florida Public Service Commission, quoting AEE's Dylan Reed and Caitlin Marquis. Read excerpts below and the entire UD piece here. 

The Florida Public Service Commission unanimously approved a 1,490 MW community solar program by Florida Power & Light, the largest in the nation, on Tuesday. FPL's "SolarTogether" program reserves 75% for the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector and 25% for the residential sector. The project more than doubles community solar capacity in the U.S., according to FPL. 

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 3, 2020 – Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy reacted to Indiana Senate passage of its amended version of HB1414, a bill that would require Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) approval before a utility can close a coal plant. The Senate vote was 37-11. The House passed its version February 3.

Florida Public Service Commission approval makes Florida a leading provider of customer-driven solar "green tariff" options. Recent study shows meeting C&I demand for renewables would drive investment of up to $1 billion a year and create nearly 60,000 jobs through 2030 from solar energy development across the state.

TALLAHASSEE, March 3, 2020 – Today national business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) reacted to the unanimous approval of Florida Power & Light's (FPL's) new customer-driven solar energy program and tariff by the Florida Public Service Commission (Docket 20190061*). This makes FPL's program the largest customer solar "green tariff" option currently offered by a utility in the nation.

FPL's proposed SolarTogether program gives customers (retail, commercial and industrial) the option to subscribe to blocks of solar energy capacity to offset their energy needs with no long-term commitment. The solar power resources will come from 20 dedicated 74.5 megawatt (MW) solar power plants to be developed by FPL in Florida.

The Washington Post covered the Virginia Clean Economy Act, among other energy bills, noting Dominion's control in the state quoting the bill patron Senator Jennifer McClellan and noting AEE's role in developing this comprehensive bill. Read excerpts below and the entire Washington Post piece here.