News

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 30, 2020 — As U.S. policymakers look for cost-effective ways to tackle climate change, a diverse coalition of power generators, trade associations, and think tanks last week sent a letter encouraging PJM to continue its examination of the policy options and implications of carbon pricing in its market. The request comes at a time when many states in PJM either have, or are considering, policies that reduce carbon emissions in the electric sector and are grappling with how best to reconcile those policies with wholesale markets.

S&P Global covered the DOJs ruling requiring FERC to rapidly address pipeline disputes and power market proceedings, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read excerpts below and the entire S&P Global piece here. 

A federal appeals court ruling requiring the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to move faster to address pipeline disputes also carries major implications for how the agency handles contested power market proceedings, according to legal experts. Calling the practice a "stalling tactic," a full panel of judges for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on June 30 ruled 10-1 that FERC can no longer use what are known as "tolling orders" to give itself indefinite time to act on rehearing requests that effectively bar parties from seeking judicial review...

Smart Energy Decisions published Caitlin Marquis' column about key issues in keeping corporate clean energy and sustainability programs going forward during the covid-19 crisis. Read excerpts below and the entire Smart Energy Decisions piece here. 

As companies adjust to a new normal during COVID-19, develop strategies to ride out the economic storm, and navigate various state reopening schedules and rules, sustainability teams face their own challenge: assessing whether and how the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout will affect progress toward their company’s renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals. 

New Project Media covered a report released by Frost & Sullivan estimating nearly $1 trillion will be invested into DERs over the next decade, including quotes by TAEBA's Suzanne Bertin. Read excerpts below and the entire New Project Media piece here (sub. req.).  

A new report released by Frost & Sullivan includes a dramatic new projection: over the next decade nearly USD 1 Trillion will be invested in distributed energy resources (DERs) with the “rate of annual investment” to increase by 75 percent over the same period. 

Energy News Network covered the Va. State Corporation Commission's inquiry on electric vehicles, quoting AEE's Matt Stanberry and Virginia AEE's Harry Godfrey. Read excerpts below and the entire Energy News Network piece here.

State legislators jumpstarted a major grid decarbonization initiative by greenlighting the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which kicks in July 1. However, reining in Virginia’s next fossil fuel frontier — transportation emissions — is a more enormous, complex and far-reaching undertaking. Statewide, the sector has long outpaced electric utilities, accounting for 45% of its heat-trapping gases. Enter electric vehicles, hailed as a key solution to that pollution...

Houston Chronicle covered FERC plans for a conference on carbon pricing mechanisms, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read excerpts below and the entire Houston Chronicle piece here (sub. req.). 

The nation’s top energy regulator is looking into what role it might play in state efforts to set a price on greenhouse gas emissions, stepping into a politically fraught arena as the federal government comes under increasing pressure to address climate change. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees the nation’s power and natural gas markets, has set up a conference in September to discuss legal and regulatory issues around carbon pricing mechanisms that charge power plants, factories facilities and other large emitters for their emissions.

Federal Energy Regulator Kicks Off Conversation on How Carbon Pricing in Competitive Power Markets Could Spur Cost-Effective Emissions Reductions 

WASHINGTON, June 18, 2020 – The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on Wednesday seized a timely opportunity to facilitate a conversation on how competitive power markets can cost-effectively achieve carbon emissions reduction goals, says the Carbon Price Coalition, a diverse group of power generators, trade associations and think tank experts that in April called on FERC to explore the issue.

New Project Media covered the reliability of the Texas grid during the summer months, quoting TAEBA's Suzanne Bertin. Read excerpts below and the entire New Project Media piece here (sub. req.). 

As Texas begins a summer season that has already seen temperatures rise into triple digits, some analysts, business owners and residents across the state have become increasingly concerned about the grid operators at ERCOT’s ability to cope with a projected record high peak demand in August following the COVID-related slowdowns that have affected energy projects under construction across the state...

Greentech Media covered how PG&E could recover from bankruptcy, quoting AEE's Amisha Rai. Read excerpts below and the entire GTM piece here.

PG&E faces a long and difficult road ahead. The San Francisco-based utility is emerging from bankruptcy with a massive debt load that could make it harder to raise the tens of billions of dollars of investment needed to prevent its power grid from causing more devastating wildfires. It’s struggling to find cost-effective ways to protect millions of customers from fire-prevention blackouts that may need to continue for years...

E&E News covered the appointment of experienced FERC and Hill senior staffer Jehmal Hudson as Virginia SCC commissioner by Gov. Ralph Northam, quoting Virginia AEE's Harry Godfrey. Read excerpts below and the entire E&E News piece here (sub. req.). 

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) has appointed longtime Federal Energy Regulatory Commission official and ex-congressional lawyer Jehmal Hudson to the state's top regulatory body. Hudson is slated to replace Patricia West, whose term on the State Corporation Commission expired four months ago.  

AEE applauds Gov. DeSantis, Sen. Lee, and Rep. Ingoglia for leadership and vision in ensuring Florida is prepared for the growing EV market and economic growth opportunities 

TALLAHASSEE, June 9, 2020 — Today, Advanced Energy Economy reacted to Governor Ron DeSantis signing into law 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 plan for electric vehicle infrastructure in Florida. 

Hudson brings deep knowledge, experience and perspective on energy issues and markets from his roles at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and in the U.S. Congress

RICHMOND, June 9, 2020 — Today, business group Virginia Advanced Energy Economy (Virginia AEE) leader Harry Godfrey applauded the appointment of Jehmal Hudson by Governor Northam as commissioner of the State Corporation Commission.

Utility Dive covered a new UC Berkeley report concluding the U.S. could switch to 90% renewable energy by 2035, and create half a million jobs, referencing similar arguments that AEE and others delivered to Calif. leaders. Read excerpts below and the entire UD piece here. 

The U.S. can deliver 90% of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2035, according to a new report from the University of California, Berkeley, and experts say accelerating clean energy deployments could also play an important role in the country's economic recovery. Building out renewables to achieve this target will add more than 500,000 jobs per year as well as $1.7 trillion in investments into the economy, without raising customer bills, the report found...

FLAPOL covered Fla. Governor DeSantis signing SB 7018 that calls for a study of the state’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure, quoting AEE's Dylan Reed. Read excerpts below and the entire FLAPOL piece here.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Tuesday launching a study of the state’s electric vehicle charging grid and preparing staging areas for emergency response along Florida’s turnpike system. That measure (SB 7018) would also add a “shot clock” for utility infrastructure permits, and facilitate utilities to cross rural land while protecting the environment... 

pv magazine covered First Solar's request that FERC consider carbon pricing and hold a technical conference or workshop, noting AEE made same request with stakeholder group. Read excerpts below and the entire pv magazine piece here. 

First Solar has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to convene a technical conference or workshop on carbon pricing of electricity in wholesale energy markets. First Solar’s request is in support of a petition, submitted by stakeholders including the American Council on Renewable Energy and Advanced Energy Economy, asking FERC to convene a carbon pricing discussion...

E&E News covered the challenges for states considering leaving PJM, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read excerpts below and the entire E&E News piece here (sub. req.). 

States looking to escape a regional power market before federal rule changes take effect have only one way out. The exit ramp is complex and untested. Even its name is forbidding: the fixed resource requirement, or FRR. Exiting the PJM Interconnection capacity market, the nation's largest, won't be easy, but analysts say it could give states the flexibility they need to duck the rule they say would prevent them from hitting their ambitious clean energy targets. So the FRR is suddenly a hot ticket.

Utility Dive covered states' growing opposition to net metering challenge, quoting several commissioners on AEE's recent Net Energy Metering and State Authority webinar. Read excerpts below and the entire UD piece here.

Opposition is growing against a proposal that would effectively allow any customer-sited generation to be subject to federal regulation, and it's unclear who outside the petitioner will support the proposal. States have decried the move as an attack on state autonomy to regulate behind-the-meter generation such as rooftop solar and storage, one that represents a "threat" to state policies they have crafted. 

GTM Squared covered the state of demand-side management during the covid-19 pandemic, quoting AEE's Lisa Frantzis. Read excerpts below and the entire GTM2 piece here (sub. req.). 

Of all the U.S. clean energy industries, demand-side management — the utility term of art for energy efficiency and other programs that manage energy use behind the customer's meter — has been hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. More than two-thirds of the nearly 600,000 U.S. clean energy jobs lost in March and April were in the energy efficiency sector, according to BW Research. Most of those job losses came at the small businesses that do about 80 percent of the country’s efficiency work, but they’ve also struck nationwide efficiency contractors and utility program administrators...

OK Energy Today reported on AEE's webinar on the net metering challenge filed with FERC, quoting speakers Ted Thomas (Ark. PSC), John McCaffrey (APPA). Read excerpts below and the entire OK Energy Today piece here. 

Some regulators across the U.S. are coming out in opposition to a federal plan for net-metering, a proposal affecting solar and wind power users who can be charged by utilities. One of those regulators is the head of the Arkansas Public Service Commission, Ted Thomas. He feels the federal “one plan fits all” proposal is a “threat” to state policies. “We have project developers with hundreds of hours coming up with innovative things that address some of these issues, and [NERA wants] a one-size-fits-all federalization. That’s what’s at stake and I obviously don’t like that,” Thomas said Wednesday in a speech to an Advanced Energy Economy webinar...