News

Wall Street Journal outlined Biden’s massive infrastructure plan which will support clean energy development and deployment, quoting AEE’s Nat Kreamer. Read excerpts below and the full story here (sub req).

President Biden's $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan would supercharge an already booming clean-power sector by expanding subsidies and addressing key bottlenecks impeding the shift to a greener grid.

AZ Capitol Times quoted concerns from AEE’s Shelby Stults around a bill that would restrict the Arizona Corporation Commission’s ability to set energy policy for utilities. The story was also covered by AZ Central. Read excerpts below and the full story here.

Rejecting arguments about economic development, clean air and even constitutional issues, a Senate panel voted along party lines March 31 to strip the Arizona Corporation Commission of its power to set energy policy for utilities.

PV Magazine highlights AEE's support of a Senate bill that would incentivize renewable energy development by allowing for direct pay of ITCs. The story was also covered by Solar Power World. Read excerpts below and the full article here.

The bill aims to thaw frozen tax-equity markets and help the solar and clean energy sectors recover from the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

E&E News outlined clean energy coalition, Charge’s, blueprint for federal support of electric vehicles, noting AEE’s involvement. Read excerpts below and the full story here (sub req).

A new coalition of transit, environmental justice and electrification groups yesterday gave the Biden administration a blueprint for bending the government's machinery to support electric vehicles…

Politico's Morning Energy news highlighted findings from AEE’s Advanced Energy Now 2021 Market Report. Read excerpt below and the full newsletter here.

Advanced energy revenue hit more than $1.4 trillion worldwide in 2020, up 2.5 percent over 2019 — greater than pharmaceutical manufacturing globally and double that of coal mining, according to Advanced Energy Economy's annual market report.

Global advanced energy revenue exceeded pharmaceutical manufacturing and was double coal mining; U.S. market was nearly equal to food and beverage stores, nearly double electrical equipment and appliances.

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 25, 2021 — Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) announced that total revenue for advanced energy worldwide reached $1.4 trillion in 2020, growing by 2.5% over 2019, following 7% growth in the year prior. The U.S. advanced energy market hit $240 billion in revenue, down 2%, on par with the U.S. GDP decline, after growing 18% in 2019. Excluding the impact of volatility in ethanol (a subsegment of Advanced Fuels), U.S. advanced energy revenue grew about 8% in both 2020 and 2019.

S&P Global covered a recent AEE webinar on February Texas blackouts quoting Jeff Dennis and Suzanne Bertin on potential responses from FERC and Congress. Read excerpts below and the full story here.

Policy activity on grid resilience has seen an uptick in the month since an Arctic blast left millions of Texans without power for days, and the federal policy response could bring new requirements for generator winterization and inform stimulus and infrastructure spending priorities, a Washington insider said March 24.

Silver Chips, a Montgomery Blair High School-led publication highlighted Montgomery County Public School’s recent decision to electrify its school bus fleet, quoting AEE’s Claire Alford on the benefits of electric buses. Read snippets below and the full story here.

On Feb. 23, the Montgomery County Board of Education unanimously approved a four-year deployment contract—from this 2021 to 2024—to begin transitioning from diesel to electric school buses. After those four years, MCPS will decide whether or not to extend the contract; if extended, MCPS will be on track for an entirely electric school bus fleet by 2035.

S&P Global examined MISO’s request for delay of FERC Order 841 implementation, highlighting AEE and other trade groups’ disapproval of the request. Read excerpts below and the full story here.

Midcontinent Independent System Operator's request to delay by nearly three years its plans for eliminating barriers to electric storage resources' participation in its wholesale power markets drew pushback from clean energy advocates and utilities in the region pursuing development of storage projects…

Utility Dive published a contributed article by Jeff Dennis, managing director and general counsel for AEE on reforming capacity markets. Read excerpts below and the full article here.

This week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) kicks off a series of technical conferences on "Modernizing Electricity Market Design" with an examination of the role of centralized capacity markets in meeting resource adequacy and reliability needs in a rapidly changing electricity sector. This national conversation comes as the future of the PJM Interconnection (PJM), ISO New England (ISO-NE), and New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) capacity markets are also the subject of investigations by state regulators as well as internal stakeholder debate…

RTO Insider discussed rising opposition to the Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM), mentioning AEE’s concerns around the potential trading platform. Read excerpts below and the full story here (sub req). The story was also covered by E&E News here (sub req).

Stakeholders told FERC Monday that the proposed Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM) doesn’t go far enough to increase competition, asking the commission to require more transparency, broader governance and increased consumer protections…

Utility Dive outlined the Southwest Energy Exchange Market (SEEM) proposal, highlighting AEE and others’ joint comments on the plan's shortcomings. Read excerpts below and the full story here.  

Many questions remain unanswered on a proposal by Southeast utilities to form a centralized energy exchange market, stakeholders said in comments filed with federal regulators on Monday, including if it will facilitate more competition, or instead allow utilities to strengthen their position in the region...

Bipartisan Senate Bill 72 calls for a multi-state regionally interconnected electricity market to improve grid resilience, reliability, and reduce energy costs.

DENVER, March 16, 2021 — National business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), along with several industry groups and local energy providers, urged Colorado lawmakers to support bipartisan Senate Bill 72* (SB 21-072), which would require state utilities to join a regional transmission organization (RTO) by 2030 and modernize the state’s electricity grid system. By streamlining Colorado’s electric transmission planning, the bill, which was passed by the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee 5-1 today with bipartisan support, would also help the state to spur new infrastructure investment and meet its clean energy goals.

Filing proposes ways to make Southeast electricity market design more inclusive, transparent, and cost-efficient for customers, laying foundation for broader market reforms in the region.

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 16, 2021 — Today, national associations Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), Advanced Energy Buyers Group (AEBG), Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA), and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) announced they have submitted joint comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) asking regulators to closely examine shortcomings in the Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM) proposal, which 14 electric utilities submitted to FERC in February 2021.

Cal Matters published an AEE’s Amisha Rai's opinion piece with Joel Barton and Bernie Kotlier championing California Governor, Gavin Newsom’s investment in clean transportation. Read excerpts below and the full story here.

With vaccines being rolled out, job creation and economic recovery should now be at the top of the list of our state’s priorities as we consider how to use the budget to address the devastating impact of the pandemic. A century ago, the explosive growth of the automobile industry sparked an economic revolution in the United States. Seemingly overnight, thousands of Americans were put to work making steel, rubber and constructing roads…

Utility Dive outlined the Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the Texas grid failure, quoting AEE’s Jeff Dennis on reliability standards for gas pipelines. Read excerpts below and the full story here.

The head of the U.S. electric reliability organization on Thursday recommended that, if Congress does take action in response to the widespread outages that hit Texas in February, it targets the gas supply side.

E&E News detailed 10 ways Texas can improve its grid reliability following state-wide blackouts in February, quoting TAEBA’s Suzanne Bertin on how to combat extreme weather. Read excerpts below and the full story here.

Nearly a month after an arctic blast crippled Texas' main power grid, questions continue to fly about how to prevent a similar disaster from occurring again…

IndyStar highlights an Indiana bill placing statewide standards on wind and solar projects, quoting AEE’s Caryl Auslander on the need for expanded wind and solar generation in Indiana as localities resist. Read excerpts below and the full story here.

The roads in Henry County, Indiana, were dotted with signs protesting projects locals say will infringe on their rights and their quality of life: wind turbines. 

Charged EVs highlighted MCPS' electric school bus contract with Highland Electric Transportation, quoting AEE’s Nat Kreamer on how the deal can aid in Biden’s EV pledge. Read excerpts below and the full story here.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland has approved a contract with Highland Electric Transportation, a provider of turnkey electric fleet solutions, to convert its school bus fleet to all-electric, starting with 326 school buses over the next four years. This project is said to be the largest single procurement to date of electric school buses in North America.

AZ Republic outlined Arizona lawmakers’ move to limit the Arizona Corporation Commission’s authority, quoting AEE’s Shelby Stults on the consequences for ratepayers and state business investment. Read excerpts below and the full story here (sub req).

Lawmakers moved Wednesday to strip the Arizona Corporation Commission of its power to make rules about clean energy in the state, following regulators' move to require electric companies to get all of their energy from carbon-free sources by 2050.

Arizona bill HB2248, passed by House, revokes the Arizona Corporation Commission’s authority over critical electrical generation rules and policies; SB1459 passed by Senate adds uncertainty in administrative review of ACC rule-making.

PHOENIX, March 3, 2021 – Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy reacted to Arizona House passage of HB2248* (31-28-1) and Senate passage of SB1459* (16-14 along party lines). HB2248 would revoke the authority to create or enforce rules and policies on “critical electrical generation” from the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), the state’s elected regulatory body for utilities and electricity. SB1459 makes it easier for investigations brought forward by the legislature easier to apply to the ACC, disrupting and duplicating current admin review processes.

Arizona Senate passes SB1108 by a vote of 17-13. The bill would levy the highest annual tax in the nation on electric vehicle owners.

PHOENIX, March 3, 2021 — Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy reacted to Arizona Senate passage of SB 1108* today, an omnibus tax bill that levies an annual tax of $110 on electric vehicle owners. The bill presents an overall net decrease in taxes, allowing it to avoid requirements for a two-thirds supermajority passage. The final Senate vote was 17-13.

The Ed Dean Show interviewed AEE's Ebo Entsuah to discuss advanced energy growth in the state of Florida. Listen to the segment here.

In March, radio host Ed Dean sat down with AEE's Ebo Entsuah for a segment on advanced energy investments and how the industry can support Florida job growth.

Politico outlined FERC’s options for preventing future grid failure in Texas following the February winter blackout, quoting AEE’s Jeff Dennis on Chairman Glick’s expected course of action. Read excerpts below and the full story here (sub req).

Texas' second major power failures in a decade could spur FERC to take the rare step of ordering new reliability standards, experts say.

Florida Daily published AEE’s Ebo Entsuah's opinion piece on Florida’s opportunity to bolster economic recovery through championing advanced energy. Read excerpts below and the full piece here.

As Florida works toward economic recovery from the crisis wrought by COVID-19, we have an opportunity to champion something that will bring in jobs and jump-start our economy: deploying advanced energy, like energy efficiency, solar, energy storage and electric vehicles...