News

Canary Media examines the newest approval of reforms by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to improve the efficiency of interconnection projects, quoting Caitlin Marquis on the anticipated positive and negative impacts of the commission's ruling.

The U.S. has far more clean energy projects seeking to connect to the grid than utilities and grid operators can handle. It’s a crisis that has been decades in the making, but one that must be resolved in the next few years if the country is to meet its climate goals.

Last Thursday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a sweeping set of reforms to address one facet of that crisis: the need to streamline and modernize the rules and processes that govern how power projects interconnect to the nation’s transmission grids.

Energy Wire reports on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)'s approval of a major rule in July 2023 aimed at improving the interconnection process. In the article, Caitlin Marquis is quoted, expressing overall support for the ruling and FERC's efforts to incorporate feedback from the developer community.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a major new rule Thursday to accelerate the connection of energy projects to the power grid, a move that could ease widespread delays stifling renewable energy.

The final rule aims to make the grid connection process more efficient at a time of unprecedented growth in clean energy development nationwide.

Calling the decision “historic,” FERC acting Chair Willie Phillips said changes in the rule will make the electric system more reliable by helping new energy projects come online faster. All four FERC commissioners voted for the plan.

FERC directs Transmission Providers to implement cluster studies, among other reforms

WASHINGTON, DC, July 27, 2023- The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) voted today to finalize rules regarding how interconnection queues across the nation should be governed. The ruling establishes requirements that must be met by all public utility transmission providers, such asRegional Transmission Operators (RTOs), Independent System Operators (ISOs), and utilities in non-RTO/ISO regions. The long-awaited final rule follows up on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued by the Commission last July, in which the Commission recognized that interconnection backlogs threaten reliability and just and reasonable rates. Requirements in the final order include a transition to cluster studies, replacement of the “reasonable efforts standard” with study deadlines and penalties for transmission providers, and provisions to better accommodate new technologies such as storage and hybrid resources and to ensure consideration of grid-enhancing technologies.  

“Advanced Energy United and our members applaud the Commission for identifying the urgent need for interconnection reform and for working diligently to put forward a final Order that will start to improve the broken interconnection process,” said Caitlin Marquis, Managing Director at Advanced Energy United. “In light of the scope of the interconnection challenge, we also appreciate Acting Chair Phillips’s recognition that there is ‘so much more to do,’ and hope to see this momentum maintained with follow-up efforts by the Commission to address additional interconnection reform needs." 

Richmond Times-Dispatch published a letter to the editor submitted by Kim Jemaine in which she highlights Virginia's Dominion Energy's most recent Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and advocates for more implementation of clean energy technologies rather than their suggested use of more nuclear reactors.

Las Vegas Review-Journal reports on NV Energy's plans to shut down Nevada's last coal plant by 2025, quoting Sarah Steinberg criticism of the utility's proposal to replace the plant's energy source with natural gas.

NV Energy is committing to shutting down its last coal plant by 2025, the utility announced Wednesday, and will spend nearly $2 billion to do it.

The news comes after questions were raised early this year on whether the state’s largest public utility was going to be able to shut down its coal operations on schedule.

Stakeholders in Michigan worked with DTE Electric to accelerate retirement of coal-fired power plants to align with the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan's emissions reduction goals.

DETROIT, MI – Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council (Michigan EIBC), Institute for Energy Innovation (IEI), Advanced Energy United, and Clean Grid Alliance, in addition to other parties, reached a settlement with DTE Electric (DTE) regarding its Integrated Resource Plan last week, leading to significant gains toward reducing emissions, expanding opportunities for advanced energy businesses and technologies, and fulfilling the goals of the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan. The settlement terms accelerate the retirement of the coal-fired Monroe Power Plant, as well as require DTE to pursue federal funding to offset and retire even more coal facilities. After the plan is approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission, the utility will be making major investments in new large-scale renewable energy projects within the next 20 years and developing battery storage capacity.  

1,350 more miles of electric transmission lines needed to meet Texas’ growing energy needs 

AUSTIN, TX – A new report by Texas-based energy analysis group IdeaSmiths LLC has modeled the most cost-effective path for the Texas electric grid to meet the state’s growing electricity needs by 2040, aiming to more effectively guarantee lower pricing for consumers. According to the report, keeping up with the demand for electricity will require the construction of approximately 1,350 miles of new transmission lines.

"The report lays out a clear, actionable roadmap for the ERCOT grid," says Matt Boms, Executive Director of the Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance (TAEBA), which co-funded the report with national business association Advanced Energy United. "Our findings underscore the urgent need for modernizing Texas’s electricity infrastructure. Adopting this roadmap will lower electricity bills for millions of Texans, bolster grid reliability and create thousands of jobs in the Lone Star State." 

Western commissioners’ letter signals positive collaboration around regionalization to deliver reliable, affordable energy to the West and calls for action on Western RTO development 

SACRAMENTO, CA -  Today, commissioners from Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington sent a letter to the leadership of the Western Interstate Energy Board (WIEB) and the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation (CREPC) outlining their intent to work collectively toward a West-wide Regional Transmission Organization (RTO). The letter represents a breakthrough in efforts to advance the regions’ energy landscape and is key to creating a market that fosters collaboration, improved reliability, and economic growth. Advanced Energy United, the national clean business association, applauded the effort and released the following statement:

RTO Insider examines the possibility of a Western RTO, citing Advanced Energy United's support for this region's hopes to develop a west-wide wholesale market.

PORTLAND, Ore. — The competition for organized markets in the West grew Friday as the Bonneville Power Administration launched a process to choose between day-ahead markets proposed by CAISO and SPP and regulators from five Western states urged the establishment of a new, independent RTO covering the entire West.

“This group proposes the creation of an entity that could serve as a means for delivering a market that includes all states in the Western Interconnection, including California, with independent governance,” regulators from Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington wrote to the chairs of the Western Interstate Energy Board (WIEB) and the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation (CREPC).

The entity “could provide a full range of regional transmission operator services, utilizing a contract for services” with CAISO including eventual “assumption” of CAISO’s proposed Extended Day Ahead Market (EDAM) and its real-time Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM).

Spectrum News 13 reports on a hefty federal grant that will be dispersed across nine states and three tribal nations to improve grid resiliency, quoting Matthew Boms' hopes that this be a catalyst for more forward-thinking plans toward advanced clean energy technologies in Texas.

The triple-digit heat baking Texas is pushing demand for electricity to record levels, and to keep the power flowing during extreme weather, the Biden administration is providing tens of millions of dollars to the state — part of a $207 million total grant across nine states and three tribal nations — to improve the resiliency of the state’s beleaguered electric grid.

Operators of the Texas power grid say there is enough capacity to meet the expected demand for electricity during the brutal heat wave that's currently sweeping across the southern half of the United States. But the devastating power outages that struck during the 2021 winter storm, which caused a state-reported 246 deaths, continue to raise questions about the grid’s ability to withstand extreme weather.

The report makes it clear there are plenty of places to responsibly develop solar in Massachusetts, and the state needs policies to make it a reality.

BOSTON, MA – Today, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources published its “Technical Potential of Solar Study” report and the results are in: its geospatial analysis of potential solar land use confirms the state has up to 18 times the solar potential than what will ultimately be needed. This report lays the groundwork for the next chapter in Massachusetts’ solar policy. 

“Solar energy is key to our clean energy transition and has the potential to sustain good jobs across the Commonwealth,” said Kat Burnham, Massachusetts state lead at Advanced Energy United, the national business association working to achieve 100% clean energy in America. “This study by the Department of Energy Resources shows that there is ample potential to grow our solar industry, generate clean energy, and protect our open space. Succeeding will require a sustained commitment to build solar in all of its forms – on roofs, over parking lots, and on land. We can do this, but it won't happen by accident.”

Solar Industry Magazine reviews Michigan's fiscal year 2024 budget with significant allocations toward advanced energy technologies and greenhouse gas reductions, quoting Samarth Medakkar on how this will help boost the already-growing clean economy in the state.

The Michigan legislature passed a fiscal year 2024 budget which received bipartisan support and will go into effect immediately after approval from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The state budget makes key investments in infrastructure including advanced energy, which will add jobs to the state’s strong clean energy industry while improving grid resiliency, lowering energy bills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“This budget represents a historic investment in Michigan’s infrastructure and doubles down on the jobs that are part of the fastest growing industry sectors in the nation,” says Samarth Medakkar, Michigan state lead for Advanced Energy United, the national association of businesses working to achieve 100% clean energy and electrified transportation.