S&P Global summarized the Western utilities exploring further power market integration, citing AEE's Amisha Rai on the need for a Western RTO. Read snippets below.

A new coalition of electricity suppliers in the U.S. West with about 11 million combined customers is exploring further power market integration as the drought-ravaged region seeks to slash greenhouse gas emissions while boosting grid reliability.

A utility-only exploration of options risks falling short of the urgency of the moment and failing to provide all the benefits that would come with a full-blown regional electricity market 

SAN FRANCISCO, Wednesday, October 6—National business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) is calling on electric utilities in the West to support the development of a regional transmission organization (RTO) for Western states. Several energy companies recently announced plans to explore market options in response to state momentum for a regional solution to energy resilience challenges, a process AEE says should be done expeditiously and lead to the creation of a western RTO. 

E&ENews outlined the Midwest states looking to create regional EV charging network, quoting Ryan Gallentine on the region's critical EV manufacturing.

CLIMATEWIRE | The governors of Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois are teaming up to build an electric vehicle charging network across the Midwest.

E&E News detailed the U.S.'s EV boom, quoting Ryan Gallentine on how automakers are adapting to the market. Read snippets below and the full article here.

Electric vehicle sales are booming in the U.S., with purchases nearly doubling over a year ago.

Utility Dive outlined PJM's proposal to relax its minimum offer price rule, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read snippets below and the full article here.

FERC's inability to reach a decision on PJM's proposed changes to its MOPR — a rule designed to prevent a market participant from offering artificially low bids to suppress capacity prices — is the latest twist in a controversial regulatory process.

The Hill published Harry Godfrey's co-authored op-ed detailing how Congress can use state clean energy policies as a model for adopting the Build Back Better Budget. Read snippets below and the full article here. 

The pandemic, and its cascading negative effects on our economy, and our people, have presented a novel opportunity to build new and better infrastructure, foster innovation and bring good jobs to Americans everywhere. That is the promise at the heart of the President Biden’s Build Back Better budget being considered by Congress — a historic opportunity to put our economy on a path to greater prosperity for everyone while also supporting and accelerating the transition to 100 percent clean energy. 

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 29 — National business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) released the following statement in response to FERC’s split vote on PJM Interconnection’s proposed changes to the Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR):

“Today’s notice from FERC that PJM’s proposal to establish a more narrowly focused MOPR was approved by operation of law is good news for consumers and advanced energy businesses,” said Jeff Dennis, AEE’s managing director and general counsel. “By targeting capacity resources built pursuant to legitimate state policies for mitigation, the expanded MOPR imposed on PJM by FERC in 2019 threatened to increase costs for consumers, unjustifiably exclude advanced energy technologies from the PJM capacity market, and interfere with the achievement of state and customer clean energy goals. The narrowly-tailored MOPR that will now be in effect returns this market rule to its original purpose of addressing the narrow circumstances where it has been shown that capacity buyers have the actual incentive and ability to manipulate market prices. 

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 27, 2021 — In an open letter to Congress and the White House, business leaders from across the advanced energy industry are calling for the passage of the Build Back Better Act. The call to action was organized by national business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), in partnership with its affiliate organization Advanced Energy Works, which published the open letter online and in a full page ad in the Washington Post. 

“Our companies are ready to invest in the manufacturing, development, installation, and use of the technologies that will support our nation’s transition to 100 percent clean energy and transportation. But we need Congress’ help to do it,” says the letter, which is signed by the CEOs of over two dozen advanced energy companies. The businesses that signed the letter include developers and installers of renewable energy, technology innovators that are making our nation’s electric grid smarter and more efficient, and suppliers of zero-emission vehicles and charging infrastructure.

Utility Dive outlined FERC and NERC's move for stronger weatherization standards, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read snippets below and the full article here.

The February 2021 cold snap was not the first time U.S. power plants and gas transportation systems failed under extreme cold conditions, the joint report makes clear. Rather, it was the fourth time in the last decade that cold weather "jeopardized bulk-power system reliability due to unplanned cold weather-related generation outages."

Robinson is a former policy director at AEE with a track record of supporting market competition and the expansion of clean energy choices

WASHINGTON, September 22, 2021 – Today, President Biden nominated Massachusetts legislator Maria Robinson to be Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity of the U.S. Department of Energy. National business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) celebrates the choice of Rep. Robinson, who is a former policy director at AEE, a national association of advanced energy businesses and buyers.

AEE President Heather O’Neill released the following statement in support of Robinson’s nomination:

“Advanced Energy Economy is thrilled to support the nomination of Maria Robinson to serve the Department of Energy as an Assistant Secretary. Maria has long been a champion of policies that empower innovative technologies to improve our nation’s energy systems. We look forward to continuing our work with her and the rest of the Department in shaping a national energy system that is clean, reliable, and resilient.”