News

Orange County Board of Supervisors Block Solar Development and Progress on VCEA Goals

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Today, Advanced Energy United and Virginia State Senator and Chair of Senate Commerce and Labor Committee Creigh Deeds responded to Orange County’s board of supervisors' decision blocking solar project development, including a 1,000-acre Sunfish Solar installation. The decision threatens Virginia’s ability to meet its clean energy goals established by the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). 

Electricity capacity prices skyrocketed 900% in latest auction 

TRENTON, NJ –Today, New Jersey Assembly Members James Kennedy, Andrea Katz, Robert Karabinchak, and David Bailey released a joint statement on the 900% price increase announced last month by New Jersey’s electric grid operator, PJM. Prices in their annual capacity auction rose over 900 percent from $28.92 per megawatt-day to $269.92. By the end of 2025, New Jersey ratepayers will likely see electricity bill increases of as much as 29 percent.

Senate Bill 1221 passed the California legislature, and now awaits Governor’s signature.

SACRAMENTO, CA— The California legislature passed a groundbreaking, first-in-the-nation Senate Bill 1221, sponsored by Senator David Min, that will enable state-supported projects to affordably transition to clean buildings. The bill now awaits Governor Newsom’s signature.

Senate Bill 1006, Assembly Bill 2779, and Senate Bill 1374 passed the California legislature, now await Governor’s signature.

SACRAMENTO, CA – As California’s 2024 legislative session reaches its final days, significant progress is still being made with the passage of key clean energy bills. Among them are Senate Bill (SB) 1006 and Assembly Bill (AB) 2779, which accelerate the deployment of grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) and advanced reconductoring technologies, and SB 1374, which aims to make solar energy more accessible for schools and apartment buildings. These bills now move to Governor Newsom’s desk for signature.

Organizations classify cuts to SGIP, SOMAH, and CalSHAPE as short-sighted decision that would exacerbate costs

SACRAMENTO, CA – California decision-makers are considering cuts to key energy programs that benefit school children, low-income communities, and California ratepayers. In response, a coalition of more than 25 clean energy, environmental, education, and affordable housing organizations submitted a letter calling on state leaders to reject potential cuts to the California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency (CalSHAPE) program, the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP), and the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program.

Electricity capacity prices skyrocketed 900% in latest auction 

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Today, Maryland State Senator Ron Watson and Maryland Delegates Adrian Boafo, Lorig Charkoudian, David Fraser-Hidalgo, and Natalie Ziegler released a joint statement on the skyrocketing electricity prices announced last week byMaryland’s electric grid operator, PJM. Prices in its annual capacity auction rose over 900 percent, from $28.92 per megawatt-day to $269.92. The price increase was most significant in Maryland, rising to $466.35. Next June, most Maryland ratepayers will likely see electricity bill increases well over 30 percent.  

These prices are driven in large part by the grid operator’s years-long issues in getting more generating resources connected to the grid. At the end of 2023, PJM had 3,309 projects – mostly solar and battery storage – waiting to connect to the grid and provide cheaper power to the region. PJM earned a national-worst “D-” in a recent scorecard from Advanced Energy United of all grid operator interconnection processes earlier this year, with developers forced to wait longer in PJM than any other region in the country. These clean energy projects together have enough capacity to replace all the generation currently operating in the PJM system, even after planned fossil fuel plant retirements. Because of this backlog, new renewable projects cannot even apply to bring power to Maryland consumers until 2026.  

Approval marks a significant development for the West, says Advanced Energy United