News

Utility Dive highlighted 10 power sector trends to watch this year, quoting AEE experts on EVs, clean energy policy, and changing battery infrastructure. The piece also  links to AEE's recent EV Trucks blog post. Read excerpts below and the full story here.

At this time last year, few people — if anyone — could have predicted what 2020 would bring. That tumultuous year has not yet led to a calmer one, but if January 2020 taught us anything, it's that the first days of a new year may not always be a sign of what's to come. With that being said, Utility Dive spoke to over half a dozen power sector experts who tentatively predict big changes on the horizon in 2021.

Austin American-Statesman opinion piece explained why Texas lawmakers should act on electric vehicles, citing Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance’s report. Read excerpts below and full opinion here.

Electric vehicles are about to become the new way we get around. Why? Because they are cheaper to own, cooler to drive and better for the environment. By 2022, there will be over 200 EV models available in the U.S., including 10 pickup trucks, and prices will soon drop below fossil-fueled cousins. They are changing the transportation industry just like cellphones transformed the telephone industry, and the change is coming just as fast. EVs are predicted to be 15% of the cars on the road, and 41% of all new vehicles sold in Texas by 2030.

Grist explained how the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission can become more transparent, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis on what a new Office of Public Participation could mean for underrepresented communities. Read excerpts below and the full piece here.

If you’ve heard of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, commonly referred to as FERC, but have no idea what it does, I don’t blame you. FERC is one of the most arcane government agencies we have in the United States. Generally tasked with regulating interstate energy infrastructure like pipelines, its proceedings are incredibly technical and confusing... 

The Houston Chronicle covered EV supply chain opportunities for companies and workers in Texas, referencing TAEBA's new report and quoting Suzanne Bertin. The story was republished by Beaumont, Laredo, Midland, San Antonio outlets. Read excerpts below and the full story here (sub. req.)

The push to clean up the world's energy sector to fight climate change has always presented an existential threat to oil and gas producing regions like Texas. But there is a new train of thought that the losses suffered by the state's oil producers might be to some degree mitigated should Texas manage to attract the burgeoning electric vehicle manufacturing industry.

PV Magazine covered the Senate confirmation of Mark Christie and Allison Clements to FERC, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read excerpts below and the full piece here.

The Senate on Monday voted to confirm Mark Christie and Allison Clements to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), bringing the agency to a full five members for the first time in nearly two years...

Utility Dive reported FERC Chairman Danly is making changes at FERC, with canceled EV roundtable and no media briefings, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read excerpts below and the full piece here.

Utility Dive covered the potential changes to solar energy policy under a Biden administration, quoting AEE's J.R. Tolbert. Read excerpts below and the full piece here.

With Biden set to assume office in January pending certification of the election results, SEIA and other solar advocates have begun to hash out their plans for the next four years, including actions they hope to see in early 2021...

Microgrid Knowledge reported on the benefits of advanced energy stimulus to state economies across the country, referencing AEE's Economic Impact Reports. Read excerpts below and the full piece here.

With Congress eyeing another coronavirus economic package, a new report finds that federal economic stimulus spending on clean energy, including microgrids, electric vehicles and energy storage, could jump start a surge in economic growth...

InsideClimate News covered the Trump administration's decision to demote FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read excerpts below and the full story here.

Neil Chatterjee abruptly lost his job as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday when, after two years of being a steadfast supporter of fossil fuel industries, he took a few steps that were more climate friendly.

The Dallas Morning News reported on significant growth of clean energy jobs in context of the declining oil sector in Texas, quoting TAEBA's Suzanne Bertin and TAEBA's Texas Jobs Facts. Read excerpts below and the full piece here (sub. req.), also published by several Texas papers and Chicago Tribune.

Over 230,000 Texans work in energy efficiency and solar, wind and nuclear power. That sector is holding up better than oil and gas. Last week, Exxon Mobil said it would eliminate about 14,000 jobs, including 1,900 in the U.S. That follows big layoffs at Shell, BP, Chevron, Schlumberger and more in what a consulting firm described as a “great compression.” Texas is feeling it in a big way: 1 in 4 oil and gas jobs have disappeared in the past 12 months, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics...