News

Smart Energy Decisions published Caitlin Marquis' column about key issues in keeping corporate clean energy and sustainability programs going forward during the covid-19 crisis. Read excerpts below and the entire Smart Energy Decisions piece here. 

As companies adjust to a new normal during COVID-19, develop strategies to ride out the economic storm, and navigate various state reopening schedules and rules, sustainability teams face their own challenge: assessing whether and how the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout will affect progress toward their company’s renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals. 

New Project Media covered a report released by Frost & Sullivan estimating nearly $1 trillion will be invested into DERs over the next decade, including quotes by TAEBA's Suzanne Bertin. Read excerpts below and the entire New Project Media piece here (sub. req.).  

A new report released by Frost & Sullivan includes a dramatic new projection: over the next decade nearly USD 1 Trillion will be invested in distributed energy resources (DERs) with the “rate of annual investment” to increase by 75 percent over the same period. 

Energy News Network covered the Va. State Corporation Commission's inquiry on electric vehicles, quoting AEE's Matt Stanberry and Virginia AEE's Harry Godfrey. Read excerpts below and the entire Energy News Network piece here.

State legislators jumpstarted a major grid decarbonization initiative by greenlighting the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which kicks in July 1. However, reining in Virginia’s next fossil fuel frontier — transportation emissions — is a more enormous, complex and far-reaching undertaking. Statewide, the sector has long outpaced electric utilities, accounting for 45% of its heat-trapping gases. Enter electric vehicles, hailed as a key solution to that pollution...

Houston Chronicle covered FERC plans for a conference on carbon pricing mechanisms, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read excerpts below and the entire Houston Chronicle piece here (sub. req.). 

The nation’s top energy regulator is looking into what role it might play in state efforts to set a price on greenhouse gas emissions, stepping into a politically fraught arena as the federal government comes under increasing pressure to address climate change. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees the nation’s power and natural gas markets, has set up a conference in September to discuss legal and regulatory issues around carbon pricing mechanisms that charge power plants, factories facilities and other large emitters for their emissions.

New Project Media covered the reliability of the Texas grid during the summer months, quoting TAEBA's Suzanne Bertin. Read excerpts below and the entire New Project Media piece here (sub. req.). 

As Texas begins a summer season that has already seen temperatures rise into triple digits, some analysts, business owners and residents across the state have become increasingly concerned about the grid operators at ERCOT’s ability to cope with a projected record high peak demand in August following the COVID-related slowdowns that have affected energy projects under construction across the state...

Greentech Media covered how PG&E could recover from bankruptcy, quoting AEE's Amisha Rai. Read excerpts below and the entire GTM piece here.

PG&E faces a long and difficult road ahead. The San Francisco-based utility is emerging from bankruptcy with a massive debt load that could make it harder to raise the tens of billions of dollars of investment needed to prevent its power grid from causing more devastating wildfires. It’s struggling to find cost-effective ways to protect millions of customers from fire-prevention blackouts that may need to continue for years...

E&E News covered the appointment of experienced FERC and Hill senior staffer Jehmal Hudson as Virginia SCC commissioner by Gov. Ralph Northam, quoting Virginia AEE's Harry Godfrey. Read excerpts below and the entire E&E News piece here (sub. req.). 

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) has appointed longtime Federal Energy Regulatory Commission official and ex-congressional lawyer Jehmal Hudson to the state's top regulatory body. Hudson is slated to replace Patricia West, whose term on the State Corporation Commission expired four months ago.  

Utility Dive covered a new UC Berkeley report concluding the U.S. could switch to 90% renewable energy by 2035, and create half a million jobs, referencing similar arguments that AEE and others delivered to Calif. leaders. Read excerpts below and the entire UD piece here. 

The U.S. can deliver 90% of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2035, according to a new report from the University of California, Berkeley, and experts say accelerating clean energy deployments could also play an important role in the country's economic recovery. Building out renewables to achieve this target will add more than 500,000 jobs per year as well as $1.7 trillion in investments into the economy, without raising customer bills, the report found...

FLAPOL covered Fla. Governor DeSantis signing SB 7018 that calls for a study of the state’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure, quoting AEE's Dylan Reed. Read excerpts below and the entire FLAPOL piece here.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Tuesday launching a study of the state’s electric vehicle charging grid and preparing staging areas for emergency response along Florida’s turnpike system. That measure (SB 7018) would also add a “shot clock” for utility infrastructure permits, and facilitate utilities to cross rural land while protecting the environment... 

pv magazine covered First Solar's request that FERC consider carbon pricing and hold a technical conference or workshop, noting AEE made same request with stakeholder group. Read excerpts below and the entire pv magazine piece here. 

First Solar has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to convene a technical conference or workshop on carbon pricing of electricity in wholesale energy markets. First Solar’s request is in support of a petition, submitted by stakeholders including the American Council on Renewable Energy and Advanced Energy Economy, asking FERC to convene a carbon pricing discussion...