Advanced Energy Perspectives

This post is one in a series featuring the complete slate of advanced energy technologies outlined in the report This Is Advanced Energy. 

Image courtesy of Harvest Power. Harvest Power is a member of AEE's Business Council. Learn more about membership here.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a process by which organic materials, such as livestock manure, food scraps, and municipal or industrial wastewater, are broken down by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen. The product of AD is biogas, a gas mixture comprised primarily of methane and carbon dioxide. AD is one of several options for converting organic matter into useful energy. Different digester types can be used, from simple covered lagoons at animal farms to more sophisticated above-ground steel or concrete tanks. Today, most biogas is burned to generate electricity on-site, but it can also be purified and made into a pipeline-quality substitute for natural gas, including compressed natural gas (CNG) for vehicles. Fats, oils, and grease can be added to manure or wastewater (co-digestion) to enhance energy production. AD is often used in conjunction with combined heat and power for efficient electricity and heat generation, such as on dairy farms and at wastewater treatment plants.

Tell the truth, gentle reader: Have you ever wondered, “what exactly is advanced energy?” If so, this post is for you. In brief, advanced energy encompasses the technologies and services, both emerging and established, that are delivering an energy system for the 21^st century — one that is secure, clean, and affordable. But what are those technologies and services that we consider advanced? The industry is so big and diverse and innovative that this question cannot be answered, at least not comprehensively, in a phrase or a short list or, for that matter, a single blog post. So we are going to introduce the component parts of advanced energy one by one, week by week. Settle in, because it will take over a year to get through them all.

When EPA releases its much-anticipated final version of the Clean Power Plan (CPP) this summer, regulators and affected industry will shift into high gear as they consider implementation options. While there are many ways to comply, here’s one underlying reality: Given the opportunity, markets will respond. That’s the takeaway from a new report prepared by AEE Institute, based on a review of prior EPA regulations that allowed for market-based compliance. The report predicts that the CPP will spark a robust industry response and unlock a wide array of cost-competitive options – facilitating timely compliance and lowering cost.

While policy wonks wait with bated breath for release of EPA’s final Clean Power Plan, some of us in the advanced energy industry are just as eagerly awaiting EPA’s draft Federal Plan for compliance, which will be revealed at the same time. Why the excitement about a Federal Plan? Because the stakes are high: Not only will the Federal Plan serve as a model for states as they begin to consider compliance options for the final CPP, it will apply to any state that does not submit a plan that passes muster with EPA. Questions have been raised about whether EPA can incorporate advanced energy options like energy efficiency and demand response, renewable energy, and advanced grid technologies into a Federal Plan for compliance. Our answer: Yes, it can.