Advanced Energy Perspectives

Well, that didn’t take long. Within hours of publication of the final rule in the Federal Register last Friday, Oct. 23, a group of 24 states filed suit in the D.C. Court of Appeals against EPA’s Clean Power Plan. Separately, Oklahoma and North Dakota lodged their own legal complaints, bringing the total of states challenging the rule to 26. But a majority of states taking EPA to court does not mean half the country is going to “just say no” to the CPP. Indeed, a number of these states are looking hard at compliance options even as they try to take down the rule. Plus, EPA will have defenders of the Clean Power Plan in court – including AEE.

Solar panels at an Apple data center in North Carolina.

Here at Advanced Energy Perspectives, the trend has been unmistakable. Large, multi-million and multi-billion dollar businesses are choosing advanced energy over alternatives. From manufacturing giants like AEE member Siemens to consumer-facing brands like Apple, Nike, Starbucks, and Proctor & Gamble to tech companies like Google and Salesforce, major companies are committing to advanced energy technologies. Now, even more companies are joining in the fun. Plus, we have details on how more companies like these can make the same choice.

Actual peak load forcast in Massachusetts in 2015 was 12,287 MW. Photo: Boston from above via Robbie Shade.

Demand for electricity can spike during just a few hours a year, and typically 10 percent of our electric system capacity is built to meet demand in just 1 percent of hours during the year. This comes at a significant cost to consumers. Last week, Advanced Energy Economy released a new report, “Peak Demand Reduction Strategy,” showing that states that implement peak demand programs can significantly reduce costs for customers, strengthen reliability of electric service, and ease compliance with EPA’s Clean Power Plan. The day before, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that will determine whether the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has authority to regulate payments for demand response, a primary mechanism for reducing peak demand. In all, it was a big week for efforts to get spikes in electricity demand under control.

The future is a world of electric vehicles, from cars without drivers to scrambles for charging stations – but the transition is not without friction. Buckle up for a ride with Tesla’s Autopilot. Plus, on offshore wind, New Jersey tangles things up once again. The news this week is a mix of futuristic technology and old-fashioned bureaucracy as advanced energy breaks through.

Ending the longest legislative session in 13 years, the North Carolina General Assembly adjourned on Wednesday, Sept. 30. It was a busy, and contentious, session for the advanced energy industry, and results were mixed. Due to the tireless efforts of the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA), AEE’s partner in the Tar Heel State, the state’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiently Portfolio Standard remains intact. But a tax credit that has made North Carolina a national leader in solar power development was allowed to lapse after this year.