Advanced Energy Perspectives

With the exception of the nine legislatures that meet year-round, most legislative sessions have ended.  It was a tremendously active – and successful – session for advanced energy. 

All in all, AEE and its partners have tallied 56 legislative successes this year – defending and expanding renewable energy requirements, increasing energy efficiency efforts, and advancing transportation alternatives – including passage of 49 new bills. 

The buzz this week is investment, with reports of more dollars committed to advanced energy. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, investment in solar, wind, electric vehicles, and related technologies is up 22 percent this quarter over Q1 2013, although 2013 is still underperforming compared to 2012. Most of the additional investment comes from the United States and China, as German and UK investment fell last quarter.

No surprise, given recent announcements. Here are a few: $42 million for solar farms from Eastern Bank, new wind projects under development in Minnesota and North Dakota, and a colossal 33,600 acre wind farm in development in New Mexico. Soitec, a concentrated photovoltaic firm, just completed the Newberry Solar 1 project near San Bernadino, CA, and Ivanpah, the world’s largest concentrated solar plant, is just weeks away from completion.

VERGE San Francisco (October 14-17) connects the brightest business innovators, innovative entrepreneurs, and leading public officials to illuminate the business opportunities created by advances and efficiencies in energy, building, water and transportation technologies. The event contains several tracks of interest to advanced energy business leaders and stakeholders, including: New Energy Systems, Next-Gen Buildings, Resilient Cities, Smarter Logistics, Sustainable Mobility, and the Food-Energy-Water Nexus.  

The confirmation logjam has broken. The Senate reached a deal on Tuesday to overcome resistance to votes on certain Cabinet nominees, clearing the way for a vote on Gina McCarthy’s nomination for EPA Administrator. The timing of her actual confirmation remained unclear, however, with Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) telling reporters to expect a vote “hopefully this week.” Despite filibuster threats from several Republican lawmakers, both sides of the aisle have praised McCarthy for her bipartisanship, having worked for two Republican governors before running the EPA’s air division in the Obama Administration.

Who sets utility rates in each state? Who approves – or disapproves – billions of dollars in utility infrastructure investment year in and year out? Who determines whether utilities are meeting their energy efficiency mandates? Who clears a path for advanced energy technologies and services to help consumers get secure, clean, affordable energy – or keeps barriers in the way?

The answer to all these questions: Public Utility Commissions.