Advanced Energy Perspectives

Last month, the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) held its annual Energy Policy Summit in Washington, DC. Bringing together leaders across the energy industry, AABE members and other attendees took on the challenge of discussing an ‘Expedient & Equitable Implementation’ of the most recent federal policies aimed at the national energy transition.  

Five amendments to a three-year plan is a lot, but that’s what Nevada energy utility NV Energy has proposed to its 2021 Integrated Resource Plan. An IRP is the process through which the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) ensures the utility has the resources it needs to reliably and affordably serve Nevada electric customers. NV Energy’s 5th amendment to its current IRP would allow the utility to get major projects approved under a shortened, simplified process that doesn’t get the scrutiny an IRP should otherwise have.

State governments across the country are increasingly turning to electric vehicles (EVs) as a way to reduce air emissions, and save taxpayers millions of dollars in the cost of fueling, maintaining and operating state-owned motor vehicles. EVs also allow state fleets to switch from imported fossil fuels to homegrown sources of renewable power, offering a path to bolstering local economies and energy security. 

2023 was the year it became obvious – and undeniably so – that the status quo no longer serves us when it comes to heating our homes and businesses. Several trends have come into irreconcilable conflict. In particular, rising gas costs, vulnerabilities in the gas supply chain, and increasing gas infrastructure spending are juxtaposed against new, highly efficient electric appliance options, made ever more accessible by the 2022 federal Inflation Reduction Act as well as continued market growth and innovation. Consumer preferences continue to shift, and, for the second year in a row, electric-powered heat pump sales have surpassed those of gas furnaces.  

The United States electric grid is undergoing a transformation and significant changes need to occur for Americans to fully realize the benefits of these improvements. The key is the transmission system. As the federal agency charged with regulating interstate transmission of electricity, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is uniquely positioned to create new rules that better ensure Americans can achieve equitable, affordable access to energy, secure our grid’s future reliability, and accelerate the transition to clean generation and advanced grid technologies.