Advanced Energy Perspectives

In a win for advanced energy, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) declined to revise the current mechanism for allocating transmission losses at its Jan. 17 meeting, supporting a position taken by the Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance (TAEBA). The PUCT also took another positive step by opening a review of EV-related issues to prepare for expected growth.

On Feb. 13, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) released their annual 2019 “Sustainable Energy in America Factbook,” a data-packed summary of U.S. and global energy markets. This year’s Factbook revealed that clean energy powered the U.S. economy with $64 billion in total new investment in 2018 (up 11% from 2017), energy productivity increased 14% since 2009, and the industry employs more than 3 million Americans.

Penalty flags litter the political gridiron in Virginia, as revelations and allegations involving the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General have rocked Richmond. But for the Commonwealth’s General Assembly, it’s halftime. Reaching the midpoint of the short, 46-day legislative session last week means we arrived at “crossover.” Crossover is the juncture at which legislation in one chamber must be voted out and sent to the other chamber or it is benched for the year. So here is a halftime report on advanced energy legislation in Virginia – what bills are still in the game, and which have been sent to the locker room.

Top Left: TAEBA’s Suzanne Bertin addresses the room. Top Right: PUCT Chairman DeAnn T. Walker speaks to the group. Bottom Right: TAEBA members gathered at the Texas Capitol Jan. 31 to present the latest in advanced energy technologies and meet with policymakers and all three PUCT commissioners. L-R Top row: Alan Ash, Trane; Ned Bartlett, Veolia; Meghan Nutting, Sunnova; Sara Rafalson, EVgo; Doug Middleton, CLEAResult. Bottom row: Stephanie Byrd, Schneider Electric; Mark Stover, Apex Clean Energy; Suzanne Bertin, TAEBA; Mona Tierney-Lloyd, Enel X; and Bonnie Datta, Siemens. Not pictured: Beth O’Brien, Pattern Energy Group; Lynnae Willette, EDF Renewables; Chris Pasch and Matt Romero, CLEAResult; and Dave Savage, Apex Clean Energy.

On Jan. 31, Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance (TAEBA) hosted an "Advanced Energy Technology and Innovation Showcase" at the Texas Capitol to educate policymakers and staff on advanced energy across the Lone Star State.

Company officials from TAEBA Leadership Council members Schneider Electric, Siemens, Enel X, Pattern Energy, Apex Clean Energy, CLEAResult, Trane, and Veolia gave presentations to House and Senate legislative staff. They covered the benefits of a broad range of technologies, including solar, wind, thermal storage, demand response, battery storage, combined heat and power, energy efficiency, electric vehicles, and port electrification.  

At most times of the year, much of the electricity generating capacity in the United States stands idle. That's because the electric power system is built to handle demand at its peak — those few sweltering summer days when everyone's AC is running full blast. What utilities pay for power at those times of peak demand drives up the price we pay for electricity. In fact, approximately 10% of infrastructure investments in the United States focus on serving demand in just 1% of hours of the year. This leads to the question: are there more efficient ways to manage this demand — and make it in utilities' business interest to implement them?