Advanced Energy Perspectives

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.  

This is a guest post by Matt Golden, CEO of AEE member company OpenEE.

Energy efficiency in California is rapidly evolving. Moving toward the state’s 50% renewable portfolio standard (RPS), SB350 goals to double energy efficiency and renewable energy, and perhaps most importantly, new SB100 requirements to achieve zero carbon on the grid by 2045, it has become necessary to rethink our demand-side strategy. Achieving these lofty targets while maintaining a balanced, stable, and affordable grid will take all the distributed energy resources we can get, including a massive increase in demand flexibility from energy efficiency, electrification, and controls. 

New solicitations for energy efficiency services from California’s investor-owned utilities point the way toward a future of performance-based capture of energy savings when and where they matter, driven by innovation in the marketplace. Energy efficiency providers should see this as an opportunity – and there’s no time to waste. 

Screenshot of ConEd Cars, the New York utility's car-choice comparison tool. 

This is a guest post from AEE member company Enervee.

As noted by AEE in its new issue brief, EVs 101, the evolution of transportation will depend to a large extent on the choices of consumers. This may seem self-evident, but the consumer perspective can easily get lost in the high-stakes discussions surrounding electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure – what’s needed where and when, who should provide it, and how to pay for it. But when it comes to cars, consumers are king – and the overwhelming majority believe that their energy provider should help them understand the benefits of EVs over conventional vehicles. That’s something regulators should capitalize on as they prepare to grow the market for EVs.

Photo by njtrout_2000, used under a Creative Commons license. 

This is a guest post from Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance, AEE’s state partner in Pennsylvania. For more information on AEE’s State Coalition, click here.

In recent years, many states have grappled with the challenge of balancing the interests of regulated energy utilities to earn revenue by selling power with the public policy goal of reducing energy consumption.  To meet this challenge, more than 30 states in the U.S. have successfully used innovative utility rates, termed “alternative ratemaking,” to better align utility financial incentives with the public policy goal of increasing energy efficiency and distributed energy resources. Research by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy shows that states with alternative ratemaking policies achieve 50% higher savings from their energy efficiency programs.  Following two recent actions, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is now poised to take advantage of these tools as well.

This is a guest post by Suzanne L. Bertin, Executive Director, Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance, an AEE state partner. To learn more about TAEBA, click here. To learn more about AEE’s nationwide coalition of state and regional partners, click here.

Last week, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) approved a settlement agreement regarding improvements to the Smart Meter Texas (SMT) portal, with a diverse group of stakeholders, including Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance (TAEBA) signing on to the agreement. These changes will make it easier for customers in much of Texas to have advanced energy companies provide services such as energy efficiency, demand response, distributed generation, and other energy-related software products and services – and fulfill the promise of smart meters, and the granular data they generate.