Advanced Energy Perspectives

There’s no shortage of advanced energy news out of Washington this week. The President’s budget was released Tuesday, featuring a doubling of funding for clean energy research. The Senate took up the first serious attempt at comprehensive energy reform in years, but then put it off for another day. But, on Tuesday, one piece of news dominated the advanced energy news cycle out of Washington, D.C.: The Supreme Court decided to stay the Clean Power Plan (CPP). What does that mean for advanced energy? And what is being said about it in the media?

Though still in its infancy, 2016 is shaping up as a banner year for advanced vehicles. Debuting earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show, Chevrolet’s new Bolt promises to change the EV game, with a price tag of roughly $30,000. Not to be outdone, Tesla is teasing its new Model 3, set to launch as early as next month, in the same price range. Game on! But first, there’s this big game: No matter who wins, Super Bowl 50 (no roman numerals, per NFL) will be played in the most advanced energy–powered stadium yet. Prepare to be dazzled – no matter what happens on the field.

Amid Snowzilla’s winter of discontent, on Monday the Supreme Court ruled on EPSA v. FERC, a case that had the power to define the future of the demand response market. In a big win for advanced energy, the court ruled that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC’s) Order 745, which gives FERC rulemaking authority over both traditional electricity generators and demand response providers in wholesale power markets, would stay in place. Call it a tale of two electricities.

As we in the mid-Atlantic hunker down for a major blizzard, nothing is stopping advanced energy from marching on. We’ll let you know next week if this major weather event causes problems for our grid (as it has in the past), or if advanced energy saves the day (again). Meanwhile, we have news from AEE member companies, and a big year ahead for New York’s Reforming the Energy Vision proceeding.

In his final State of the Union address, President Obama declared, unsurprisingly, that the state of the union is strong. We will let the other politicos and pundits debate what that means in terms of defense, education, and other national concerns, and stick to what we know: The state of advanced energy in the U.S. is strong… and growing.