Advanced Energy Perspectives

Photo by ttarasiuk, used under a Creative Commons license. 

In Virginia, several voluntary renewable energy tariffs have been introduced by the state’s two largest investor-owned utilities, Dominion Energy (Dominion) and Appalachian Power Co. (APCo). Customers also have the option to purchase renewable energy from competitive service providers, with certain restrictions. Are the options now available sufficient to meet the needs of Virginia’s diverse businesses that want renewable energy to power their operations?

The purpose of renewable energy tariffs, in Virginia and elsewhere, is to give customers (generally commercial and industrial, or C&I, customers) of vertically integrated utilities a way to choose renewable energy to meet their electricity needs. For some customers, the programs in Virginia have done the trick. But others are still waiting for a plan that’s right for them. AEE and Virginia AEE have teamed up to provide a guide to renewable energy in the Commonwealth – how to get it, and what needs to change to get all customers the renewable energy they want.

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.

Step-by-step, Virginia is moving closer to establishing a carbon trading market. That’s good news for advanced energy and the Commonwealth’s economy.

Earlier this month, Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) wrapped up a public comment period on its proposed CO₂ Budget Trading Program. Under this regulation, fossil-fired generators with a capacity equal to or greater than 25 megawatts (MW) would be issued permits and required to meet mitigation targets, either through reducing emissions or procuring additional permits. This regulation will help make Virginia’s energy more secure, clean, and affordable while reducing emissions and bolstering the state’s economy – central goals of Virginia AEE.

 In April 2017, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) launched PowerForward, an effort to study how Ohio could revolutionize its electrical grid, improve reliability and resilience, and incorporate new, innovative technologies in order to enhance the customer experience of all Ohio electricity customers. This initiative has called upon industry leaders to lead conversations ranging from integrating DER into the evolving grid to incorporating electric vehicles and their infrastructure onto the electric system, to redesigning Ohio’s ratemaking and rate design structure to inspire investments in innovative energy resources. AEE and its member companies have been right in the mix.

Hollywood has the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the Emmys, and more, but the advanced energy industry has its own stars to celebrate, too! With awards season in full swing, last week, we recognized Representative Ryan Costello (R — PA, 6th District) with AEE’s Advanced Energy Leadership Award during Energy Forward: Driving Advanced Energy Growth, our annual gathering of AEE members and state and regional partners, Feb. 27-28. A theme that emerged throughout the two days was the need to more effectively share our stories. Just as the film industry looks to tell stories that make characters relatable, we need to tell stories that connect our industry — and the individuals within it — to the broader economy. We need to boost our ratings by making advanced energy hyper-local, highly relatable and personal.