Advanced Energy Perspectives

As the popularity of electric transportation has risen throughout the nation, many different actors are now coming together to better coordinate on how to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Florida has taken steps recently to be better prepared for EV adoption and charging infrastructure. We are seeing changes at the municipal, county, and state level to get ready for – and accelerate – electric transportation growth. Now we are seeing action on a region-wide basis as well – and AEE is at the center of it.

On Monday, the Illinois General Assembly passed a landmark clean energy bill, which Governor JB Pritzker promptly signed into law, fulfilling a cornerstone promise from his 2018 campaign: deliver strong climate action by transitioning Illinois to 100% clean energy by 2050. It also means potential market opportunity worth an estimated $37 billion for advanced energy companies as they help Illinois meet two great challenges: decarbonizing the electric grid and lifting up every corner of the state with good jobs in the new energy economy. Read on for what the bill does, how it came about, and why it’s a huge win for the advanced energy industry.

In most parts of the country, how utilities plan their distribution systems – the network of poles, wires and other equipment designed to support electricity delivery at the local level – is something of a “black box.” But now, with the continued proliferation of distributed energy resources (DERs) – ranging from rooftop solar to onsite battery storage and demand response – available to help manage electric supply and demand at the distribution level, that black box needs to be opened. Colorado is doing just that by joining a growing number of states that are implementing distribution system planning (DSP) rules for the first time.

Record-breaking heat waves and drought in the western U.S. are threatening the reliability of electric power, as electricity use is up and hydropower and energy imports from neighboring states are down. In California, Flex Alerts – asking consumers to conserve energy to relieve grid stress – are becoming a regular occurrence. And these weather patterns are no longer unusual: “This is really the new normal,” AEE policy director Leah Rubin Shen recently told Fox 40 of Sacramento. “These weather events are becoming more and more common and more and more frequent.” The energy crisis that results points to the need for a regional transmission organization (RTO) in the west, connected with a more expansive transmission network, to move power – especially renewable energy – where it’s needed, when it’s needed, at lowest cost.

Left to right: Josh Cohen, Greenlots; Oscar Rodriguez, NOVAcharge; Ebo Entsuah, AEE; and Linda Ferrone, Orlando Utility Commission/City of Orlando. 

Nicknamed “The City Beautiful,” Orlando is already known for tourism, hospitality, and dining, but another feature is growing in popularity: Electric Vehicles. The city currently has 1,689 alternative fuel vehicles in its fleet, and plans to increase that number to nearly 2,400 by 2030. Over the last 15 years, the city has deployed various/several public-private partnerships to accelerate a positive environment for EV drivers, ratepayers, and the community. Now adding EVs to its municipal fleet and investing in hundreds of charging stations, Orlando is set to become the EV leader of the Southeast.

To highlight the city’s leading role, AEE gathered business owners, elected officials, and the public to learn more about electric vehicles and the regional economic benefits affiliated with Orlando’s ongoing charging infrastructure investments. Hosted in conjunction with the City of Orlando and Greenlots, a leader in EV charging stations and software, the event also highlighted policies the state could adopt to foster continued EV market expansion.