Advanced Energy Perspectives

A version of this post was published by Crain’s New York Business as “A revolution in getting power to the people.”

Audrey Zibelman, who chairs the New York Public Service Commission, is moving on next month to run Australia's electricity grid system. But she will leave an important legacy here: a foundation for the most significant transformation in the state’s electric power system in two decades. When her successors complete the job, New Yorkers will enjoy unprecedented new choices for how they meet their electricity needs—and set an example for the nation on how to build a clean, resilient, and more affordable energy system.

Over the course of 2016, most of the advanced energy policy conversations in Nevada have been around net metering, with much score-keeping of progress and setback. Between rollback in June and partial reinstatement in December, net metering has taken center stage, with more to come this year. But another official decision has set the stage for Nevada to once again be an expanding market for advanced energy. It was a little-noticed ruling by the state’s public utility commission (PUC) to incorporate costs and benefits across all attributes in weighing various options for meeting the needs of electricity customers. AEE’s nonprofit educational affiliate, the AEE Institute, was right in the middle of it.

While the nation’s eyes may be turned to Washington, D.C., this week for the inauguration, there is action just 109 miles south on I-95 in Richmond. The Virginia General Assembly gaveled into session last Wednesday, and there is a full slate of the bills that could impact the advanced energy industry. Last year, we noted that the sign on the door of a state that prides itself on being “open for business” could have read “gone fishing” when it comes to the advanced energy industry. But the slogan this year could be “under construction.” Here are three questions that will determine which message Richmond will be sending to the advanced energy industry in 2017:

Ohio gained national attention in the closing days of lame duck session as the legislature and Gov. John Kasich squared off over the future of state’s energy standards. Despite the Governor’s clear signal that he would veto any extension of the freeze instituted two years ago, the Ohio General Assembly passed HB554, which would have extended the freeze on the state’s energy standards by turning the benchmark requirements into voluntary goals for the state’s utilities through 2019. Despite the efforts of legislative leaders, who sought to pass the bill with veto-proof majorities, the vote fell short of reaching the threshold needed for an override. That set the stage for some end-of-session drama.

As 2016 barrels to a close and 2017 looms ahead of us, it is a time to take stock of the challenges faced and the progress made for the advanced energy industry over the past 12 months. While you’ll likely read top 10 lists that features the ups and downs of myriad issues in the coming week, when it comes to energy legislation in the states, the news was overwhelmingly positive in 2016. Here are the top five state policy battles of 2016 and how they turned out: