Electrical Regulations & Grid Modernization News

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04.04.19 Regulation & Policy 2

PG&E Bankruptcy Drives Plans for Catastrophe Fund to Cover Wildfire Costs

Different versions of a concept for a fund to backstop utility wildfire liabilities are emerging in California.

by Jeff St. John

04.04.19 Utilities 5

PG&E's pick for new CEO is Bill Johnson, former head of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

PG&E’s New CEO and Board Draw Criticism From Governor, State Leaders

The bankrupt utility’s board slate leans too heavily toward Wall Street, not enough toward reforming safety culture, critics say.

by Jeff St. John

On the Ground Floor of Ohio’s PowerForward Grid Modernization Initiative

GTM Squared

On the Ground Floor of Ohio’s PowerForward Grid Modernization Initiative

A conversation with Ohio utility regulators and EnerNex technical experts on working groups that will guide the state’s regulatory roadmap for distributed energy resources.

by Jeff St. John | March 29, 2019

03.28.19 Energy Efficiency 3

The traditional lines are blurring between energy efficiency and demand response in California.

New Programs Put California’s Pay-for-Performance Efficiency Paradigm to the Test

California’s utilities are rolling out the first tests measuring the real-world effectiveness of energy efficiency spending.

by Jeff St. John

03.25.19 Regulation & Policy 2

Consumers is moving more aggressively than the state has mandated in phasing out coal-fired generation.

Consumers Energy to Seek 5GW of Solar by 2030 Under Clean Energy Plan

Michigan utility agrees to a 50-50 split between utility and third-party RFPs to meet solar goals in a broader plan to eliminate coal use by 2040.

by Jeff St. John

03.25.19 Fossil Fuels 16

The bill is predicated on the fact that existing fossil power plants can’t compete with other resources on cost.

Colorado May Have a Winning Formula for Managing Early Coal Plant Retirements

Under legislation pending in Colorado, utilities could issue ratepayer-backed bonds to reduce the cost of retiring aging power plants and fund transition assistance.

by Justin Gerdes

How California Is Working to Elevate Marginalized Voices in Energy Regulation

GTM Squared

How California Is Working to Elevate Marginalized Voices in Energy Regulation

The state’s unique advisory group on energy justice issues heads into its second year.

by Emma Foehringer Merchant | March 22, 2019

03.19.19 Solar-Plus-Storage 5

One way to reduce the risk of grid-caused fires is to invest in more of the products that Sunrun sells.

Sunrun: Localized Solar and Batteries Reduce Grid Fire Risk

Distributed energy can decrease sag on distribution wires and provide local power if the broader grid goes down, the company argues.

by Julian Spector

03.11.19 Regulation & Policy 5

PG&E's bankruptcy is shaping up to be one of the most complicated cases of all time.

California Lawmakers Grapple With Risks and Uncertainties of PG&E’s Bankruptcy

Amid broad calls for reorganizing the liability-crippled utility and demands for increased fire safety, no clear path has emerged to solve long-term challenges.

by Jeff St. John

California’s Complicated Path to Changing Its Resource Adequacy Rules

GTM Squared

California’s Complicated Path to Changing Its Resource Adequacy Rules

Regulators, utilities and community-choice aggregators agree the state’s approach to capacity procurement needs to change—but they don’t agree on how to get there.

by Jeff St. John | March 4, 2019

03.04.19 Policy 87

Capacity market reform was a primary driver of the legislation.

New Illinois Bill Targets 100% Renewable—Not Just Clean—Electricity by 2050

Getting to 100 percent renewables is “not just a pie-in-the-sky idea,” according to supporters.

by Julia Pyper

02.27.19 Smart Homes/Smart Buildings 0

Blue Pillar’s work with the University of Hawaii was spurred by its partnership with Hawaii’s Elemental Excelerator.

Blue Pillar Enables an ‘Energy-Smart University’ Network in Hawaii

Energy data from substations and solar panels to building automation and submeters, all in a vendor-agnostic package.

by Jeff St. John

02.25.19 Regulation & Policy 1

Investor-owned utilities, meanwhile, have put renewable energy procurements on hold.

Industry Perspective

Busting the Myth That CCAs Don’t Sign Long-Term Renewable Energy Contracts

With more than 2,000 megawatts in new contracts, the perception that community choice aggregators don’t sign long-term contracts is proving incorrect, argues CalCCA board member Nick Chaset.

by Nick Chaset

02.20.19 Regulation & Policy 3

How Solar and Batteries Could Help California Manage Fire-Prevention Grid Shutdowns

Sunrun wants solar-battery microgrids to be part of PG&E’s plan to mitigate what could be widespread blackouts geared to prevent fires.

by Jeff St. John

02.19.19 Energy Jobs 0

Energy Jobs: Big Regulator Moves, Rive Brothers Join Zola Electric, EnSync in Restructuring

Executive and boardroom moves in cleantech, utilities, energy and venture capital.

by Katherine Tweed

02.15.19 Regulation & Policy 18

Transportation experts lay out their priorities for possible Green New Deal policies.

A Look at the Green New Deal’s Clean Transportation Goals and How to Achieve Them

The goals are ambitious, and the possible solutions are many.

by Emma Foehringer Merchant

02.14.19 Policy 23

TVA staff laid out evidence that the Paradise plant is costing ratepayers far more than it's worth.

TVA Votes to Close Coal Plant Despite Objections From Trump, Republicans

Federal power authority is closing uneconomic coal plants and seeking cleaner alternatives—though environmental groups want more.

by Jeff St. John

02.14.19 Regulation & Policy 12

The utility has laid out a raft of proposals to mitigate fire risk.

Breaking Down PG&E’s Plan to Use Power Outages to Prevent Wildfires

PG&E could cut power to millions this summer in an effort to prevent wildfires, and wants to deploy better sensors and distributed energy resources to avoid the worst impacts.

by Jeff St. John

02.11.19 Grid Optimization 33

Many European grid operators are girding themselves for a future in which dispatchable power is scarcer than today.

Price Spikes in Ireland Fuel Concerns Over Dispatachable Power Shortages in Europe

Balancing market prices in Ireland topped $4,284 per megawatt-hour last month.

by Jason Deign

02.11.19 Grid Optimization 1

Three critical criteria are needed to solve the complexities of a renewables-focused electricity market.

Industry Perspective

A New Evaluation Paradigm for Flexible Resources

NARUC’s recent guidance on flexible resources requires new tools.

by Mike Mendelsohn and Gary Dorris

02.08.19 Networking/AMI 0

This is a very different kind of advanced metering infrastructure.

DistribuTech Spotlight: Hawaii’s Interoperable Grid Communications and Next-Gen Grid Planning

HECO picks Landis+Gyr for world’s first Wi-SUN-certified smart grid network and startup Opus One for novel “integrated distribution planning” software.

by Jeff St. John

02.08.19 Regulation & Policy 79

“I think, as a city, this is an unparalleled opportunity to move to energy independence.

San Francisco Explores Taking Over PG&E’s Local Electricity Assets

City leaders see PG&E’s bankruptcy as an opportunity to launch a public utility.

by Kevin Stark

02.07.19 Regulation & Policy 18

Marbletown's lack of access to natural gas could actually be an asset.

Industry Perspective

A Small New York Town Plans a Profitable, 100% Renewable Energy Future

A community choice program and a lack of natural gas are enabling Marbletown to achieve 100 percent renewable electricity—while saving money.

by Tom Konrad

02.05.19 Policy 5

We discuss a new book on decarbonizing the economy.

Steal This Decarbonization Plan!

On this week’s Interchange podcast: a how-to book for decarbonizing the economy.

by Stephen Lacey

02.04.19 Regulation & Policy 9

SDG&E moves to become a poles-and-wires company.

How SDG&E Plans to Quit the Electricity Procurement Business

With San Diego and neighboring cities poised to adopt community-choice energy, SDG&E says it wants a “glide path out of the energy procurement space.”

by Justin Gerdes

How Cheap and Abundant Can Clean Power Get?

Climate Fintech Startup Atmos Financial Puts Savings to Work for Clean Energy

Could Chile’s Auction Help Save CSP From Oblivion?

What the Coming Wave of Distributed Energy Resources Means for the US Grid

Extreme Weather Keeps Maxing Out the Grid

A Wartime Plan for Electrifying America

An Island’s Path to 100% Renewables

Are Batteries at a Turning Point?

Storage Integrator FlexGen Gains New Leadership at Crucial Time

Vestas Ventures Makes First Investment With Stake in Wooden Tower Start-Up

Vestas Launches World’s Largest Turbines as 'Big 3' Competition Ramps Up

BP, RWE and EnBW Win Big in UK Offshore Wind Leasing Round

How Cheap and Abundant Can Clean Power Get?

Climate Fintech Startup Atmos Financial Puts Savings to Work for Clean Energy

Could Chile’s Auction Help Save CSP From Oblivion?

Regulation & Policy

PG&E Bankruptcy Drives Plans for Catastrophe Fund to Cover Wildfire Costs

PG&E’s New CEO and Board Draw Criticism From Governor, State Leaders

On the Ground Floor of Ohio’s PowerForward Grid Modernization Initiative

New Programs Put California’s Pay-for-Performance Efficiency Paradigm to the Test

Consumers Energy to Seek 5GW of Solar by 2030 Under Clean Energy Plan

Colorado May Have a Winning Formula for Managing Early Coal Plant Retirements

How California Is Working to Elevate Marginalized Voices in Energy Regulation

Sunrun: Localized Solar and Batteries Reduce Grid Fire Risk

California Lawmakers Grapple With Risks and Uncertainties of PG&E’s Bankruptcy

California’s Complicated Path to Changing Its Resource Adequacy Rules

New Illinois Bill Targets 100% Renewable—Not Just Clean—Electricity by 2050

Blue Pillar Enables an ‘Energy-Smart University’ Network in Hawaii

Busting the Myth That CCAs Don’t Sign Long-Term Renewable Energy Contracts

How Solar and Batteries Could Help California Manage Fire-Prevention Grid Shutdowns

Energy Jobs: Big Regulator Moves, Rive Brothers Join Zola Electric, EnSync in Restructuring

A Look at the Green New Deal’s Clean Transportation Goals and How to Achieve Them

TVA Votes to Close Coal Plant Despite Objections From Trump, Republicans

Breaking Down PG&E’s Plan to Use Power Outages to Prevent Wildfires

Price Spikes in Ireland Fuel Concerns Over Dispatachable Power Shortages in Europe

A New Evaluation Paradigm for Flexible Resources

DistribuTech Spotlight: Hawaii’s Interoperable Grid Communications and Next-Gen Grid Planning

San Francisco Explores Taking Over PG&E’s Local Electricity Assets

A Small New York Town Plans a Profitable, 100% Renewable Energy Future

Steal This Decarbonization Plan!

How SDG&E Plans to Quit the Electricity Procurement Business