Utility Access to Data and Innovative Building Programs Will Bolster Demand Side Management and Efficiency Programs Key Takeaways: The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has joined the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Better Buildings Combined Heat and Power Resiliency Accelerator to foster combined heat and power (CHP) technologies for improved efficiency The… Keep reading →
Oregon’s SB 1547, signed into law on March 8, 2016, will phase out coal-fired generation from the state’s electricity mix by 2035 and double the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to 50 percent by 2040. RPS policies require state utilities or electricity providers to procure a minimum share of their electricity from eligible renewable energy… Keep reading →
On January 21, 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved advancements to Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Reliability Standards that address cybersecurity of the bulk electric system. The CIP version 5 standards, developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), identify and categorize bulk electric system (BES) cyber structures based on whether such structures… Keep reading →
On January 15, 2016, the California Department of Conservation (DOC) issued a notice of intent to propose emergency natural gas storage regulations in response to Governor Brown’s emergency proclamation to address the ongoing natural gas leak at the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility in Los Angeles County. The leak, detected in October 2015, is… Keep reading →
In his last State of the Union (SOTU) on January 12, 2016, President Barack Obama focused on progress made during his seven years in office, including reinventing the energy sector. The speech highlighted the Administration’s accomplishments through clean energy initiatives and emissions reduction policies. Shortly after the SOTU address, on January 15, the Administration issued… Keep reading →
On December 31, 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order directing the Midcontinent System Operator (MISO) to make changes to the capacity auction rules, including requirements to stop relying on PJM Interconnection prices to set maximum bids and increase the amount of electricity available in the Illinois market area. FERC found that… Keep reading →
On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (H.R. 2029), which includes multi-year extensions for federal tax incentives for wind and solar generation facilities and lifts the 40-year-old ban on crude oil exports from the United States. The $1.1 trillion spending bill, which funds the government through September 2016,… Keep reading →
On December 3, 2015, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) voted to approve the continuation of the state’s investor-owned utilities’ (IOUs) natural gas financial hedging activities. The decision is a setback for consumer groups, which requested that hedging be abandoned in view of prolonged periods of losses. Florida’s natural gas hedging programs have cost ratepayers… Keep reading →
On December 4, 2015, the nine member states of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) released the results of their 30th quarterly carbon auction (Auction 30) held on December 2. All allowances were sold at a clearing price of $7.50 each, generating approximately $115.3 million. The clearing price reached a new high, in line with… Keep reading →
On November 19, 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a proposed rule to eliminate a decade-old exemption for wind plants from reactive power obligations imposed on other generators. Reactive power is essential to control system voltage to ensure efficient and reliable operations of an alternating current transmission system. The proposal would establish reactive… Keep reading →
