Energy & Water

What is happening? Chevron is going big for RNG, renewable natural gas. Chevron has a goal to to increase renewable fuels production capacity to 100,000 barrels per day by 2030. Chevron is not alone, oil company BP, recently revealed it intends to acquire Archaea Energy, a major producer of biogas — RNG from waste 

How is this important? RNG will include producing and marketing dairy biomethane as a RNG transportation fuel in California.

C-Store Dive | Chevron will continue expanding its RNG capabilities, CEO says

 What is happening? Wal-Mart has announced that it intends to reduce 1 billion metric tons worth of emissions throughout its supply chain. As a result, Levi Strauss & Co., J.M. Smucker Co., Great Lakes Cheese, Valvoline and Amy’s Kitchen (WalMArt supply chain) have executed an aggregate purchase for renewable energy from a wind farm in Marion County, Kansas. Best guess is we’re talking about 250,000 megawatt-hours annually.

Why is this important? Hello pivots. A reduction in emissions means an uptick somewhere else. Be somewhere else.

Grocery Dive | 5 Walmart suppliers team up on renewable energy buy

What is happening? Massachusetts has banned from landfills textiles, mattresses and organic matter. The state has set goals to reduce waste disposal volumes 30% by 2030.

Why is this important? The bans move the waste to recycling and composting programs.

Waste Dive | Massachusetts banning disposal of textiles, mattresses and more organics in 2022

What is happening? The Pennsylvania Senate is advancing a plan for $142 million annually in state tax credits for clean hydrogen hubs, use of natural gas, semiconductor manufacturing , and milk processors. Like dairy milk, not oat milk or nut milk or ant milk.

Why is this important? The hydrogen HUB portion will be $50 million annually and require:

• it be a federally designated regional clean hydrogen hub
• The developer must have been selected for an award by the federal Department of Energy
• The developer must invest at least $500 million in the project, create a minimum of 1,200 permanent jobs and give priority to hires in the local job market

Post Gazette | Pa. Senate panel approves hydrogen, natural gas tax credit bill

What is happening? 10 states require equity in electricity regulatory decisions  on utility investments and rates. In determining equity, the policy issue is the percent of incomes going to utility bills. Texas is viewed as requiring 8-10% of income for electricity, California 4-6%, and Florida 8-10%.

Why is this important? Supporters say it is more than tiered rate structures but also includes community solar, HB 37 (2022 | NM) COMMUNITY ENERGY EFFICIENCY DEV BLOCK GRANT  and inclusive regulatory decisions.

Utility Dive | Bringing equity to electricity service through home, power sector and regulatory innovation

What is happening? Community Renewable Energy Act signed in California, AB2316 (2022 | CA), which will add to the current 2GW of community solar & storage available in the United States. The program will require at least 51% of subscribers to qualify as low-income & incentivizing the value of the electricity based on grid demand.

Why is this important? 45% of Californians are renters and cannot install solar, this bill gives them an opportunity to utilize solar energy.

San Francisco Examiner | The one-two climate solutions punch: community solar and clean energy tax credits

What is happening? Ohio cities rejected a solar project after the state gave local governments veto power over state permitting of renewable energy projects. SB 52 (2021 | OH) In this case the solar project was part of an Amazon power agreement and would not have provided electricity elsewhere.

Why is this important? In this case a city had 80% of its local input opposed to the project.

Ohio Capital Journal | Ohio solar project killed due to local government opposition

What is happening? California is requiring local building permit office implement an online, automated permitting platform for solar installation. SB 379 (2022 | CA)

Why is this important? These quick building provisions apply only to residential solar and is limited to no larger than 38.4 kilowatts alternating current.

PV magazine | California law to require automated, instant rooftop solar permits

What is happening? Add Marin, County California to the list adopting an all electric building code for new residential and commercial construction beginning January 1, 2023. The building code requirements will exceed the state’s green building code requirements. The new rules would not apply to  renovations or remodels of existing buildings.

Why is this important? The policy goals of Marin, County are to increase energy efficiency and exceed current state green building standards.

Government Technology | Marin County Plans to Enact All-Electric Building Ordinance

What is happening?  Entergy Texas and an affiliate of New Fortress Energy Inc. entered into an MOU for the development of renewable energy and hydrogen infrastructure to support the green hydrogen economy in SE Texas. The MOU will utilize  existing transmission infrastructure & new high-side substation and transformer connections on the site of NFE’s 120 megawatt industrial-scale green hydrogen plant.

Why is this important? The facility will be able to produce more than 50 tons per day (TPD) of green hydrogen by way of industry-leading proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis technology from Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG) & is scalable to nearly 500 megawatts.

Entergy News | Entergy Texas and New Fortress Energy partner to advance hydrogen economy in Southeast Texas

What is happening? An October 12th letter from Senator Warren to ERCOT seeks information about crypto miners curtailing operations during periods of high demand on the grid. The letter also seeks information on:

• the electricity consumption of the Texas cryptomining industry in 2022, including how many tons of carbon dioxide emissions it produced;
• which cryptomining companies have signed power curtailment agreements with ERCOT;
• how much miners are paid hourly to curtail their energy consumption;
• and the average cost of electricity to consumers during times when crypto miners are being paid to curtail.

Why is this important? The letter says that 7 large crypto mining operations use 1,045 megawatts (MW) of electric production capacity – enough capacity to power a city of 830,000 residences. This amount is expected to rise by 230% to 2,399. By 2023, it is estimated that 20% of the world’s crypto miners will be in Texas.

Utility Dive | Sen. Warren leads probe of Bitcoin impact on Texas power grid, ERCOT use of demand response ‘subsidies’

What is happening? This week ERCOT approved a virtual pilot program that will begin in 2023. The pilot program will allow customers with solar panels and storage batteries to store surplus electricity and sell it back to the grid when demand is high.

Why is this important? Grid forecasting & how to include the growing volume of storage batteries into the electricity market. It is the result of the quarterly report of the the aggregated distributed energy resource pilot task force.

Politico & E&E | Texas set to enact first-of-a-kind virtual power plant

Utility Dive | Texas designing 80 MW virtual power plant pilot spurred by Tesla desire to aggregate Powerwall batteries

What is happening? Tree Energy Solutions in Germany is setting out to meet Europe’s natural gas needs with Hydrogen made by using renewable energy. The company will partner with solar farms in the Middle East whereby hydrogen will be produced by renewable energy, then liquified and transported by tanker to Europe much like liquified natural gas is.

Why does this matter? Fortescue Future Industries and others say hydrogen is going to be a massive industry. On the tails of Tree Energy Solutions is Kiwi, a company that mixes carbon dioxide from agricultural waste with hydrogen, producing enough methane to heat about 800 houses. Other companies are using carbon dioxide from cement plants and  fertilizer makers.

New York Times | Can This Man Solve Europe’s Energy Conundrum?

What is happening? New York is putting $8.5 million into its new ClimateTech Growth Program. The fund will support companies commercializing new climate technologies. Funding will be available to projects related to electric grids, industrial products, transportation, and more. Applicants must demonstrate economic benefits, and an ability to commercialize their technology to meet New York State’s climate and clean energy goals.

Why does this matter? Governor Hochul: “My administration will continue to support companies that are at the forefront of developing new technologies to lower greenhouse gas emissions, make our electric grid more energy efficient and reduce pollution from transportation.”

Governing | New York Sets Aside $8.5M for New Climate Technology

What is happening? Louisiana has several carbon capture projects across the state. One is a a $4.5 billion “blue hydrogen” manufacturing plant that will convert methane in natural gas into hydrogen & carbon dioxide. The hydrogen will be pumped via pipeline from Galveston TX to New Orleans.

Why does this matter? Opposition points to the cost of hydrogen and carbon capture, the harm to wildlife, the harm to businesses that rely on marine life, & the safety of pipelines.

Governing | Why Are Carbon Capture Wells Controversial in Louisiana?

What is happening? Four states, Iowa, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania, are considering taxing electricity use at EV chargers to recoup lost gas taxes.

Why does this matter? Gas tax revenues are not keeping up with the times. Some states are looking at pay as you drive programs and others, like these 4 states, are trying new things. Iowa will levy a 2.6 cents-per-kilowatt hour tax on electricity delivered to an electric vehicle at a public station. Kentucky’s tax, which goes into effect in January, is 6 cents per kilowatt hour

Route Fifty | As Electric Vehicles Shrink Gas Tax Revenue, More States May Tax Mileage

What is happening? The EV conundrum: how to get more EV chargers in rural areas. A EV charger in rural Colorado figured out that bypassing the three-phase power distribution system that other chargers need but that is not readily available in rural areas. Instead the charger ” uses existing rural distribution systems and battery-integrated technology and provides comparable charging times to other commercial chargers”

Why does this matter? Rural areas need more EV chargers to help with range anxiety, but the power systems in rural areas aren’t ready for EV chargers so this work around can be part of the solution.

Governing | Julesburg EV Charging Station Could Be Rural Area Game-Changer

What is happening? In Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Water Act case, the Supreme have an opportunity to clarify a rule or test for what constitutes “waters of the U.S.” If water isn’t waters of the US, then it’s state regulation. Humm… does this court like to give moire authority to states to regulate…hummm…

Why does this matter? Waters of US fall under the Clean Water Act, and those that do not are state regulated. There’s no clear rule on wetlands, and clear state authority for regulation.

Route Fifty | Supreme Court Could Shift More Control Over Wetlands to States

What is happening? 39% of woodland in the U.S. is privately owned. A new program allows 30 acres or more to be enrolled in carbon credit programs. Please meet the nonprofit American Forest Foundation’s Family Forest Carbon Program.

Why does this matter? Instead of making money by turning woodland into logging, private landowners can turn their woodland into carbon credits.

Goodgoodgoodco | Small-scale Forest Landowners Gain Foothold in U.S. Carbon Markets

What is happening? A new report by Berkeley Lab says solar + a 10 or 30 kW battery can power a home there’s some necessary adjustments to account for heat in the North and A/C in the South. Big Box retailers ahem a lot of roof space and can fare well, taller, multistory, energy-intensive buildings like hospitals are harder to power from solar and batteries. The report says after Hurricane Harvey, Corpus Christi homes could have been powered by solar and batteries.

Why does this matter? Hurricane Ike hit Florida and power went out. Wildfires in California threaten the grid. ERCOT has issued load warnings for Texas grid. Business and people want to know how to continue to have power in these emergency situations.

Route Fifty | When the Grid Goes Out, Could Solar and Batteries Power Your Home?

What is happening? Chicago passed building codes that will require new buildings have stronger energy efficiency standards and electrification standards to advance decarbonization.

Why is this important? The Code will apply to building permit starting Nov 1st and will include energy-efficient lighting; designing certain commercial building roofs to support future solar panel installations; constructing residential buildings with infrastructure that enables a future switch to electric-powered appliances; and incentives for smart HVAC and water appliances that integrate with the power grid to reduce demand during peak use.

How will this be important? Chicago joins Austin, Texas, and Louisville, Kentucky, and Kansas City, Missouri in adopting all or parts of the  2021 IECC standards.

Utility Dive | Chicago passes updated building energy code to support decarbonization

What is happening? A study by Stanford’s Precourt Institute for Energy says that if EV drivers charge at the employers or at public EV chargers during day time hours, “would reduce the strain on the grid and limit how much money the state needs to invest in expanding the electrical system.”

Why is this important? Researchers say that “charging for electric cars will significantly stress the grid when 30 percent to 40 percent of cars on the road are EVs. Only about 6 percent of cars and light trucks in California are electric today.”

How will this be important? Researchers stress that California usually has excess energy during the day time from solar.

Governing | California EV Drivers Should Shift to Public, Work Charging

What is happening? California is feeling the pinch of unintended consequence of banning natural gas in the form of gas heaters & water heaters. A Public Utility Commissioner in California said ““By eliminating these subsidies, we eliminate a financial incentive that is now a perverse incentive,” when referring to the rate base costs that natural gas providers enjoy in California.

Why is this important? The ban needs not only new builds but also replacing old natural gas equipment will require buying new  electric devices that can both heat and cool homes

How will this be important? Similar policies exist in New York, Seattle,and Chicago.

Route Fifty | California’s 2030 Ban on Gas Heaters Opens a New Front in the War on Fossil Fuels

What is happening? Two Finnish scientists built a battery from sand that stores electricity from wind and solar.

Why is this important? Unlike lithium batteries, these sodium based batteries do not contaminate soil, groundwater, and surface water, harming surrounding ecosystems.

How will this be important? Sodium is more readily available and cheaper.

Thred | Innovative ‘sand battery’ is green energy’s beacon of hope

What is happening? Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio have agreed to an MOU to “work together to make the Great Lakes region a hub of research and production of hydrogen fuel.” 6 States in the Northeast have a similar agreement, they are New York, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

Why is this important? Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has funding for developing regional clean hydrogen hubs. There is $8 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy available for those hubs.

How will this be important? Key factors in the partnership: states that have car manufacturing facilities, have pipeline infrastructure, and have interstates were designated as federal hydrogen transportation corridors.

Route Fifty | States Partner With Hopes of Becoming Hubs for Hydrogen Fuel

What is happening? MPP is “an alliance of leading organizations working to decarbonize hard-to-abate industries, presented two new STS reports for aluminum and ammonia, and an updated steel strategy.” 200 MPP members have agreed to reduce carbon emissions at some of world’s hardest-to-abate, carbon-intensive industries.

Why is this important? The industry is showing “growing momentum among high-ambition companies, including steelmakers ArcelorMittal, Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), Liberty Steel, SSAB, Rio Tinto, Tata Steel, thyssenkrupp and Vale; aluminum producers Alcoa, Rio Tinto and EGA; and in the ammonia sector, CF Industries, BASF, SABIC and Yara, as well as renewable energy providers Ørsted, Iberdrola and ACWA Power” to reduce emissions.

How will this be important? This agreement follows with “real-economy milestones – for clean energy, new or retrofitted industrial plants, and policy reform to meet sectoral carbon budgets aligned to the Paris Agreement goal to curb global heating to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels by 2050.”

Environment + Energy Leader | Industry Pushing for Decarbonization of Aluminum, Ammonia, Steel Production

What is happening? DOE estimates that AI energy controls can reduce energy consumption for a building by as much as 29%. Buildings make up 39% of U.S. energy consumption and 40% of world wide energy consumption.

Why is this important? By making building energy consumption more efficient through AI, emissions are reduced. AI, smart systems, can cut and manage 10% to 20% of peak energy loads in commercial buildings. 

H0w will this be important? Energy related AI, is expected to grow 16% per year through 2030.

Environment + Energy Leader | PassiveLogic Receives $15M Investment Enhancing Autonomous Building Controls

What is happening? The Department of Energy has pledges from 21 companies & organizations that they will ” …increase the energy efficiency of semiconductors by a factor of 1,000 over the next two decades”

Why is this important? ” Since 2010, however, overall semiconductor energy use has doubled every three years, and by 2030, if this rate of increase continues, semiconductors could consume nearly 20% of planetary energy production.”

How will this be important? “The EES2 pledge includes support for a 20-year effort, initially led by DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO), to create a Semiconductor EES2 Roadmap that will provide concrete metrics and recommendations to guide RDD&D of the U.S semiconductor industry to increase energy efficiency and position the United States as a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing and innovation.”

DOE | Department of Energy Announces Pledges from 21 Organizations to Increase the Energy Efficiency of Semiconductors and Bolster American Manufacturing

What is happening? The  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Interior Department shared data to create the Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation portal for real-time and location-specific information about extreme weather threats

Why is this important? The information also includes climate-resilient building codes 

How will this be important?  The portal also includes federal funding opportunities, case studies of how communities are navigating climate threats, and information about other federal policies to navigate weather disasters.

Route Fifty | A New Tech Tool to Help Communities Confront Climate Risks

What is happening? A new UT/Texas Politics Project Poll shows that Beto O’Rourke and Greg Abbott are within a point on who is most trustworthy to handle the electric grid.

Why is this important? The electric grid is the 9th most important issue, with 4% saying it is the most important issue.

How will this be important?  52% of voters polled say that Texas is on the wrong track. The 4th time in the poll’s decade history that polling indicated texas is heading in the wrong direction.

NEW UT/TEXAS POLITICS PROJECT POLL: ABBOTT MAINTAINS 45%-40% LEAD OVER O’ROURKE; 52% SUPPORT BUSING MIGRANTS OUT OF TEXAS

What is happening? A new UT/Texas Politics Project Poll shows that Beto O’Rourke is favored 43% to 36% on environmental and climate change.

Why is this important? Climate/Environment was the 5th most important issue.

How will this be important?  52% of voters polled say that Texas is on the wrong track. The 4th time in the poll’s decade history that polling indicated texas is heading in the wrong direction.

NEW UT/TEXAS POLITICS PROJECT POLL: ABBOTT MAINTAINS 45%-40% LEAD OVER O’ROURKE; 52% SUPPORT BUSING MIGRANTS OUT OF TEXAS

What is happening? Joshua Rhodes at the University of Texas at Austin says grid resiliency has 2 steps: Build things + Manage things differently.

Why is this important? The building portion he says is batteries to store wind and solar power, plus, reliable sources of power, like geothermal and nuclear. On the manage things differently, he says the answers are incentivizing lower energy use.

How will this be important? Weather extremes are par for the course, and whether grids can withstand these extremes is a continuing concern.

Market Place | How power grids can be more resilient to climate change’s effects

What is happening? The Texas Supreme Court will hear 2 cases that present the question- does ERCOT have immunity?

Why is this important? The two cases couldn’t be more different. Panda is about data accuracy, and CPS is about Winter Storm Uri and its effects. The lower court sin Panda said no to immunity & the lower courts in CPS said that CPS has to exhaust the administrative process first.

How will this be important? Texas has a forth coming legislature and these issues will be out in the wild during that time.

Houston Chronicle | Texas Supreme Court accepts ERCOT’S appeal over immunity

What is happening? California’s AB 2625 (2022 | CA) exempts energy storage projects from the state’s Subdivision Map Act which required local zoning approval for storage projects.

Why is this important? To meet its clean air goals, California will need to develop and deploy 100s of new storage installations totaling 10,000 MW of energy storage within the next decade.

How will this be important? Bipartisan legislators in California talk about clean air and electricity in terms of “economic growth and job creation, cleaner air, strengthened energy security, and lower energy bills.

Utility Dive | California exempts energy storage from subdivision rule to accelerate deployment

What is happening? EV Charger placement is a balance of competing interests- vehicles, driver practices, and electric considerations like generation, distribution, demand, and storage.

Why is this important? CEO of Driivz, Doron Frenkel points to 4 issues for regulator to consider when placing EV chargers:

• efficiently distributing the available power
• enhancing the power grid
•  local battery storage devices that supplement the power grid by storing energy from renewable sources 
• adding local energy generation closer to the edge where the chargers are being used

How will this be important? the anon ted key to making it all happen: incentives.

Route Fifty | One County’s Big Plans to Electrify Its Fleet, Build Out Local Charging Network

What is happening? Allegheny County Council is on its way to create a county-wide sustainability department.

Why is this important? The county has an existing office of sustainability and the creation of the sustainability department will allow for increased funding.

How will this be important? There is an intent to move to a sustainable and socially responsible procurement practices that includes diversity and inclusion in the bidding process.  

Pittsburgh City Paper | Creation of sustainability department could enhance county’s environmental agenda

What is happening? Unintended Consequences and legislation are like peanut butter and jelly. The Texas Legislature moved water utility issues from its Environmental state agency, TCEQ, to its Public Utility Commission. Now there’s a question on which agency has authority over municipal water rate appeals.

Why is this important? Unintended consequences and the very real world issue of people just need to know which agency is in charge.

How will this be important? Either we’re going to learn about legislative drafting oversights or we’re going to learn about creative lawyering, either way there’s opportunity and a lesson to keep in our back pocket for another time.

Texas Attorney General Opinion RQ-0478-KP

What is happening? The first country in the world is working toward banning fossil fuel ads. Bonjour, France!

Why is this important? Will some U.S. states also take up this mantra…

How will this be important? There is a polarization when it comes to fossil fuels. Not everyone can be like Norway and see both how to cut emissions and to expand their oil and gas industry.

Euro News | France becomes first European country to ban fossil fuel ads – but does the new law go far enough?

What is happening? We hear a lot of polarizing language around fossil fuels, but what if 2 things could be true at the same time- that you can increase your fossil fuel production and reduce your emissions? That’s what Norway, the 13th largest oil producer is seeking to do.

Why is this important? The tools in Norways toolbox: electrifying oil and gas production, carbon capture, recycling old oil and gas platforms (Norways’ oil is in the North Sea).

How will this be important? Norway is growing its fossil fuel industry. Its gas exports in July were record highs.

Oil Price | How Norway Can Expand Its Oil Industry And Reduce Emissions

What is happening? American Public Power Association has a statement on National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. APPA contends a proposed rule requires “a NEVI-compliant charging station would be required to serve at least 600 kW at any given time. ” “This level of new load could be a challenge depending on the unique circumstances of the local utility and grid. For some APPA members this additional load could double their current overall load and, even for utilities serving a larger load, charging stations at this capacity level will still require significant and costly utility upgrades to support.” 

Why is this important? APPA urges flexibility and considerations for locations with low utilization levels and provide for future proofing stations.

How will this be important? APPA also says states need to step up with  “clear, comprehensive, and detailed contractual agreements for any maintenance and operation requirements.”

APPA | APPA Weighs In On National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program

What is happening? Let’s compare Riot BlockChain’s Summer earnings. Surprise! Most of its revenue was related to demand response.

Why is this important? In July 2022 it mined 318 bitcoins, based on a Bitcoin price of $21,634, is a total value of $6,879,612. During the same period, Riot Blockchain received the $9.5 million in power credits based on  long-term power agreements.

How will this be important? 2023 Texas Legislature will likely take on this issue.

Smart Energy International | Demand response proves more profitable than Bitcoin mining in Texas

What is happening? An NEI utility survey indicates that several utilities evaluating installing SMRs at their shuttered coal plants to work to get 90 GW over the next 25 years via 300 SMRs so as to power half the homes in the U.S.

Why is this important? Estimated the costs of the “first of its kind” SMR at $3,800 per kW at the low end and $5,500 kW at the high end. 

How will this be important? SMR supporters say NuScale is the only public company in the arena and the only one close to approval from the  Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Utility Dive | Emerging small reactors projected to provide 90 GW of nuclear power to the US grid by 2050: NEI survey

What is happening? Mitigating Demand Charges is said to be key for private investment in EV chargers. According to UtilityDive New Hampshire + 2 Dozen states have have taken action to mitigate demand charges.

Why is this important? Because of the higher electric cost during peak hours, i.e. “demand charges”, a bipartisan group of US Senators say that ” private businesses are often charged the cost of electricity that exceeds an equivalent of $33 per gallon of gas”

How will this be important? Another hinderance- is utilities installing EV chargers, can add the EV chargers to their rate base, which private investment sees as counter to free market.

Real Clear Energy | To Increase EV Chargers, Fair Competition and Private Sector Investment Is Key

What is happening? Seattle has a pilot program for EV Chargers that drop down from utility poles. Each charging nest could cost the city $11,000 to $25,000 to install.

Why is this important? Offers EV charging for EV owners who don’t have garages and opens up industrial areas for EV charging.

How will this be important? Melrose, MA did a similar pilot and found it was challenging to find “good poles”- close enough to a curb on a street with ample room that trash trucks and emergency vehicles can maneuver around.

E&E News | The EV charger that drops from the sky

What is happening? There is a transformer supply chain problem. That’s going to hit grids, housing, EV chargers, and storm stricken communities.

Why is this important? There are reported wait times of 1+ years to get transformers, and costs have” skyrocketed from $3,000 to $4,000 per transformer before the shortage, to more than $20,000 each now. “

How will this be important? States are all considering how to fix supply chain issues. We should see which state(s) create an economic development program to lure transformer manufacturers.

Route Fifty | Electric Utilities Around the US are Running Out of Transformers

What is happening? Series C funding coming along for Voltstorage, a German company that is developing massive iron batteries that offer long-duration energy storage, thereby making wind and solar farms a highly cost-effective and resource-saving option for ensuring base load capability.

Why is this important? These batteries could displace natural gas reliance on the grid

How will this be important? “Iron-Salt technology is a highly temperature-resistant battery technology “

TechCrunch | Massive iron batteries could be key to displacing natural gas from the grid

GreenCar Congress | Cummins invests $24M in flow battery leader VoltStorage

What is happening? HB 1049 (2022 | NC) would prohibit free EV chargers unless a free gas & diesel pump was located next to it. The bill also pays for the EV charger removal at $50K a charger.

Why is this important? Free EV chargers are apparently harmful to those who don’t need them…?

How will this be important? As out there as this sounds, the concept is to protect oil and gas. Know any states where leaders want to protect the oil and gas industry?

Car and Driver | North Carolina Looks to Remove Public EV Chargers, Probably to the Trash

What is happening? States are trying to figure out how to help farmers during the current drought.

Why is this important?

• In UTAH. It is COVID Relief funds to the rescue. ” Utah Department of Agriculture and Food recently announced it is distributing $25.5 million to 140 recipients–including farmers and water conservancy districts.”
• In Kansas. It is water management planning on 5 year cycles so more water can be used in drought years and less in wet years.
• In Iowa it is a multi-agency approach to drought planning that includes Iowa Departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Homeland Security and Emergency Management 

How will this be important? Addressing food supply chain issues means helping farmers handle drought.

Route Fifty | How 3 States Are Trying to Help Their Farmers Deal With Drought

What is happening? A California non-profit is turning blighted properties into virtual power generators.

Why is this important? The non profit is taking dilapidated structures. Rebuilding. Adding the most energy efficient and energy producing equipment like energy-efficient lighting, an electric vehicle charger, an electric stove, electric heat pumps for heating and air conditioning, an internet-connected “smart thermostat,” solar panels, and a backup battery will allow future residents to keep the lights on and the refrigerator running during a power outage.

How will this be important? The House won’t go on the market, but will be affordable housing for elect first time home buyers.

Route Fifty | The Plan to Turn Blighted Houses into a New Source of Green Power for the Grid

What is happening? The California PUC adopted a submetering protocol to let EV owners be billed at lower rates for charging. This will allow electric vehicle owners to measure an EV’s energy use independently from their main utility meter through a technology known as submetering. 

Why is this important? This is the first time in the nation that EV charging sub metering is adopted.

How will this be important? The decision is said to becrucial to enable widespread Vehicle-Grid Integration 

California Public Utility Commission | CPUC Decision Makes California First State in the Nation To Allow Submetering of Electric Vehicles

What is happening? Convenience stores and truck stops are joining forces to say that certain electric vehicle charging policies will stymie investment in a network of charging station

Why is this important? These groups say demand charges that the Rocky Mountain Institute in 2017 study  showing demand charges could be responsible for over 90% of a charging station’s electricity costs. And, the ability of regulated utilities to own charging facilities in some states will keep private investment sidelined. Instead they say the goal should be to incentivize private investment.

How will this be important? “Retailers “have to recover all that expense but the utility does not because it’s been underwritten by all their other customers who are contributing. That distortion of the market is a problem, and a problem for private investment.” – Doug Kantor, general counsel of the National Association of Convenience Stores.

Utility Dive | Retailers warn demand charges, utility competition could impede national EV charging network

What is happening? Offshore wind is expected to grow. Here’s where we are now:

• 8 states set goals that total 39 gigawatts of capacity by 2040
• 15 projects have reached the permitting phase, from North Carolina to Maine
• 10 coastal states considered 27 offshore wind bills in 2022
• 10 bills have passed so far in 2022

Why is this important? Many projects focus on local manufacturing so that the turbines are built locally.

How will this be important? Federal officials are expected to hold the first offshore wind lease sale in California waters this fall.

Governing | More States Back Offshore Wind, Citing Economic Potential

What is happening?  San Diego Gas & Electric partnered with V2G to offer a fleet of electric-powered school buses in El Cajon, California that can send electricity back to California’s grid.

Why is this important?  San Diego Gas & Electric also installed eight 60-kilowatt direct current fast chargers in the school district’s bus yard in El Cajon.

How will this be important? “This is another distributed energy resource that’s mobile, that’s on the road,” said Miguel Romero, SDG&E’s vice president of energy innovation. “There’s a significant amount of capacity in these batteries.”

Governing | California Town’s EV School Buses Return Electricity to the Grid

What is happening? Louisiana Legislature passed HB 267 (2022 | LA) that extends the eminent domain acquisition of the pore rights for underground CO₂ storage with a prohibition of third-party drilling through the storage reservoir & supports a biofuels project that will produce clean renewable diesel fuel using waste wood from managed, sustainable forestry as well as all its own green power.

Why is this important? This legislation was passed unanimously & supporters say it is an expansion of the current carbon capture legislation.

How will this be important? “I’m proud to have signed this bill into law,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards. “It advances our State’s climate initiative while bringing new opportunities for the traditional oil and gas industry and its workers. The Caldwell Parish project will bring significant economic benefits to the entire Northeastern Louisiana region.”

Biodiesel Magazine | Louisiana passes law benefiting Strategic Biofuels project

Business Wire | State of Louisiana Passes Parish-Specific Law Benefiting Strategic Biofuels Project

What is happening? Geothermal electric production produces power 75% of the time. Almost has much as nuclear’s 92% production rate. Currently 0.4% of power is generated by geothermal facilities in the U.S.

Why is this important? Lots of talk about the value of geothermal power.

How will this be important? Analyst at Power Sector Transformation program at Energy Innovation say geothermal power can compete with nuclear over time with innovation.

Governing | Nuclear Energy Has New Appeal as Climate Pressures Mount

What is happening? Nuclear Power in the U.S.:

• makes up 20% of the nation’s electricity
• 50% + of clean electrical power
• > (more than) all other emission-free sources combined
• 93 commercial reactors
• 28 states have commercial rectors
• 23 additional commercial reactors are in the process of decommissioning
• 92% of the time nuclear plants are producing power, much higher than wind or solar

Why is this important? By preserving nuclear power we are benefitting clean air initiatives. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $6 billion for a Civil Nuclear Credit Program to support plants at the highest economic risk of closure.

How will this be important? Nuclear plants are a money saver. California is decommissioning a plant, scientists studying the issue say in 10 years it would save California $2.6 B and if it operates beyond 2045, then it could be $21 billion in savings.

Governing | Nuclear Energy Has New Appeal as Climate Pressures Mount

What is happening? A Florida political news site was investigated by the Miami Herald for its support of Florida Light & Power recouping costs for underground lines as promoted by the political news site.

Why is this important? The Miami Herald says that the website was funded and controlled by executives of FL&P through a group of trusted intermediaries from an Alabama consulting firm. The political news site was essentially plucked from obscurity and used as a tool. The site didn’t want to look like a pay to play site because that was “icky.”

How will this be important? People are watching. Information is more readily available than anytime before.

Florida Utility Secretly Took Over a News Site to Bash Critics | Governing via McClatchy Washington Bureau

What is happening? Solar microgrids are keeping Ukrainian hospitals functioning.

Why is this important? Solar Microgrids can be flexibly be deployed during disasters

How will this be important? Because solar microgrids do not make noise, fumes and localized air pollution – they are optimal for temporary shelters where displaced residents may be temporarily living.

Reasons to be Cheerful | Solar Microgrids Are Keeping Ukraine’s Hospitals Running

What is happening? San Diego is looking to lower energy costs and is building 8 microgrids to save an estimated $6 million in energy costs over 25 years.

Why is this important? The microgrids are 930 kW of solar photovoltaic systems, 2175 MWh of battery storage, and multiple electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.

How will this be important? The microgrids also help the city meet its goal of reducing electricity use by 25% of 2010 levels, and cutting carbon emissions in half by 2035.

@goodgoodgoodco

What is happening? This week in Texas, ERCOT issued a public statement on July 10 for Texans on conserving energy, and a Texas A&M Atmospheric Sciences Professor made statements about solving the situation with more solar.

Why is this important? The A&M professor made the following statements:

• ERCOT statement was intentionally misleading to Texans
• it is very normal to have a low amount of wind
• only one way to solve the problem of Texas’ power grid: Solar energy.
• Solar produces power when wind doesn’t and they tend to be anti-correlated. So if you want to have reliable power, you want to have wind and solar
• building more solar energy into the Texas power grid would reduce the cost of energy over
• wouldn’t be pollution in the air from solar energy

KBTX | Texas A&M professor speaks on ERCOT conservation plan

What is happening? South Carolina will require utility securitization to occur only if it results in lower costs for consumers. SB 1077 ( 2022 | SC)

Why is this important? South Carolina looked to Texas, Florida, Lousiana, and North Carolina for securitization models. The Legislature got the buy-in of the utilities.

How will this be important? At a time where inflation is on top of mind, adding more costs to consumers isn’t a winning messaging strategy. Securitization is a financing tool that can substantially lower costs for customers compared with traditional storm recovery methods.

T&D World | SC Law Could Help Electric Customers Save Money Spent to Restore Power After Storm Damage

What is happening? Rhode Island Governor signed legislation to accelerate 100% renewable energy so that its grid operates on 100% renewables by 2033/

Why is this important? Oregon is the next closest state by requiring retail electricity providers to reduce emissions by 100% by 2040

How will this be important?  10 states with a 100% renewable portfolio standard or clean energy standard, with most timelines between 2040 and 2050, according to NCSL

Houston Chronicle |  Rhode Island sets ambitious target for 100% renewable energy

What is happening? New York regulators denied a permit for a power plant that would have provided most of its power generation to a bitcoin mining facility.

Why is this important? The basis of the denial was that the “plant’s operation would be “inconsistent with the statewide greenhouse gas emission limits” established in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act”

How will this be important? Worldwide, bitcoin mining consumes as much electricity as the country of Argentina, with a population of 45 million

Governing | New York Denies Permit for Bitcoin-Mining Power Plant

What is happening? Boston Consulting Group says by 2035 80% of gas stations will be unprofitable.

Why is this important? Two policy considerations are linked to this (1) there will be more EVs charging and (2) the cost of cleaning up after gas stations.

How will this be important? Balancing these two policy considerations will be key in the next 12 years.

Route Fifty | The Push to Ban New Gas Stations is Coming to Los Angeles

What is happening? Microsoft is testing the use of a data center in Dublin, Ireland to serve as battery storage for the electric grid by supporting grids in need of more batteries to store energy produced by solar panels or wind farms.

Why is this important? Microsoft wants to provide backup power to electric grids transitioning to renewable energy. In 2021 Microsoft had 200 data centers. It announced it plans to build 50-100 new data centers per year.

How will this be important? The data centers’ lithium-ion batteries are part of the data center’s back up power or “uninterruptible power supply” (UPS) that usually only kicks in during an emergency. 

The Verge | Can Microsoft’s data centers become big batteries for the grid?

What is happening? Grid-scale energy storage installations quadrupled in the first quarter of 2022. It hit a high of 747 MW. IN 2021, Quarter 1, the total was 177 MW.

Why is this important? Large-scale storage is expected to reach 41 GWh by 2026, and residential battery installations are projected to reach 2.3 GWh by that same time year.

How will this be important? California leads the pack followed by Texas.

 U.S. Storage Monitor report published by Wood Mackenzie and the American Clean Power Association

Utility Dive | Energy storage soars despite international and national supply challenges: report

What is happening? Annually the US Conference of Mayors meets and endorse a list of policies. This year’s policy endorsements include supporting renewable energy and battery storage.

Why is this important? The mayors say ““Renewable energy combined with energy storage provides financial stability for energy-burdened and energy-insecure households,”

How will this be important? Add energy equity to your vernacular.

Governing | Mayors Endorse an Array of Emerging Technologies

What is happening? 11 East Coast Governors and labor organizations have joined forces for wind power are partnering with the WhiteHouse to boost offshore wind generation. The 11 states are Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

Why is this important? The partnership will expand to important parts of the offshore industry, including manufacturing facilities, ports and workforce training and development.

How will this be important? Biden has set a goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030, enough to provide electricity to 10 million homes, support 77,000 jobs and spur $12 billion per year in private investment in offshore wind.

AP | Offshore wind boosted as Biden, East Coast governors team up

What is happening? The director of the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the the best way to ensure cyber threats are minimized is by public-private partnerships.

Why is this important? President and CEO of Duke Energy supports businesses participating in the federal platform, the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative, to tackle real world cyber issues.

How will this be important?  shared responsibility means sharing, transmitting real time information with the FBI, CISA and others about the kinds of threats they are seeing

Daily Energy Insider | Utilities and public sector partner to combat cyber threats

What is happening? Before EV batteries get recycled they can be reused as battery storage

Why is this important? “Global investment in grid-scale batteries reached $6.8 billion in 2021, up from $4 billion in 2020, according to International Energy Agency estimates.”

How will this be important? By 2030 there will be 300 million EVs- lots of batteries that could see a second life as battery storage

WSJ | Old Electric-Vehicle Batteries Are Getting a Second Life

What is happening? Enchanted Rock is building the largest microgrid in California for Microsoft that will  use renewable natural gas (RNG) to offset fossil fuels. “Texas-based Enchanted Rock was one of the microgrid companies early out of the gate in using RNG, which allows developers to offer clean energy with the reliability of fossil fuels.”

Why is this important? The microgrid will be 100-MW and will include 224 natural gas generators, each with a 0.45 MW capacity

How will this be important? California is offering incentives- “covering up to 50% of an RNG project’s interconnection costs, with a cap of up to $1.5 million per project. The program is capped at $40 million statewide and has $10.5 million in incentive funding remaining, with nearly $50 million of applications in the queue, demonstrating the growing demand for RNG.”

Microgram Knowledge | Enchanted Rock to build California’s largest RNG microgrid for Microsoft

What is happening? 165,000 residents and businesses in Odessa Texas lost water when an aging water main broke. The City reacted quickly and informed its residents that ““I want to assure you that we’re utilizing every resource at our disposal to ensure that we get this community back to the way it was before this massive line break,” City Manager Michael Marrero. The City also began providing drinking water.

Why is this important? According to an Odessa resident, “I just hope that they kind of learned we need to get in there, we need to check these lines and repair those that show signs of age and wear and tear.”

How will this be important? Lessons for other local governments to learn

AP | Residents improvise as Texas city rushes to turn water on

What is happening? The Defense Production Act has been authorized to ramp up solar, hydrogen and heat pump production in the U.S., along with insulation and power grid components.

Why is this important? Some say this provides balance because of the volatility in the fossil fuel market.

How will this be important? The strategies will require stimulating demand for these products and funding targeted research to make these products cost effective and efficient.

Route Fifty | Why Biden Just Declared Heat Pumps and Solar Panels Essential to National Defense

What is happening? This week DOE released its strategies for a cyber resilient grid with ” once-in-a-generation investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law “

Why is this important? The goal is to reduce or eliminate cyber vulnerabilities by engineering them out.

How will this be important? The strategies to achieve this will be set by a multi-stakeholder working group, comprised of senior technical leaders from across government, industry, academia, and the DOE National Laboratories, to develop a new strategy to defend our nation’s energy infrastructure from cybersecurity threats, vulnerabilities, and risks in the most critical industrial control systems

DOE | The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) Strategy Document

What is happening? Ohio is considering SB307 (2022 | OH) which establishes EV credits and among other things would allow utilities to have rate payers pay for EV charger installations.

Why is this important? Ohio had a utility pilot project on EV charger subsidies for utilities, and now that provisions that allow for rate cases for EV charger installations, opposition is solidifying around the phrase ” Voltage Valley”

How will this be important? Opponents include consumers and gas companies that want to enter into the charging market.

Governing | Ohio May Place Electric Vehicle Charging Costs onto Customers

What is happening? This is the Attorney General’s 2nd opinion on the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act that prohibits giving access to critical infrastructure to a certain foreign-owned companies (Korea, China, Russia, et. al.)

Why is this important? The first opinion said the Act is triggered if there is an “interconnection agreement between a transmission service provider and an electricity generator that was a wholly or majority-owned subsidiary of a Chinese-headquartered corporation. See Tex. Att’y Gen. Op. No. KP-0388 (2021) at 3.”

How will this be important? This opinion says providing power to a factory for the factory own use does not appear to trigger the Infrastructure Protection Act.

Texas Attorney General Opinion No. KP- 0410 (2022)

What is happening? Consumers of energy, in this case businesses, are speaking up about grid reliability because businesses want continuity with everything, including power.

Why is this important? Data Centers and Supply Chain Management are global issues now. Add this to the list of things that have changed since COVID.

How will this be important? Retailers world wide are looking at Uninterruptible Power Supplies to keep the power on when even minor disruptions occur.

Computer Weekly | Grid stability and the risk it poses to the retail sector and its datacentres

What is happening? New York legislators are easing off a bill that would have grown its renewable sector because ” Reliability margins on New York’s electric grid are shrinking as more fossil fuel generators retire and non-dispatchable renewables are added, the state’s Independent System Operator”

Why is this important? In New York retirements of generation systems are outpacing new sources and that is impacting reliability margins.

How will this be important? The Independent System Operator also said that by 2040 10% of power sources will come from sources unknown today.

Utility Dive | New York lawmakers abandon bill to grow renewables as state’s grid operator warns margins tightening

What is happening? Leila Hajibabai, assistant professor in the industrial and systems engineering department at North Carolina State University and corresponding author of a paper on the work in Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering writes about a computational model that locates the best locations for EV chargers without burdening the grid.

Why is this important? The model finds locations that will be “serving the greatest number of people without taxing the power system.”

How will this be important? The model accounts for “the limitations of the power distribution network—its power flow, voltage, current, and so on.” Often the best place for EV chargers for the grid and the best place for drivers don’t align, the model finds ways to meet both competing interests.

Route Fifty | What’s the Best Place For an Electric Vehicle Charging Station?

What is happening? Japan is testing deep sea turbines. 330 ton turbines are anchored to the sea floor at a depth of 30-50 meters 

Why is this important? It would be a new source of renewable power.

How will this be important? Deep sea renewable power would not require sun nor wind.

@bloombergbusiness

What is happening? NoNa desalination system is smaller than a case of water and runs on less power than a cell phone and uses a sole panel and electricity to remove salt and bacteria from water.

Why is this important? Imagine access to a portable desalination system during a hurricane that has knocked water plants offline.

How will this be important? Rapid deployment of portable desalination during emergencies.

@MIT Sloan School

What is happening? U.S. Department of Energy is offering $8 million “in funding to support projects that will improve the flexibility of the U.S. hydropower fleet and enhance electric grid reliability.”

Why is this important? “The hydropower fleet is well suited to help integrate more renewable energy while ensuring the electric grid remains reliable and resilient,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kelly Speakes-Backman. 

How will this be important? One of the funded projects will focus on storage. “Oregon State Univeristy will demonstrate and quantify the value of a hybrid hydroelectric-storage generation unit, which combines a hydropower unit that does not have storage capability with supercapacitors. This project will involve the construction of a 200 kW lab-based hybrid hydroelectric-storage generation unit that will serve as a testbed for performance analysis and model validation.”

DOE | U.S. Department of Energy Announces $8 Million for Technologies to Increase Hydropower Flexibility

What is happening? Regulators in New York, Arkansas and Florida are looking to electric utility fiber optic lines as a means to bring broadband to rural areas.

Why is this important? The fiber optic lines already exist which regulators see as a bonus. Electric coops in Arkansas see it as an opportunity as they banded together to form a new wholesale broadband provider.

How will this be important? The New York Power Authority sees broadband over fiberoptic as a way to “maximize the use of our equipment, share our technical expertise and strengthen our customer relationships all to benefit more New Yorkers, “

Route Fifty | States Look to Electric Utilities for Broadband Connections

What is happening? Missouri has been trying to pass an eminent domain bill to prohibit the use of eminent domain for a transmission project that would carry electricity through the state but the state would neither generate or receive any of the power. HB 2005 (2022 | MO)

Why is this important? A compromise included a compensation rate of 150% of the market value and would require the energy company to drop electricity in the state.

How will this be important? The bill will apply to all future projects.

Missouri Times | Bean’s property rights bill passes Senate

What is happening? Local governments in California are adopting building codes that support electrification and eliminate the use of natural gas. These policies are hitting a brick wall with the infrastructure to support it.

Why is this important? Berkeley’s transformers and distribution lines are being challenged to withstand the increased electric use. The infrastructure was built before the homes had A/C and certainly not as many electronics or electric cars.

How will this be important? “Modernizing the entire grid, quickly, is cheaper in the long run, but there’s a big upfront cost: about $160 million, by one preliminary estimate. If financed over 30 years at an interest rate of 3.2 percent, it would cost about $11 million a year.”

Governing | California’s Grid Isn’t Ready for Fully Electrified Homes

What is happening? Get to know the term charging deserts- it is used for rural areas that do not have access to EV chargers.

Why is this important? It’s an infrastructure and a charger situation and there’s a push to close the gap. Considerations include is there proper infrastructure to power EV chargers and site selection for chargers.

How will this be important? Ultimately the question will be is it cost prohibitive for private companies to install chargers in charing deserts or will state or federal fund be required.

Utility Dive | Closing the gap on rural EV ‘charging deserts’

What is happening? The Houston neighborhood of Sunnyvale is turning a landfill into the largest urban solar farm in the US.

Why is this important? The Sunnyvale solar project will partner with energy companies to sell electricity from its 150,000 solar panels, enough to power 5,000 to 10,000 homes.

How will this be important? Construction is set to being in 2022. Operations set to being in 2023. The landfill began operations in the 1930s. During the landfills tenure 82% of Houston’s trash was dumped at the landfill. The organization behind the project hopes to “negotiate a small percentage of revenue from the commercial solar array to fund projects benefiting Sunnyside, such as reducing the cost of home solar panels.” 

Houston Chronicle | Sunnyside moves step closer toward turning deadly landfill into nation’s largest urban solar farm

What is happening? Enterprise Product Partners and Occidental Petroleum are partnering to establish a carbon dioxide sequestration and transportation system to sell carbon management services to emitters along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Why is this important? The $1 billion facility could remove 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide directly from the air

How will this be important? carbon capture projects are on track to increase 10 fold by 2030 according to Norwegian Rested Energy.

Houston Chronicle | Enterprise, Oxy plan CO2 project along Texas Gulf Coast

What is happening? A large scale crypto mining facility in Iowa is located near a town of 2800. The crypto mining site’s 1,900 computers mines $17 per day. That’s $32,000 a day. The power bill is $5000 per day, 4.05 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Why is this important? The investors in this mining operation want to open 5 more in Iowa because of the affordable power. The cooperative’s electricity sales to large commercial and industrial customers more than doubled from 16.5 million kilowatt-hours in 2018 to 36.9 million kilowatt-hours in 2020.

How will this be important? last fall China stopped crypto mining which moved miners out into other countries, including the US.

Governing | Iowa Bitcoin Mining Facility Uses More Power Than Town Residents

What is happening? Ørsted, the Danish company set to install the Garden State’s first offshore wind farm. They will partner with Newark-based PSEG. The details:

• New Jersey if putting $500 Million into the project.
•  Ocean Wind 1 project was approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities in June 2019
•  6 companies bid a combined $4.37 billion for the right to build wind energy projects on the ocean floor off New Jersey and New York in the U.S. government’s largest such auction 
• Ocean Wind will provide 1,100 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 500,000 homes
• A 2nd related facility in Paulsboro on the Delaware River in southern New Jersey to build the huge poles supporting wind turbines.

Why is this important? The agreement includes Ørsted  using a state-financed manufacturing port to build the components of the offshore wind farm

How will this be important? Ports are setting carbon neutral time tables. We know Long Beach is and Houston set carbon neutral goals just last month.

AP | Orsted will use NJ Wind Port to build offshore wind farm

What is happening? City Council approved a change in fee structure for water violations that will benefit residential customers.

Why is this important? 97% of fine recipients have been commercial operations- irrigators and car washes that fail to report as required. In lieu of a $250 initial fine for homeowners, a first violation will be $25, then $50 and then $200-300. For Commerical offenders the fines will be $500 for first violation and then $750.

How will this be important? Since December 2020 the city has not fines residences and in stead has focused on education.

KXAN | Austin City Council votes to increase penalties for companies wasting water

What is happening? Colorado’s House Bill 22-1218 will require  new commercial buildings above a certain size to have electric vehicle charging for at least 10% of their parking spaces. New multifamily apartment buildings would require electric vehicle charging infrastructure for 20% of their parking spaces.

Why is this important? The bill also requires expanded electric capacity to expand electric vehicle charging to more parking spaces in the future.

How will this be important? Republican opposition included: “That is a cost the utilities have to pick up, and that is a cost that has to go across to everybody,” Pico said on the House floor. “It pulls an additional cost on the utilities that all of us will have to pay, whether you have an electric car or not.”

Colorado Newsline | EVs are coming to Colorado. This bill would require charging stations at new large buildings.

What is happening? Florida Power & Light is the first electric utility to deploy drone-in-a-box by Austin TX based Percepto, a pioneering autonomous inspection by industrial robotics.

Why is this important? Florida Light & Power will introduce hundreds of Percepto drones to monitor the utility’s distribution substations over approximately the next five years. These drones have passed testing for Category 5 Hurricanes.

How will this be important? Autonomous grid reliability and resiliency inspections are crucial during disasters.

Percepto unveils world’s largest autonomous commercial drone deployment at leading US electric utility

What is happening? McKinsey Public and Social Sector Practice is recommending State Infrastructure Czars to assist in coordination of infrastructure projects.

Why is this important? Allocation of the $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure law and that adds an additional layer of complexity for state agencies as the funds are mixed from direct funds to grants and loans. “Officials will likely need to navigate a complex set of approvals and stakeholders to deliver new builds and upgrades, all while integrating innovative technologies and managing cost with strained supply chains and the new Buy America requirements,” the McKinsey authors continued.

How will this be important? To obtain different types of funding the applicant could be a state agency, a local government, or a utility. The coordination of the infrastructure czars would help obtain funding and streamline projects so that roads are torn up one day for 1 thing and another day for another.

Route Fifty | Making the Case for State Infrastructure Czars

What is happening? Colorado is the 1st state moving toward statewide waste water surveillance. For Texans, Harris county has surveyed its wastewater through the pandemic.

Why is this important? 50% of people with COVID will shed RNA in feces without regard to whether the person has any symptoms of COVID. Colorado is putting the data on a public dashboard.

How will this be important? Epidemiologists say wastewater can offer an early warning sign about where covid spread is highest. It’s cost effective. Was successful overseas in the fight against polio, and has been successful in Colorado universities where dorms waste is surveyed, when rates are high students are tested and infected students isolated, thereby slowing rapid spread of COVID.

Colorado Public Radio via Route Fifty | Colorado Moves Toward Statewide Coverage of Wastewater Surveillance

What is happening? In a legislative gamesmanship move, bills filed in New Hampshire look to take action before a Utility Commission sanctioned report on fair net metering rates can be made public.

Why is this important? One bill, HB 1629 (2022 | NH) , cuts the net metering rate to make it equal to the whole sale rate which renewables say harms the renewables industry. Another bill, HB 1599 (2022 | NH) , makes larger scale projects of net metering, above 1MW more lucrative.

How will this be important? Process is what is important here- do agreed to, utility commission sanctioned studies have merit, or do legislators do what they want without data collected by the utility regulator.

Energy News Network | New Hampshire legislation aims to preempt state’s net-metering study

What is happening? A Texas A& M researcher discovered the use of satellite imagery to compliment ground based research.

Why is this important? Satellite images can detect flow patterns and temperatures that help better understand water sources.

How will this be important? The goal is to “build a next generation computer model for predicting pollution levels in rivers across the United States.”

kiiitv | Texas A&M professor spearheads water quality initiative with NASA

What is happening? Scientists at Stanford discovered that the temperature differential as solar panels cool at night can be captured and converted into energy with a thermoelectric generator.

Why is this important? The thermoelectric generator could eliminate the need for battery storage.

How will this be important? A thermoelectric generator could be very helpful in rural areas where battery storage may not be economically feasible.

@worldeconomicforum

What is happening? Cleco is building a carbon capture facility in central Louisiana.

Why is this important? It’s a $900M project, creating 1000s of construction jobs and 30-40 full time operational jobs

How will this be important? Fully operational in 2028, it will “reduce the carbon emissions at Cleco’s Madison 3 power plant by 95 percent by capturing it and sequestering it in 4,000 feet below in geological formations”

Governing | Carbon Capture Project Will Create Over 1,000 jobs in Louisiana

What is happening? California is looking to curb its current drought bot by reducing water use but by recycling wastewater and capturing stormwater.

Why is this important? Currently California recaptures or recycles 23% of its water.

How will this be important? A study says recycling and capturing can save 30% of California water. Recapturing storm water could result in, depending on rainfall, between 580,000 and 3 million acre-feet of stormwater in urban areas.

Governing | California Could Shrink Water Use in Cities by 30% or More