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Energy & Water
Energy & Water
Buildings with Solar Walls
What’s happening? Solar panels aren’t just for roofs, buildings in Sweden are being built with solar charging capacity walls.
Why is this important? Meet the new kid on the block: Soltech Energy installed a 646 kW solar facade on the wall of a garage in Sweden that hosts 300 EV-charging posts
How will this be important? Building Codes have been the new go-to for clean air rules and clean energy. Eyes open. The project in Sweden added solar to the outside of an existing building, took 1.5 months to install and have the 300 EV charging posts operational.
More Green Hydrogen
What’s happening? MIT Technology review looked into green hydrogen as a panacea to fossil fuels by using the green hydrogen produced during solar and wind energy generation
Why is this important? Looking for alternatives for hydrogen sources is intensifying
How will this be important? Europe is a roadmap for utilizing green hydrogen. Follow the map.
Gas Stations v. Rest Stops for EV Charger Install
What’s happening? The federal infrastructure bill did not include provisions governing EV charge installation at rest stops which are viewed as a means for utilities to build out EV charging stations.
Why is this important? Some say there is a tradition to not commercialize rest stops. Convenience stores, fuel retailers, restaurants oppose utilities installing EV fast chargers at rest stops.
How will this be important? This article interviews gas station chain owners some who are experimenting with chargers, but don’t know how to price it; some who are waiting to see; and some who just say No it’s not worth the investment cost.
EV Fast Charger Partnership
What’s happening? The convenience store chain, Kum & Go, is partnering in its 22nd DC fast charging store by partnering with the Colorado Energy Office.
Why is this important? The partnership also involves Charge Point. Charge Point has a contract with the Colorado Energy Office to build out the corridors project at 34 locations
How will this be important? In 2010 Kim & Go started a sustainability push that led to Kum & Go becoming the world’s first convenience store certified under the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Volume Program.
CStore Decisions | Kum & Go Partners With Colorado Energy Office for New EV Stations
Shore Power.
What is happening? The Port of Prince Rupert is utilizing shore power to reduce port pollution.
Why is this important? Shore power generate energy by way of electrical devices that spread power from port facilities to ships themselves
How will this be important? Each Port is tackling emissions in different ways. Long Beach is adopting EV freight vehicles. Port of Houston has a pilot program for an emission free train/pod to move cargo.
Governing | Our Ports Have a Problem. They Can Solve It If We Let Them
What’s Next for the Energy Storage Caucus?
What’s happening? We’ve talked about Congress’ Energy Storage Caucus, and now it has a new topic on its list: Green Hydrogen
Why is this important? Green Hydrogen is bipartisan: U.S. Representative John Curtis (R-UT) & U.S. Representative Mark Takano (D-CA)
How will this be important? Currently hydrogen is extracted from natural gas, green hydrogen can be extracted from plain water via electrolysis. Look for tax credits, incentives etc…
Triple Pundit | New Bipartisan Energy Storage Caucus Has Green Hydrogen Up Its Sleeve
EV Chargers in Street Lights
What’s happening? A pilot program in Kansas City led by a nonprofit, the Metropolitan Energy Center is adding EV chargers to street lights
Why is this important? The project says charging by street lights bring charging to more neighborhoods, more equitably. This includes not only BIBPOC neighborhoods but also renters.
How will this be important? The coalition in the project includes universities, utilities, construction firms, and charging and e-mobility firms. Emulate at your leisure.
Smart Cities | Kansas City Street Light Mounted EV Charging Pilot
By The Numbers: TIDAL POWER
What’s happening? Scotland is touting its new Tidal generating power station in the Fall of Warness that will:
- 15 years of research
- 80 yard length of machinery
- 15 years of operation
- Annually power 2,000 UK homes with clean, reliable power
Why is this important? it connects to the power grid via undersea cable
How will this be important? The U.S. is starting to dip its toe in water based power generation- like wind in the Gulf and the Northeast. After the E.U. adopted wind power that was water based, it is moving into tidal based power.
@goodgoodgoodco instagram
Legislation to Recycle Waste Water
What’s happening? In 2017, California passed AB-574 (2017 | CA) that requires California’s Water Resources Control Board to adopt uniform criteria for direct potable reuse of recycled water by the end of December 2023. This will allow purified water to be sent directly to surface water reservoirs.
Why is this important? Recycling of waste water is an ongoing effort in California since the 1990s and bolsters regional water planning.
How will this be important? There will always be an area of drought that must consider new options.
Governing | California Invests in Recycled Water as Droughts Take a Toll
State Incentives for Energy Storage
What’s happening? CT will offer incentives to residential and business customers who install energy storage as part of its Equitable Modern Grid Initiative. The goal is 1000 MW of storage statewide by 2030.
Why is this important? Every market is tackling energy storage differently. Incentives aren’t common, but times change. Residential incentives will be up to 50MW and 7500 and business incentives will $225 tp $270 KWHr for up to 50MW through 2024.
How will this be important? 8 states have storage goals: CT, NY, NJ, CA, NV, MA, OR, VA.
+1 Manufacturer Investing in EV Charger Companies
What’s happening? EV manufacturer, Fisker, is investing in Allego, an EV Charging Company, for its merger with Spartan Acquisition Corp III.
Why is this important? The goal is a “seamless charging experience” for Fisker drivers using Allego chargers. This is sounding like the week’s trend.
How will this be important? Watch who partners with whom, who controls the power charger infrastructure and where the electricity is sourced.
Tech Crunch | Fisker invests in EV charging network Allego’s SPAC merger
How overhead power lines could decarbonize road freight
What’s happening? The UK is talking about decarbonization by taking their lories and powering them with overhead power lines.
Why is this important? A test run of the project will bring together trucking company, Scania, electrical giant Siemens and infrastructure company Costain.
How will this be important? Keeping big trucks on the roads and Supporting Electric Companies
Solar EV Charger Partnership
What’s happening? SunPower and Spain’s Wallbox have partnered to integrate EV chargers into customers’ homes and businesses.
Why is this important? It builds on their current business model to allow for “a more comprehensive system to let EV owners repower their cars with energy they’re producing at home”
How will this be important? Sunpower is following a model created by Tesla and followed by Ford & Sunrun. More to follow.
Forbes | SunPower Joins Market For Solar-Fueled EV Charging, Teaming With Wallbox
Developers Scrap 500,000 home solar array after resident opposition
What’s happening? Developers were planning the largest home solar array to power 500,000 homes outside Las Vegas. Then residents created Save our Mesa, ran with messaging and the developers pulled out.
Why is this important? The messaging focused on:
- the project is an eyesore
- the project would curtail the area’s popular recreational activities — biking, ATVs and skydiving
- the project would deter tourists from visiting sculptor Michael Heizer’s land installation, “Double Negative”
How will this be important? Even though the majority of NV voters this year approved higher clean air standards, the coalition of conservationists, endangered species advocates and local businesses that cater to tourists won out over solar.
AP | Plans for largest US solar field north of Vegas scrapped
EV Charger Systems in State Parks
What’s happening? Rivian reached an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to install waypoint chargers at TN state parks that will be open to the public and accessible to all electric vehicle brands with a J1772 plug.
Why is this important? A similar proposal was floated in Texas legislatively in 2021. Rivian 4 months ago announced a similar deal with CO parks.
How will this be important? Rivian in its agreements agree to service and maintain the chargers, at no cost, for 10 years
Rivian | Rivian plans to install EV chargers in Tennessee’s 56 state parks
Expedited Utility Owned EV Chargers
What’s happening? California regulators have approved an expedited process for utilities to have their EV charger plans approved. California has already approved $1.5 Billion in transportation electrification by utilities
Why is this important? To meet the state’s 2025 clean air goals, they need to build charging networks faster, hence the expedited approval system for utilities. Plans that promote resilience; serve customers without access to home charging; investments in medium and heavy-duty vehicles; & new building constructions will qualify for expedited approval.
How will this be important? There’s a catch to get expedited approval, utilities must limit the infrastructure they will own to only 50% of what’s in the proposed program
Utility Dive | California approves expedited pathway for near term utility EV investments
CO2 Reductions in the Power Industry in 2021
What’s happening?
- CO2 emissions decreasing about 10% between 2019 and 2020
- Fueled by increased renewable generation and coal-to-gas transitions
- Power produced by non-hydro renewables increased 20% from 2019
- coal-fired generation decreased by roughly 17%
Why is this important?
- 20 states have aggressive plans for 100% sustainable power
- 12 states have not initiated any clean energy plans
How will this be important? “From 2000 to 2020, US power sector CO2 emissions decreased 37%, while the gross domestic product grew 40%”
S&P Global Platts | US reducing power sector CO2 emissions while growing economy: study
2 Signs Houston Cementing its Role as Energy Capital
What’s happening? The Financial Times and the Nikkei are opening a joint office in Houston to cover energy news
Why is this important? they want to cover a variety of subjects including:
- the shift toward a low-carbon economy
- the influx of tech companies
- energy policy
- corporate management trends
- latest developments in the U.S. economy
How will this be important? “Houston is an obvious place to position ourselves to capture a big, globally relevant story”
Nikkei Asia | Nikkei and FT to open Houston bureau, strengthening energy coverage
Decommissioned Generators + Crypto Mining
What’s happening? Crypto miners are buying old power plants and manufacturing facilities to use for mining cryptocurrency.
Why is this important? Miners are looking for stranded power facilities or dormant energy facilities
How will this be important? redeveloping abandoned utility and manufacturing facilities has new face
Update: Maine’s Consumer Owned Electric Utility
What’s happening? Maine’s Governor vetoed the legislation that would have allowed the state to acquire the two electric utilities operating in Maine to create one state consumer owned utility. The Governor said the bill was rushed and creates more problems than it solves.
Why is this important? Supporters are moving to add this to the state ballot for approval by voters if the Legislature cannot override the veto, which seems to be the case.
How will this be important? We’ve seen through t he years localities buying up private water utilities to make them city owned water utilities. Now we’re moving into electric utilities converting to governmental entity owned utilities.
Mount Desert Islander | Mills vetoes bill to buy out power companies
ERCOT Announces 6 Initiatives
What’s happening? This week ERCOT released the following 6 initiatives:
- Taking a more aggressive operating approach. ERCOT is bringing more generation online sooner if it is needed to balance supply and demand. The grid operator is also purchasing more reserve power, especially on days when the weather forecast is uncertain.
- Requiring CEO certifications. After a rule change, all market participants who own or operate generation resources and/or transmission/distribution power lines will be required to submit a letter signed by their CEO twice a year certifying their companies have completed their weatherization preparations to protect the electric grid for the summer and winter seasons.
- Adding new requirements for generation owners. ERCOT is proposing a new market rule that requires generators to provide operational updates more frequently.
- Assessing on-site fuel supplies. ERCOT is reviewing the need for on-site fuel supplies for some generators.
- Performing unannounced testing of generation resources. This testing helps verify that generators have provided accurate information about their availability.
- Addressing transmission constraints in Rio Grande Valley. ERCOT and the PUC are initiating a process to address RGV transmission limitations and provide increased market access for resources in the Valley. This will improve reliability for customers during normal conditions and high-risk weather events.
Why is this important? After February 2021 Winter Storm Uri, ERCOT is under the microscope from policymakers, the public, business interests, and consumer advocates.
How will this be important? ERCOT wants to balance grid reliability with consumer protections and free market incentives.
Clean Air Bill Target: Food Waste & Landfills
What’s happening? Looking for a way to reduce greenhouse gases that doesn’t hit the energy industry? Well, follow NY which passed a bill to limit the amount of food waste that goes into landfills to cut down on methane and greenhouse gases.
Why is this important? 8 states in the North East and California require food waste to be reprocessed before hitting landfills to limit greenhouse gases.
How will this be important? The food waste instead gets mixed with microbes and manure, and turn it into fuel, fertilizer and bedding for dairy cows. In New Jersey the target was producers of food waste such as hospitals, prisons, restaurants and supermarkets recycle food garbage rather than send it to incinerators or landfills.
Route Fifty | Waste Not? Some States Are Sending Less Food to Landfills
Protect Water Resources with Solar Panels
What’s happening? India is protecting its water supply by creating evaporation shelters that are solar panels.
Why is this important? Drought can be impacted by limiting evaporation. Perhaps this is a two-fer- power source and evaporation protection all in one.
How will this be important? Put this in your pocket for a negation tool if your solar project gets questions and then offer to limit water evaporation to help with drought.
Sharing Economy Meets Energy Sector Supply Chain
What’s happening? Meet REPOWR which is peer to peer sharing of energy services equipment.
Why is this important? “The company is refining the way transportation companies rent and lease equipment, by connecting transportation and leasing companies to a network marketplace.”
How will this be important? Companies can generate revenue from equipment that is not currently in use.
Anatomy of Offshore Wind Bills
What’s happening? New Jersey is looking at offshore wind bills. The opposition in the Garden State are environmental and consumer groups. S3926 (2021 | NJ)
Why is this important? The opposition is opposed to private developers exercising eminent domain to build transmission lines for the offshore wind that supersedes local control of the land involved.
How will this be important? Opposition based on private entities exercising eminent domain isn’t new. We’ll see how this plays out in a post-COVID mindset where equitable treatment leads conversations.
NJ.com | Bill to speed offshore wind power opposed by environmental, consumer groups
Trees Clean Air. Trees Cut Heating & Cooling Costs.
What’s happening? American Forests issued “tree equity scores” for cities over 500,000 saying trees clean air, cut heating and cooling costs and increase property values.
Why is this important? I you’re in TX- Houston, Ft. Worth & El Paso are on the list of cities that could benefit from more trees. If, you’re in California, it’s San Jose, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Diego.
How will this be important? Trees aren’t costly or complicated compared to other strategies. That could make this a very popular policy choice.
Route Fifty | The Cities That Have the Most to Gain From Planting More Trees
Groundwater Rules Changing in California.
What’s happening? California use to allow farmers unlimited access to groundwater. Now, flow meters are required on agricultural wells courtesy of the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
Why is this important? The policy argument is that the state can best manage its groundwater resources if it understands how much groundwater is being used
How will this be important? There’s that Texas study recommending changes to Texas “antiquated” groundwater rules. As water resources change, rethinking the old ways changes. The California rules require “managers of the state’s 140 most overdrawn groundwater basins must balance the amount of water being pumped from, and recharged into, aquifers by 2040. It allows increased pumping during drought only if no major problems result.”
San Jose Mercury News | The end of California’s groundwater free-for-all
Tuscon Building Code Update- EV Ready
What’s happening? Tucson Arizona has updated its building code to require electric vehicle (EV) charging outlets in all new one- and two-family dwellings
Why is this important? Phase 2 of the building code update will be EV requirements for new commercial and multifamily housing
How will this be important? Tucson ensured that the code updates will be universal in that all charging equipment could be used at the new required 40 amp circuit
Parking Lot Begets Battery Storage & EV Charging
What’s happening? ConEd, partnered with Centrica Business Solutions, is flipping an empty parking lot in Brooklyn into a new concept battery storage and EV charging center.
Why is this important? The hybrid facility will house 5 MW/ 15MWh battery system holds enough power for about 5,000 apartments for four hours of peak summer usage & offer 18 direct-current fast chargers
How will this be important? COVID resulted in more open parking lots, so why not flip a parking lot…
PV Magazine | ConEdison is developing a battery storage and EV charging facility
Water Saving Bill: Ban Useless Grass
What’s happening? Nevada Governor has signed a bill to ban all useless grass in the Las Vegas Valley.
Why is this important? Useless grass is unused grass – on verges and outside offices and housing developments.
How will this be important? It is estimated that over 200 watershed across the country are operating at drought levels.
Bill Shifts Recycling Costs to Companies
What’s happening? Maine Legislature passed LD 1541 (2021 | ME) that shifts part of the cost of recycling packaging onto the producer. It’s the first time an extended producer responsibility program passed a state Legislature.
Why is this important? Similar programs in Canada and the EU improve municipal recycling at no extra cost to consumers
How will this be important? Maine included exceptions for small businesses
Resource Recycling | Maine lawmakers approve first-in-nation packaging EPR bill
New Ground Water Study. Rice University Baker School
What’s happening? A Rice University Fellow is reminding us that Texas Rule of Capture is more than 120 years old and is based on water practices from more than 1000 years ago in Ancient Rome. Texas is growing fast. More people. More industry. More more more.
Why is this important? Instead of responding reactively per usual, see the next question, let’s proactively and plan. He suggests looking to these states for ground water policy: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio and Oklahoma. Wink wink, nudge, nudge OH and MI groundwater law doctrines “emphasize an equitable balance between competing uses while still respecting water owners’ property rights”
How will this be important? As drought conditions worsen, access to water rises nd the policy questions re-emerge. Cyclical policy changes.
Overruling the Rule of Capture | Baker Institute
Corridor News | Study warns Texas must address future of groundwater policy
Texas A&M. Off Shore Renewable Energy
What’s happening? Texas A&M researchers are proposing large floating platform would convert energy from multiple sources, including wind turbines, wave energy converters, current/tidal energy converters, and solar energy panels.
Why is this important? Currently in Texas there is a request to converse power in Texas because of a June heat wave. We haven’t even seen August when it is ridiculously hot.
How will this be important? Louisiana is partnering with one of those Northeast states to make Gulf Wind Generation bigger and better.
Texas A&M Today | Research Underway On Floating Renewable Energy Station
Voter Approval for Consumer Owned Utilities
What’s happening? Maine Legislature has passed LD 1708 (2021 | ME) that would put to the voters of Maine whether to create a consumer owned utility to replace the state’s investor-owned utilities
Why is this important? The policy talking points are more affordable, more reliable, cleaner and Maine-operated power
How will this be important? Maine has been experiencing long outages, high costs and point to foreign owned utilities as catalysts for the legislation.
Beacon | Bill to put proposed consumer-owned utility on ballot passes legislature
3 Categories of EV Charger Infrastructure Costs
What’s happening? We know EV chargers are happening, and as partnerships emerge and unfold we learn bout the types of costs. So here we go:
Procurement Costs:
- Hardware
- Contracts
- Software
- Grid Hosting
- Make Ready Infrastructure
Required Costs:
- payment system
- measurement standards compliance
- ADA requirements
- Dual plug requirements
- Cost standards
Soft Costs:
- Communication between utilities and providers
- Innovation
- Land Use costs
- Permitting costs
Why is this important? Partnerships. Software companies partnering with infrastructure companies partnering with payment companies. Build your owner partnership with these costs.
How will this be important? The lists will ebb and flow but the key is innovation, how quickly do standards change? Do standards change? Are new costs soft or fixed?
Governing | EV Charging Stations Can Benefit Local Economies
EVs and the Grid
What’s happening? Ev supporters say we need more chargers to keep up with demand. More chargers means more electricity use. EVs could soak up excess daytime solar power. Can incentivize off peak charging.
Why is this important? Grid stability is a priority for policy makers. EVs can bring down total energy use in communities because “Continuous increases in efficiency have led to reduced demand for electricity in advanced economies.”
How will this be important? charging stations could be a conduit for vehicles to provide power back to electrical grids, a resource when outages occur or when demand exceeds supply.
Governing | EV Charging Stations Can Benefit Local Economies
New EU Cyber Security Rules for Electric
What’s happening? EU regulators are building on 2018 rules with specific new cybersecurity rules for the electric sector. New features will include requiring national authorities to share information about cyberattacks with officials in other EU member states, including whether attacks could affect other countries; and a need for an agency that responds to cyberattacks and potentially helps detect them.
Why is this important? The regulators noticed that while the EU adopted the first rules in 2018, critical infrastructure was determined country by country using varying standards. While the continent shares an electricity grid and attacks could spread among countries.
How will this be important? Laws regularly hop the pond and are adopted in the States.
Wall Street Journal | European Energy Sector Prepares for New Cybersecurity Rules
Meet Solar Hydro Energy Storage
What is happening? Australia will be home to 50MW facility hydro solar facility with storage.
Why is this important? the way it works is novel…. “‘solar hydro’ power plant features concentrated PV technology that generates heat as a by-product, which is captured and used for thermal storage. The electro-thermal storage system consists of an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbine, industrial chillers, and two insulated water-based thermal storage pits or reservoirs, each roughly the size of four Olympic size swimming pools. One of the reservoirs is kept at a temperature of 90 C and the other at close to 0 C, and the temperature difference is used to generate dispatchable electricity using ORC turbines.”
How will this be important? Provides longer duration firming for renewable energy generation at a lower cost.
PV Magazine | Australia to host 50 MWh ‘solar hydro’ plant with storage
Water v. Electric Cyber Security By the Numbers
What’s happening? let’s compare the size and scope of water utilities vs. electric utilities.
Water: 52,000 community drinking water systems in the U.S. provide tap water to nearly 300 million Americans. 93% provide water to fewer than 10,000 people. 67% to fewer than 500. 100,000 non-community drinking water systems at campgrounds, schools, hospitals, office buildings, factories and other locations. 16,000 waste water treatment servicing 250 million.
Electric: 200 companies provide electricity to the majority of Americans. About 3,000 electric utilities in the country
Why is this important? One size solution does not fit all.
How will this be important? Solutions to secure systems have to consider scale and scale varies greatly.
Governing | How Simple Fixes Can Prevent Cyber Attacks on Water Systems
No & Low Cost Fixes to Stop Water Cyber Security Attacks
What’s happening? In February a water treatment plant in Oldsmar, FL was hacked releasing unsafe levels of sodium hydroxide into the water supply.
Why is this important? A human noticed the issue and intervened. Lessons learned to address the issue include segmenting the industrial control systems so that it is not on the same system as the information technology system used for business functions. Ensuring secure connections for remote workers. Ensuring fired employees have systems access revoked immediately upon termination. Ensuring security in rural communities.
How will this be important? Free resources for water via WaterISAC, a nonprofit established in coordination with industry associations, research organizations and the EPA, available at 15 Cybersecurity Fundamentals for Water and Wastewater Utilities. The EPA offers $6.5 billion for low-cost loans to support water infrastructure projects, including “new or innovative approaches” to cybersecurity.
Governing | How Simple Fixes Can Prevent Cyber Attacks on Water Systems
ESG & Utility Credit Ratings
What’s happening? Moody’s Investor Service this week said that ESG standards have a negative impact on utility CREDIT ratings, especially if the utility owns generation.
Why is this important? PG&E and Edison have both seen recent credit ratings downgrades
How will this be important? Not only is this tied to sustainability and climate issues such as severe weather events, but mitigation can occur and can occur in other aspects of ESG such as governance.
Clean Energy Bill with EV Build Out
What’s happening? The Nevada Legislature sent SB 448 (2021 | NV) to the Governor.
Why is this important? The bill gave the state’s largest utility what it wanted to build out $2 billion in transmission lines and at the same time the utility must invest $100 million in electric vehicle charging stations
How will this be important? Let’s consider the make up of the Nevada Legislature, but not the partisan, the male/female. Nevada has had a majority of female legislators, who are more apt to reach agreements and listen to opposing opinions.
Climate Neutral Cement Plant
What’s happening? A Norwegian company and a Swedish company are joining forces like wonder twins to create the carbon capture cement plant launching in 2030, that will capture almost 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 annually.
Why is this important? World’s 1st climate neutral cement plant.
How will this be important? The partnership shows the benefits of collaborating to solve climate and environmental issues.
Bellona | The world’s first climate-neutral cement plant in Gotland, Sweden
New Non-Profit Concerning Microgrids
What’s happening? Microgrid Resources Coalition is now a non-profit advocating for micrograms
Why is this important? Their goal is “focused on breaking down barriers for resilient and clean microgrids across North America.”
How will this be important? In the press release they point to power failures in Texas and California show us that “Microgrids provide customers and utilities with a key resilient energy solution capable of simultaneously benefiting communities and the electric system as a whole”
Oregon Funds Utility EV Charger Rollout
What’s happening? Oregon Governor this week signed HB 2165 (2021 | OR) that permits utilities to collect a fee for EV charger infrastructure so long as 50% of the investment benefit low-income, rural, and BIPOC communities in their service territories.
Why is this important? Equity and diversity in electrification are going hand in hand.
How will this be important? This isn’t the first time we have seen EV charger infrastructure funds being tied to low income, rural and BIPOC communities. It won’t be the last either.
Adieu Foreign Ownership of Infrastructure in Texas
What’s happening? A 140,000 acre ranch in Texas owned by a former Chinese military officials who sought to build solar and wind farms, will be prohibited from direct ownership by the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act.
Why is this important? After the Colonial Pipeline was seized by ransomware there were renewed calls for bans on foreign ownership of infrastructure.
How will this be important? The call for US owned infrastructure will continue and expand.
News 4 SA | Texas stops Chinese billionaire from building wind farm
County Creates Hydrogen Hub
What’s happening? Energy developers are making San Juan County, N.M., into a “hydrogen hub.”
Why is this important? A hydrogen hub will supply clean electricity to western utilities, plus non-carbon fuel for vehicles and industrial processes. The first station will focus on blue hydrogen.
How will this be important? Libertad Power Project LLC will have the first hydrogen station up and running by 2024 & will ultimately expand the site into an industrial center for hydrogen fuel supply in multiple markets
Governing | San Juan County, N.M., Aims to Become a Hydrogen Energy Hub
Proposed Changes to California Roof Top Solar
What’s happening? Concerns that homes with solar panels are being overpaid, the proposal would (1) reduce bill credits received in exchange for excess energy their solar generates (2) a new monthly charge on them AB1139 (2021 | CA)
Why is this important? Opponents say this is a fight between traditional energy and solar energy that threatens more blackouts and wildfires. Supporters say that the legislation will “right-size an unfair burden faced by those who don’t have solar panels.”
How will this be important? The state regulator is also considering similar changes if the Legislature fails to act.
Governing | It Is Not All Sunshine in California’s Rooftop Solar Industry
Right to Charge Legislation
What is happening? In 2020, Virginia passed Right to Charge legislation that gives Virginia Condo owners the right to charge their EVs.
Why is this important? home owner associations have been fearful of EV chargers. The fears include fires, liability, expense and access.
How will this be important? Right to Charge legislation will make the rounds through the states. SB 630 (2020 | VA)
Energy News Network | Virginia law cleared a path for condo owners to install charging stations
1st Statewide Publicly Owned Utility
What’s happening? A bipartisan group of Legislators in Maine are pushing to create the nation’s first statewide owned utility.
Why is this important? The new statewide entity would “issue bonds to purchase the assets of the state’s two investor-owned utilities, Central Maine Power, a subsidiary of Avangrid and the state’s largest utility, and Versant Power, formerly known as Emera Maine.”
How will this be important? The goal is to make Maine the first statet o reach its 100% renewable energy state.
Energy Data Shows Renewable Cred
What’s happening? Global companies, including Google and Microsoft, have a global collaboration to get more granular energy use information to strengthen their renewable energy use data.
Why is this important? “U.K.-based EnergyTag is developing a framework to shift grid generation information to a more granular, hourly standard, and ensure companies aiming to get their electricity from zero emissions power sources are not operating in markets running off fossil fuels when intermittent resources such as wind and solar aren’t generating at full capacity”
How will this be important? It will change energy data reporting to hourly.
Every Action Has an Equal and Opposite Reaction
What’s happening? After the pipeline hack in the US, Japan announced restrictions against foreign technology in its telecom and energy infrastructure.
Why is this important? There will be many regulatory reactions to the Colonial Pipeline hack.
How will this be important? Let’s make a list of all the regulatory reactions because that will fuel business for a few years.
Nikkei Asia | Japan to restrict use of foreign tech in telecom, power grids
Let’s learn something: EV Chargers + Utility Poles
What’s happening? Data points to a 70% cost savings by mounting EVSE chargers 10 feet up a wooden utility pole.
Why is this important? The chargers are easier to service, and consumers access them by scanning a QR code at human level, and the charger lowers to them.
How will this be important? Cost savings and EV expansion- that’s what everyone and their dog wants
Smart Cities World | Utility pole-mounted EV chargers help turn Melrose green
COVID. Nevada and the EV + Renewable Bill
What is happening? Nevada is considering SB 448 (2021 | NV) that will speed the approval of transmission lines needed to move low-cost, renewable electricity, require the state’s largest utility, NV Energy, to invest $100 million in charging infrastructure for light, medium, and heavy-duty electric vehicles (EVs) over the next three years.
Why is this important? The bill will tackle a COVID angle by requiring that at least 40% of NV Energy’s investments will be made in “communities that have borne a disproportionate share of transportation pollution and have suffered most from COVID-19—a disease that is made more deadly by exposure to local air pollution.”
How will this be important? The link renewables to EVs, its happening more often and more quickly.
+1 Utility in the Electric Highway Coalition
What’s happening? National Grid has joined 7 other utilities in the Electric Highway Coalition. “Each utility within the coalition is taking steps to provide charging solutions in their service territories and collaborating to ensure accessibility, reliability, and a positive customer experience. “
Why is this important? National Grid has already deployed 1,400 charging ports with 16,000 on the way, one of the largest EV charging programs outside of California.
How will this be important? Coalitions are effective and popular. Let’s learn from it.
Niagra Frontier Publications | National Grid joins coalition to increase EV charging across US
Anatomy of a Public Service Commission Approved EV Plan
What’s happening? Florida Public Service Commission approved Duke Energy’s new multi-part electric vehicle (EV) program, is $62.9 million over the four-year period 2022-2025. The plan will include RESIDENTIAL EV NON-TIME OF USE CREDIT PROGRAM, REBATE PROGRAM FOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL (C&I) CUSTOMER CHARGING STATIONS, DUKE FLORIDA-OWNED DC FAST CHARGE (DCFC) STATION PROGRAM
Why is this important? Review it, see what you like, add it to your strategic planning.
How will this be important? We’re at the beginning of building out EV infrastructure. These approvals will ebb and flow and tweaks will occur. Pieces of other proposals will meld together until we see a model version that gets repeated.
Solar Farms and Bees
What is happening? The Texas Legislature is considering SB 1772 (2021 | TX) that would create the Texas Pollinator-Smart program to promote protection of bees at solar energy sites.
Why is this important? A couple weeks ago we talked about a pilot program in Arizona that integrated agricultural practices around and under solar installations. Ag and solar are gong hand in hand.
How will this be important? The program will award certificates to qualifying solar sites. This is the type of social impact that catches the attention of consumers as their thirst for social impact companies grows.
An Oil & Gas Company and ESG
What is happening? ConocoPhilips have mentioned ESG in their lobbying reports when discussing their interest in disclosures. Specifically, climate-related financial disclosures.
Why is this important? ConocoPhillips has been recognized by the S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2021, which includes companies with top ESG scores from the credit rating agency.
How will this be important? The new economy has brought the change from a shareholder economy to a stakeholder economy, and there is no indication of this change disappearing.
Bloomberg Law | Democrats’ ESG Drive Fuels Lobbying Bonanza in Washington
New Local Preemption: Clean Energy
What’s happening? Florida Legislature has. Package of energy related preemption bills. SB 1128 (2021 | FL) preempts natural gas bans; SB 856 (2021 | FL) preempts gas station regulations and EV Charging station regulations; SB 896 (2021 | FL) “preempts local government from deciding whether or not solar facilities should be granted permits as agricultural land and redefines pulling methane gas from a landfill as renewable energy.”
Why is this important? Preemption is the name of the game for popular Republican legislation.
How will this be important? Other levels of government will always want to control how cities govern themselves.
Miami Herald via Governing | Florida Lawmakers Pre-empt Localities on Clean Energy Regulation
Fiscal Cost of Banning Gas in Local Building Codes
What’s happening? San Francisco wants to convert more than 240,000 housing units from gas- to electric-power. The cost: $3.5 to $5.9 BILLION
Why is this important? Other cities have or are considering bans on natural gas in buildings. The options San Francisco is considering 3 options: (1) retrofitting at the time of building sale (2) at the time of natural replacement or (3) incentivizing retrofits by charging property owners a fee for greenhouse gas emissions
How will this be important? Banning the use of natural gas in buildings is a trending way for local governments to address CO2 emissions, which means these bans are going to keep on keeping on
San Francisco Chronicle via Governing | San Francisco’s Costly Plan to Ban Gas in Buildings
Samsung Construction and Trading Corporation build $673m solar power plants in Texas
What is happening? Samsung is planning the almost 700MW capacity solar array in Milam County, Texas near one of its chip manufacturing plants
Why is this important? This is part of Samsung C&T’s environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) strategy system, based on six non-financial areas: labour and human rights, environment and safety, co-prosperity, compliance, information security, and social contribution.
How will this be important? If there is 1, there are more.
Power Technology | Samsung C&T to build solar plants in Texas
Wind Power Funds Schools
What is happening? Blackwell Consolidated Independent School District provides a postsecondary scholarship of up to US$36,000 for graduates. The funding comes from a $35 million deal the school district brokered with a wind farm company in 2005,
Why is this important? “[In Texas] school districts have a strong incentive to borrow money by selling bonds to pay for capital improvements, then use revenues from the wind farms to pay off the bonds.”
How will this be important? Findings show that new wind farms result in large increases in the amount of local revenue that is brought in per student, with only small reductions in state aid
Powering EV Chargers with Renewables
What’s happening? Tesla announced that it would be powering all of its superchargers with renewable power by the end of 2021
Why is this important? Tesla also has a solar and energy storage business to accelerate renewable energy adoption
How will this be important? Rivian has also announced its own renewable powered charging network
Electrek | Tesla says it will power all Superchargers with renewable energy this year
Recycle Material Standards Legislation
What is happening? SB 5022 (2020 | WA) would require plastic containers for beverages, household cleaning products & personal care products sold in Washington state to contain up to 50% post-consumer-use recycled content by 2031. By June 2024, the use of polystyrene foam will be banned. An increase in the content of recycled material in plastic garbage bags.
Why is this important? Greater media coverage and awareness of the quantity of unrecycled plastic
How will this be important? Local governments and state governments have taken action on single use plastic, this Washington State legislation is the next step forward
Seattle Times via Governing | Washington State Bill to Reduce Plastic, Styrofoam Waste
NY Regulator Prevents Utility Owned Storage
What’s happening? The New York Public Service Commission rejected a request from state utilities to allow for utility-owned storage projects.
Why is this important? other states are considering ownership and operation of storage facilities. It is a ripe issue.
How will this be important? New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology consortium said that allowing utilities to own assets could skew the market and disadvantage developers who want to own their own assets. The consortium is good info to keep in. your memory palace.
Bill Requires Utilities to Share Cyber Security Information
What’s happening? Georgia HB 156 (2021 | GA) will require utilities to share cyber incidents with the state.
Why is this important? Worldwide utilities have been hacked, and the U.S. is keen on ensuring reliable and secure utility service.
How will this be important? Hacking information is the new frontier.
Land Men Switch Teams.
What is happening? Land men who would negotiate land deals for oil and gas industry are now working for land for wind and solar land deals.
Why is this important? As the number of land men (err… land persons) declines, they are also switching sides to represent land owners in these transactions.
How will this be important? Wind and solar installations are not shrinking in number, they are only growing. Acquiring the land or space for those will continue to require negotiations and identification.
WSJ | Landmen Who Once Staked Claims for Oil and Gas Now Hunt Wind and Sun
Bonjour, Global Power System Transformation Consortium
What is happening? A public private partnership, the Global Power System Transformation Consortium, The G-PST Consortium led by CEOs of five of the world’s leading system operators: Australia Energy Market Operator (AEMO), National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) UK, California Independent System Operator (CAISO), Ireland’s system operator (EirGrid) and Denmark’s system operator (Energinet).
Why is this important? The public private partnership goals are to improve grid reliability, resilience and security.
How will this be important? UK Secretary of State Kwasi Karteng: “Tackling climate change requires international cooperation, and if we want to successfully achieve cost-efficient, green energy networks that work for everyone, we need to work together.”
ESI Africa | Public Private Partnership to decarbonise global power systems
Cap Metro Commits to 100% Renewable
What’s happening? Austin Texas’s Capitol Metro has committed to all transit facilities and electric buses being renewable energy. Currently all transit facilities are now powered by Texas wind energy through Austin Energy’s GreenChoice program & the city has 12 electric buses in use.
Why is this important? Cap Metro is furthering Austin’s goal of 100% carbon free energy by 2035
How will this be important? CapMetro will purchase 200+ more electric buses to be 100% all-electric vehicles within the next 5 years.
CBS Austin | CapMetro commits to 100% renewable energy for all transit facilities and electric buses
TX A&M Researchers: More Reliable Grid
What’s happening? Researchers at Texas A&M are studying ways to “moderate their effects [of generation and transmission events], if not completely eliminate them, at the distribution level”
Why is this important? Texas A&M Distinguished Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering Chanan Singh proposes “trying to integrate solar and battery storage at a distribution-level framework.””
How will this be important? This research is part of a “research project being funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, but the Power On Act proposed by Cornyn and other lawmakers would set up more grant programs within that department to continue tackling this issue. It would authorize $500 million to be made available to power providers, suppliers, and distributors to fortify existing electric infrastructure.”
Commercial charging Tariff for EV
What’s happening? New York is considering S3929/A3876 which would require utilities to propose commercial tariffs for fast charging in an effort to help fleet operators go electric. The proposal would include alternatives to traditional commercial demand-based rate structures and would require consideration for the full range of electric vehicles.
Why is this important? States are till feeling their way around how to regulate EV charging. New York’s largest utility calls the legislation too prescriptive and says it will “unfairly shift costs”
How will this be important? Every state is trying to figure this out, this is a new tool for the legislative tool boxes.
Utility Dive | Tesla praises, ConEd opposes different New York EV bills
Meet the new Solar- Agrivoltaics
What’s happening? University of Arizona scientists are testing raised solar panels that can fit a tractor underneath them, and allow for the growing of plants underneath so as to benefit both the plant and the amount of solar energy stored.
Why is this important? Growing plants under the solar panels cools the solar panels. And the cooler microclimate under the solar panels means those crops need less water.
How will this be important? Agrivoltaic panels produced 3 % more energy during the May through June growing season and 1% more overall
Governing | Transforming Farms and Food Production With Solar Panels
Wastewater + Green Jobs + Sustainability + High Tech
What’s happening? Waste water is gaining ground as green, sustainable and high tech. Think of how often waste water has been central to disasters during hurricanes, winter storms, and tornadoes. Managing waste water is big business. We have 800,000 miles of public sewers in the U.S. and the 500,000 miles of private sewers.
Why is this important? During COVID waste water was tested to find hot spots for COVID as scientists grappled with tracking the rapid infections.
How will this be important? The future of wastewater is vast… wastewater can allow for methane capture, microbial fuel cells that make it possible to generate energy
Governing | Wastewater Has the Best Green Jobs Workers Don’t Know About
Utilities are Key to EV Charging Roll Out
What’s happening? The Alliance for Transportation Electrification is reminding people why utilities are pivotal in EV charger roll outs. Here’s the reasons why: utilities are better equipped to handle customer service issues, utilities can encourage charging at times better for the electric grid, and utilities can enhance customer affordability with market incentives.
Why is this important? Every state and local entities is struggling with improving chargers. Manufacturers want chargers to clam range anxiety. Charging equipment manufacturers want their product out for consumption.
How will this be important? EV production is only increasing, which m Eans the n umber of chargers is only increasing. Jump on the rain before you find yourself on the late train and the late train is pricy.
River Bender | Utilities Key to Successful EV Transition
COVID Effects: Bag Bans.
What’s happening? Philadelphia paused its plastic bag ban during lockdown. Maine is postponing its statewide plastic bag ban. The Massachusetts Governor lifted local bans during May 2020 and then reestablished the local bag bans in July 2020.
Why is this important? Plastic bag bans, plastic food containers, styrofoam containers all the local bans, have taken a backseat to the pandemic.
How will this be important? As the new normal becomes clear, these bans will be tweaked, reassessed and new version will emerge.
Route Fifty | Pandemic-Paused Plastic Bag Bans Ripped Anew by Critics
Add Connecticut to States Expanding Offshore Wind
What’s happening? The Connecticut legislature is purchasing 2 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. CT Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says if the state wants to meet its goal of sourcing all of its electricity from zero-carbon sources by 2040, it will need more offshore wind.
Why is this important? CT’s projections show it will need 5000 megawatts of offshore wind in total by 2040.
How will this be important? The state needs the Biden Administration help. To that end, to 800,000 acres in the New York Bight have been recognized the Biden Administration for wind turbine leases. Offshore wind is a state-federal partnership
Governing | Connecticut Expected to Increase Off-Shore Wind Contracts
Power Outages By the Numbers.
What’s happening? I’ll admit when I read the headline, I thought oh has to be California or maybe Texas if we factor in Winter Storm Uri. I was wrong. Maine has the highest number of power outages per year at an average of 4 outages per year and ranks 2nd in outage duration of 14 hours annually over a five-year period from 2015 to 2019
Why is this important? Watching Maine grapple with consistent electric power could be instructive. They are adding Hydropower to Western Maine & say that “expensive backup generators or battery storage are answers for some, but are not affordable to everyone, nor are microgrids for communities or islands.” A 2019 Maine law requires utilities to establish and file their emergency response plan for recovery and restoration every two years.
How will this be important? Watch their utility regulator who is considering “possibly holding utilities to performance-based standards”
Bangor Daily News via Governing | Maine Works to Resolve the Worst Power Outages in the Nation
New Report. OffShore Wind & Texas. More Power than TX Needs.
What’s happening? Environment Texas Research & Policy Center research says off shore wind could produce 166% of Texas Energy needs.
Why is this important? Earlier this year we talked about Louisiana partnering with Massachusetts, or one of the colonies, to build offshore turbines in the Gulf based on the turbines working in the Atlantic.
How will this be important? Winter Storm Uri has changed how people view energy in usually warmer states and by the looks of it, every option is on the table.
Renew Biz | Offshore wind ‘could deliver 166% of Texas power’
Texas A&M researchers. Dow Like Index for TX Energy
What’s happening? A recent Texas A&M study published in the journal Nature Communications researchers devised a metric that reflects the average price of energy in the United States
Why is this important? Researchers say pricing for energy should be beyond supply and demand. “Energy is affected by all kinds of events, including political developments, technological breakthroughs and other happenings going on at a global scale.”
How will this be important? “This metric can help guide lawmakers, government or non-government organizations and policymakers on whether, say, a particular tax policy or the impact of a technological advance is good or bad, and by how much,” Pistikopoulos said. “We now have a quantitative and accurate, predictive metric to navigate the evolving energy landscape, and that’s the real value of the index.”
Texas A&M Today | Dow-Like Index For Energy Prices Might Help Smooth Transition To Clean Power
Here’s How Kansas is Limiting Wind Farms
What’s happening? Kansas is considering SB 279 (2021 | KS). Currently Kansas gets 41% of its energy supply from wind. Makes sense, I’ve seen the Wizard of Oz. This bill will limit where wind turbines can be built. Imagine wind farms are strip clubs or bars and pull out your measuring tape, because this bill would limit wind farms to least 1.5 miles from a home, 3 miles from an airport or park, and one mile from another person’s property line.
How is this important? It is a model for those who seek to limit wind energy.
Why will this be important? Limiting where businesses or resources can be built or collected isn’t unique to Kansas or wind energy.
PA State Government Choosing Solar Power for its Buildings
What’s happening? Pennsylvania Governor announced the state would “build seven new solar arrays and create more than 400 construction jobs, calling it the largest solar commitment of any state or local government in the United States.”
Why is this important? By 2023, 1/2 of the state government’s energy needs ill be met by solar. Plus, the state is locking down its energy prices for 15 years.
How will this be important? The project is a viable template for other state governments
Route Fifty | Solar Project to Produce Half of State Government’s Electricity
State Laws and Microplastics in Water Supplies
What’s happening? In 2018 California passed a bill that required 4 years of testing water supplies for micro plastics. Now California will release the world’s first guidelines for microplastics in drinking water.
Why is this important? Last Week Tonight covered Microplastics last week. think of Microplastics like bans on plastic bags, straws, styrofoam. Its going to appear in all levels of state government.
How will this be important? Microplastics and plastics in water has impacted everything from the Arctic to the pool of plastics floating in the Pacific
CalMatters | California Is First to Tackle Microplastics in Drinking Water
Re-routing Transmission Lines with Conservation Easements
What’s happening? Imagine lands with no hard zoning so you have a conservation easement to avoid things like transmission lines in your backyard. Well, a new new Transmission Authority in Colorado would supersede the easement with eminent domain thanks to SB21-072 (2021 | CO)
Why is this important? The Transmission Authority will be funded by the existing fixed utility fund.
How will this be important? Unlike most eminent domain bills, this bill moves the power of eminent domain to a new entity that is not accountable to voters or a direct governing body that is elected.
Colorado Politics | OPINION | Pending bill gives away your say over utilities
Maine Legislature: Pause Community Solar
What’s happening? Maine Legislature wants to pause community solar so that those projects cannot get ratepayer-sponsored credits that are provided under the so-called “net energy billing” program through at least June 2021.
Why is this important? This move is in response to 2019 legislation that created an array of new incentives for community solar. Regulators warned that the incentives could add tens of millions of dollars a year to electricity bills in Maine.
How will this be important? In reacting to the impact of incentives, the legislators left residential roof top solar in tact.
Maine Public Radio | Legislative Committee Proposes Temporary Moratorium On Community Solar Projects
Why did Australia Switch Off Solar to Stabilize the Grid?
What’s happening? To stabilize the grid, Australian regulators remotely switch off thousands of household solar panels to avoid blackouts.
Why is this important? Unlike what we hear about in North America, this was a result of South Australia experiencing “near-record minimum demand levels for electricity from the grid” during a planned outage of circuit. Earlier in the weekend the grid experienced too high demand.
How will this be important? Grid stabilization is key when use is too high and too low. Plan accordingly.
Funding the Plugging of Abandoned Wells
What’s happening? Colorado has 60,000 abandoned wells that need to be plugged at a cost of $140,000 each for a total of more than $8 billion.
Why is this important? CO’s law says industry is to pay in a system of blanket bonding for the clean up. The state has only collected $125 million. IN 2019, the state gave local government more powers over oil well clean up.
How will this be important? When Colorado dug into this, other regulations were changed too. Including that regulators banned the burning off or releasing of natural gas, a routine drilling practice, & created a broad range of wildlife and public health protection policies
Route Fifty | In Colorado, the Looming Liability of Oil and Gas Cleanup
Meet the New Kid: Gambit Energy Storage LLC
What’s happening? Gambit Energy Storage LLC is an entity under the Elon Musk corporate umbrella that is installing more than 100 megawatt energy storage project in Angleton, Texas. It could power 20,000 homes on a Texas summer day.
Why is this important? Commercial operation date of June 1, just when Texas heat begins to ramp up.
How will this be important? “It wouldn’t surprise me if Musk is thinking about starting his own power company.”- Former City Manager of Angleton, TX
Gov Tech | Tesla Quietly Plugs Giant Battery into the Texas Energy Grid
How ME & MA are using batteries for grid resiliency.
What’s happening? A $5 million battery project in Maine, will charge at night with cheaper electricity, and can be released by the region’s grid operators in Massachusetts, who can remotely dispatch those batteries and send enough power flowing to run 4,000 or so homes for up to two hours
Why is this important? 3 benefits the grid operators point to is (1) reduced reliance on fossil fuel generation (2) the ability to soak up excess output from a fast-growing fleet of solar and wind projects (3) to keep the region’s electric system stable and reliable.
How will this be important? Safe, stable grids are policymakers golden ticket whether the state faces blackouts, wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, or just peak usage.
Portland Press Herald via Governing | Batteries Will Store and Send Excess Power to Maine Households
Winter Storm 2021 Relief. Kansas Small Business Loan Programs
What’s happening? Kansas policy makers reached an agreement to use idle funds in the state treasury to power $100 million. It will offer the loans at a below-market rate.
Why is it important? States that experienced WinterStorm 2021 are struggling for way to help businesses.
How will this be important? Stakeholders agree there is more to do to address structural problems in the system, but these below market rate loans
Governing | Kansas Rushes Bill to Help Residents With High Energy Bills
WinterStorm 2021 Legislation. High Consumer Bills in Kansas.
What’s happening? Kansas has a new program to provide loans to municipalities. The loans would be repaid over 10 years, ensuring protection of ratepayers.
Why is this important? Kansas isn’t the only state hit by energy issues because of the Winter Storms of 2021.
How will this be important? The Governor of Kansas signed the bill, after it had passed the House Committee 12 hours earlier.
Governing | Kansas Rushes Bill to Help Residents With High Energy Bills
The Power of 6 Utilities to Proliferate EV Chargers
What’s happening? The Electric Highway Coalition, made up of the Tennessee Valley Authority, Southern Co., Duke Energy, American Electric Power (AEP), Dominion Energy and Entergy Corp are joining forces to develop a network of DC fast chargers to quickly recharge electric vehicles (EV) traveling along major highways from the Atlantic Coast to the Gulf and Central Plains regions
Why is this important? The companies are building out EV chargers in their own territories and will join with other networks of rapid chargers being added by EVgo in 34 states and Electrify America
How will this be important? As economist predict the growth of EV, charging infrastructure supports more EV purchases and the jobs to build the backbone of charging infrastructure and operation.
Is charging your EV the new gig economy entrant?
What’s happening? SparkCharge that we talked about earlier this year after it announced its partnership with AllState, is moving toward on demand charging. It also has partnerships with vehicle services startup, Spiffy
Why is this important? Its the first company to allow EV customers to say that they want a charge at this point in time at this location and this much range.
How will this be important? All services are working toward greater personalization for the end user. And now it’s EV charging.
Tech Crunch | Is EV charging the next gig for the gig economy? SparkCharge thinks so
TX Winter Storm 2021. Ripple Effect in SC
What’s happening? South Carolina legislators are reviewing their electric generation capacity and grid access to determine whether the state can withstand storms.
Why is this important? South Carolina’s review came after its Governor asked for the review by regulatory staff. A full study is due at the end of the year.
How will this be important? We’ll see more of this where one state experiences a tragic event, and a second state asks its regulator to test run the tragic event to determine flaws in state two’s response.
WIS 10 | Lawmakers review SC’s electric grid in aftermath of Texas winter storm
Bill to Push Natural Gas Use in Homes
What’s happening? Indiana is considering HB 1191 (2021 | IN) that will limit cities and local governments from banning any specific type of fuel source for appliances and heating homes.
Why is this important? IN is enacting the exact opposite of other states and cities where we’re seeing an electrification of building codes, and specific prohibitions on natural gas.
How will this be important? The battle between natural gas and electrification is ongoing.
Indianapolis Star | Indiana Proposes Bill to Protect Natural Gas Use in Homes
Homes as Power Stations. Is this the future?
What is happening? Sweden is is transforming homes into highly efficient ‘prosumers’ – buildings which both produce and consume the vast majority of their own energy. 54% of Swedens power is renewable from hydropower and biomass.
Why is this important? In 1948 Sweden began using excess steam from power generation facilities to heat nearby buildings and roads through a series of underground pipes. Practicality is their nature.
How will this be important? Their politics might be quickly dismissed by some, but the data people think Sweden has managed to balance high carbon taxes with low energy rates to top the Forum’s Energy Transition Index
The Print | How Sweden is transforming its homes into power stations
How does Cyber Security & Texas Grid Blackout Relate to each other?
What’s happening? Former Texas Congressman Will Hurd said the Texas blackouts raise cyber security issues because enemies of the state could use what happened in Texas as a model for a cybersecurity attack.
Why is this important? Resiliency, Reliability and Security are all up for grabs in the reforms that will follow the 2021 Texas Winter Storm.
How will this be important? Hurd has backed the Future Leaders Fund to increase diversity in the Republican Party.
KTSA | Former Congressman Raises Cyber Security Concerns Following Texas Power Grid Failure
On Demand EV Charging Start Up.
What’s happening? SparkCharge has a portable electric vehicle charging system, the Roadie. They’re partnering with Allstate Roadside, Spiffy, HONK Technologies, and Mark Cuban to launch BoostEV, an on-demand mobile EV charging network.
Why is this important? How to charge for EV charging is a legislative and regulatory great area. Sparkcharge is launching across the country in 12 cities including New York, Chicago, San Diego, Dallas, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
How will this be important? Is SparkCharge pricing model of SparkCharge’s partners being responsible for setting the pricing for the BoostEV charging service the right model? Who knows. This is largely unchartered waters.
Business Insider | Tech startup SparkCharge to roll out an on-demand EV charging service
Texas Winter Storm 2021. Impact of Export Ban on Natural Gas.
What’s happening? During the power outages in Texas last week, Governor Abbott declared a statewide emergency that led to an order prohibiting oil and gas companies from exporting natural gas. Priority of natural gas was given to residents and facilities in Texas.
Why is this important? 60% of Mexico’s power generation relies on Texas natural gas supply.
How will this be important? “The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, known as ERCOT, that oversees most of the state’s electrical power grid, also did not have an actual number of power generation plants forced offline due to insufficient natural gas. ” One of the big questions Texas officials will resolve.
WFAA | Abbott’s natural gas export ban causes energy crisis across the border in Mexico
The Next 35GW in Texas
What’s happening? Data from ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council Of Texas Inc.) says texas will add 35 gigawatts (GW) of solar and wind power capacity in the coming few years & 26GW of battery storage.
Why is this important? The benefit of solar, wind and battery storage are at issue during the hearings related to the blackouts from the 2021 Texas Winter Storm.
How will this be important? The Texas electric system has been declared an emergency legislative item by Governor Greg Abbott.
4 Part Energy Storage Study
What’s the deal? National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) launched its Storage Futures to create a framework for a “dramatic increase in deployment” and “answer the big questions around the role of storage in our future grid.”
Why is this important? Report 1 of 4 covers deployment and breaks battery storage into 4 categories that can help jurisdictions adopt battery storage.
- Units that function as operating reserves and last about an hour fall under phase 1
- Phase 2: devices that help with peaking capacity and last 2-6 hours
- Phase 3: includes daytime capacity and energy-time shifting units that last 4 to 12 hours
- Phase 4: multi-day or seasonal capabilities as well as energy-time shifting potential in storage units that last 12 hours or longer.
How will this be important? Physical scientists, utilities, and policy makers could find common terms to use when discussing the evolution of the grid.
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