Geothermal developer Mazama Energy aims for 5¢/kWh power
Mazama Energy says it has accessed a world-record high temperature geothermal resource, and that hotter underground rocks can enable lower-cost power.
New York utility aims to expand its flexible interconnection pilot
After operating a 15 MW solar plant with flexible interconnection that requires occasional curtailment but not grid upgrades, Avangrid seeks to expand flexible interconnection to additional portions of its distribution grid.
Solar deployment and policies have had a mixed effect on electricity prices, researchers find
While large-scale solar and wind deployment “may have reduced” retail electricity prices over the past five years, net energy metering and renewable portfolio standards generally increased prices, the researchers found. But states with the highest renewable generation in 2024 had among the lowest prices.
19 states sue EPA to reinstate $7 billion of Solar for All funding
The lawsuit alleges that EPA’s cancellation of Solar for All grants violated a federal law and a provision of the U.S. Constitution, and asks the court to reinstate the grants. A second lawsuit seeks reimbursement for damages sustained by grant awardees when the grants were canceled.
Rondo Energy’s 100 MWh heat battery powered by 20 MW of onsite solar
Heat batteries for storing industrial heat can also be powered by low-cost grid electricity generated at sunny and windy hours, the company said.
PJM grid region needs 16 GW of storage by 2032, says Brattle study
“Without decisive action” to add storage, “millions of homes and businesses could face costly and dangerous reliability risks,” said the trade group sponsoring the study. “Hundreds of storage projects are stalled in PJM’s interconnection queue,” it added.
Court orders FEMA to consider distributed solar and storage for Puerto Rico hurricane recovery
“We look forward to FEMA’s new review,” said an attorney for the plaintiffs. Up to $11 billion in federal funds may still be available for Puerto Rico to recover from grid damage sustained from 2017’s Hurricane Maria.
California required new hardware for dynamic pricing, and manufacturers built it
As California works to launch opt-in dynamic pricing of electricity that favors low-cost renewables, three manufacturers now offer 73 models of a type of price-responsive device.
As bidirectional EV charging grows, utility group suggests requiring interconnection
Interconnection of bidirectional EV chargers can enable grid compensation for EV owners while enhancing safety, says a report that offers comprehensive guidance for regulators.
California allows flexible interconnection for distributed solar, storage to avoid grid upgrades
California is the first state to enable distributed solar or storage projects to use flexible interconnection, but the hardware required to flexibly control output may not yet be available.
