As more buildings use heat pumps, four technologies can provide grid support
Wider use of electric heat pumps to heat buildings creates a larger market for renewable energy, but also presents challenges, which can be met through building insulation and weatherization, cold climate heat pumps, thermal energy storage systems, and higher-voltage distribution grids, a report says.
Tribal fund will support predevelopment costs for 2 GW to 6 GW of solar on tribal lands
A tribal clean energy fund has raised $30 million to fund predevelopment costs for solar projects on tribal lands. Meeting predevelopment milestones will enable tribal communities to apply for federal loan support to complete the projects.
Two utilities share their experience with reconductoring that can enable more solar
While replacing existing transmission lines known as conductors with advanced conductors could enable 764 GW of transmission-connected solar by 2035, some utilities are slow to adopt the technology. Two utilities that have used advanced conductors for years shared their experiences on a webinar.
California utility offers bidirectional EV charging at dynamic hourly rates
Customers of California utility PG&E who own certain models of electric vehicles may enroll in a pilot program for bidirectional EV charging. The program aims to show how improving distribution circuit utilization can keep customer costs down, by reducing the need for distribution upgrades.
Large utilities plan to replace only half their fossil generation by 2035
The Sierra Club, an environmental group with a focus on reducing fossil fuel pollution, has graded 75 utilities on their resource plans through 2035. The average grade was a “D.”
Enabling distributed battery owners in every state to earn compensation
To help states launch programs to compensate owners of distributed batteries for providing energy at peak times, Solar United Neighbors has developed model legislative language. Under one approach, the owner of a 5 kW battery could earn $1,100 per year.
A high-renewables grid with faster transmission buildout can save $270 billion or more
The U.S. Department of Energy found increasing levels of savings under a high-renewables grid across three transmission frameworks: first, accelerated transmission expansion, then point-to-point high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission, then HVDC using more flexibly sized multiterminal converters.
Groups challenge TVA’s draft resource plan that commits to only 3 GW solar
Critics say the federally owned utility TVA, now at 2% solar, plans more gas units, no solar-plus-storage and no long-term storage, in a resource plan that lacks transparency, with no public hearing planned. They asked TVA’s board to ensure improvements.
How to quickly add gigawatts of batteries to the PJM grid
Mid-Atlantic grid operator PJM has a ready opportunity to enable substantially more battery capacity and prevent a near-term resource adequacy shortfall, says a trade group report.
Reaching 45% solar generation would save Southeast utilities $20 billion/year
Annual savings of $20 billion are possible across six Southeastern states by reaching 45% solar generation by 2035, according to a national laboratory study.
