US Department of Energy launches partnership to speed interconnection
A new partnership that engages grid operators, utilities, clean energy developers, regulators, and DOE’s national laboratories aims to lower costs and reduce wait times for utility scale solar projects connecting to the grid.
US Navy aims for 100% carbon-free electricity by 2030
“Climate change is one of the most destabilizing forces of our time, exacerbating other national security concerns and posing serious readiness challenges,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, in announcing the target.
Georgia solar association calls for Georgia Power to add 4 GW of near-term solar
Higher natural gas prices call for more near-term solar, said Georgia’s solar trade group in testimony on Georgia Power’s proposed resource plan, adding that a utility cap on rooftop solar should be lifted. Two other groups challenged the utility’s modeling choices.
Western and Southeastern utilities’ progress in advancing 194 GW of solar projects is a mystery
As Western and Southeastern utilities process 194 GW of solar interconnection requests, we asked 20 of them about the final cost studies they completed last year, which would permit projects to move forward. Then we turned to Berkeley Lab analyses for more insights.
Group using NREL’s free ReEDs model validates 100% renewables by 2035 for 24 states
For 24 states whose governors support climate action, reaching 100% renewable electricity by 2035 would cost less than a “no new policy” scenario, the Union of Concerned Scientists found.
Sunrun says better policy is needed to add “vast” amounts of distributed solar and storage
“Given our climate crisis, state utility commissions must act with urgency and prioritize innovation in the way utilities are regulated,” says the Sunrun policy team in a paper. Noting great progress by Hawaii and Vermont, they also call for state regulators to “rethink” how utilities make money.
Senator Markey blasts “minimizing our potential for renewables” or MOPR rule in New England
“It’s time for ISO-New England to get out of the way” of renewables, said Senator Markey. He and Senators Warren and Sanders have asked federal energy regulators to end an anti-renewables rule in New England formally known as the “minimum offer price rule.”
NREL’s eight storage projections through 2050
NREL’s final report on the future of storage, drawing from a series of six in-depth studies, presents “key learnings” from across those studies.
To speed interconnection, consider public control of grid operators, says law professor
To speed interconnection of utility-scale solar and storage, “maybe we want somebody running the show that has more of an interest in getting all these resources in the grid,” said law professor Shelley Welton in a webinar for “100% clean energy states.”
IREC aims to help 35 states speed interconnection of distributed storage
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council, lead developer of a toolkit to make it faster and less costly to interconnect distributed storage, now turns to helping states use the toolkit to update their interconnection rules.
