Morning Brief: Solar and wind are the cheapest new sources of electricity, Appalachian Power halts distributed projects
Also in the brief: Ohio regulators have approved an 80 MW array, Sierra Club responds to Duke’s climate report, Rhode Island funds brownfield projects and more.
Solar beats gas when utilities use all-source procurements
With an all-source procurement, a utility solicits bids to identify the costs of solar, wind and storage, which can be “significantly less expensive than new gas,” as an Indiana utility found. A clean energy group calls for state regulators to require all-source procurements, for the vertically integrated utilities that serve half the country.
Duke doubles renewable goals while staying committed to fossils
The utility giant now owns or purchases 8,000 MW of renewable generation, with plans to double that mark by 2025. However, while the company eyes zero-carbon electricity by 2050, it maintains that natural gas will remain a crucial source to achieve this goal.
Rebuilding the West through bold investment in clean energy
Renewable energy development can be the catalyst for restoring our economic strength post-Covid-19. Founders of Navajo Power along with Kevin De Leon, Los Angeles City Council candidate, make their case.
Solar and storage installers officially considered essential workers in California
The list of essential workers during the pandemic includes reporters, liquor store employees, and workers supporting cannabis retail.
Morning Brief: New Zealand invests in flow batteries, ‘NextGrid’ goes off the rails
Also in the brief: Tesla’s Q Con virtual power plant presentation, the University of Arkansas’ solar design contest, M&A during the pandemic, dodecahedrons and more
Pandemic-related uncertainty in the US solar industry — and the case for an ITC extension
Renewable energy industry officials are hopeful that a post-pandemic comeback is possible in 2021 but, “Supply chain issues haven’t played out yet,” said George Strobel of Monarch Capital.
Electricity consumption up for pizza and liquor stores, down for dry cleaning and religion
Electrical demand across most, but not all, industries is down due to the pandemic. Yet, while hospitals and pizza shops drive demand, it remains to be seen how much of this new load will be met with renewable energy.
Morning Brief: What does the pandemic mean for the energy transition?
Also in the brief: Michigan solar installers say their future depends on lifting the energy cap. Plus, chickens.
California values distributed energy resources fairly — and ratepayers score a big win
Until now, the value of distributed energy resources has been robbed by as much as 50% because the CPUC’s avoided cost calculators did not include avoided transmission costs in valuations of DERs.
