Massachusetts allows increased demand charges to drive energy storage
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has approved a rate change that allows large electricity customers, specifically large business customers, to pay a transmission coincident peak demand charge instead of a volumetric transmission charge.
Enhanced geothermal projects could scale greatly as costs decline
A team of researchers and industry participants predict a significant near-term energy contribution from enhanced geothermal projects, saying in a journal article that the technology could provide “stable baseload and potentially dispatchable electricity.”
OpenADR 3.0 standard can maximize demand flexibility to help integrate renewables
Berkeley Lab’s CalFlexHub says global adoption of an improved communications method can foster a transition from event-based demand response to continuous price-based demand flexibility—increasing demand for renewable power at sunny and windy times.
Sunrise brief: U.S. electricity rates rise about 5% annually, outpacing inflation
Also on the rise: Half of distribution transformers are approaching end of life. Agrivoltaic pilot program announced in New Jersey. And more.
U.S. electricity rates rise about 5% annually – outpacing inflation
While electricity generation costs have gone down thanks to technology like solar and wind, transmission and distribution costs have driven bills higher, said a report from Lawrence Berkeley National laboratory.
Solar-plus-storage dominating future U.S. power grid
A report from Berkeley Lab reveals a significant expansion of solar-plus-storage facilities in the U.S. power plant market, highlighting an evolution from frequency to arbitrage and curtailment mitigation markets. The best is yet to come, as ongoing price decreases are still being absorbed by the market and are already being used to fill the interconnection queues with terrawatts of capacity.
California advances flexible demand that can absorb renewable power
With flexible demand appliance standards for pool controls set to take effect in California next year, the state is now developing standards for electric storage water heaters, to be followed by standards for five more types of appliances.
Research shows wind and solar produce tens of billions in U.S. health benefits per year
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab says benefits from lowered emissions are larger than most prior estimates.
NREL-led consortium releases PV reliability forecasting tools
The Durable Module Materials consortium (DuraMAT) announced in its latest annual report the availability of new PV forecasting tools, and new research results towards the goal of more reliable PV modules.
Renewables and storage interconnection backlog grew about 30% last year
The wait for transmission interconnection studies constitutes a “major bottleneck” for solar, storage and wind projects, which accounted for over 95% of all active capacity awaiting studies at the end of 2023, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has reported.
