Legislation and action ramps up for virtual power plant industry
RMI’s virtual power plant coalition (VP3) released a progress report that indicates that state legislators, regulators and utilities initiated, advanced or expanded policy in support of virtual power plants.
Solar-friendly policies that states can pursue to control the cost of electricity
Solar-friendly policies that include demand flexibility, advanced conductors and virtual power plants, as well as lesser-known approaches, can help control the cost of electricity, says RMI.
Sunrise brief: Solar stocks plummet, market is “wildly emotional” about Trump
Also on the rise: 500 GW of solar could interconnect at existing fossil-fired generators. The great untapped potential of virtual power plants
global installed PV capacity tops 2 TW. And more.
The great untapped potential of virtual power plants
We need every tool in the toolkit to improve grid reliability, and we need them now, RMI’s managing director, Mark Dyson, told the pv magazine USA Week audience.
Solar electricity “a good idea” for 83% of poll respondents
Support for solar electricity has declined by 8% since 2013, according to a recent RFF poll.
FERC transmission rule to shore up the nation’s power grid
The ruling, which is being praised by industry groups, is the first time in more than a decade that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has addressed regional transmission policy as well as the need for long-term transmission planning.
EPA releases final rules on reducing pollution from fossil-fuel plants
According to the EPA, the climate and health benefits of the rule that plants must control 90% of their carbon pollution substantially outweigh the compliance costs.
Grid operator PJM could add 5.5 GW of renewables with grid-enhancing technologies
Deploying GETs technologies in the PJM grid region would have a 70-to-1 benefit-cost ratio, finds an analysis by Quanta Technology. The nonprofit RMI published the analysis, and aims for it to be replicated to evaluate GETs in interconnection studies.
SolarEdge joins Xcel Energy’s virtual power plant incentive program in Colorado
The Renewable Battery Connect initiative will call on home battery owners to discharge power to the grid when electricity demand is especially high, and provide them with financial incentives in return.
Stiff competition predicted for USDA $9.7 billion focused on renewables
Modeling shows that five of the nation’s 63 rural generation and transmission cooperative utilities alone could cost-effectively install 19 GW of solar and 7 GW of storage with support from a USDA program.
