Colleen Smith

Must See Webinar: How the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is Creating New Pathways for Grid Decarbonization 🔌🌿 Join us for a crucial discussion on Pathways to IRA: Pioneering New Routes for Grid Decarbonization. This in-depth session will unravel the transformative role of the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Tax Credit Transfer in fueling diverse opportunities for greener energy solutions. 🔍 Dive deep into: - The mechanics behind IRA’s groundbreaking tax credits for standalone storage. - Strategies for unlocking utility-scale storage solutions. - The significant impact on bolstering the surge of renewable energy. 🚀 Whether you’re an industry professional, an environmental advocate, or simply curious about the future of energy, this webinar promises to provide invaluable insights into the innovative financial structures driving our grid's decarbonization. Watch now: http://spr.ly/6045bLBLJ #Decarbonization #SustainabilityStrategy #GreeningTheGrid #SustainableBusiness #Webinar #EnterpriseCaseStudies

6

Spurred by a LI post from Matt Golden, EPDI hosted its first Policy Chat last month. With a lively discussion, participants made some real progress on the conversation around the definition of virtual power plants. https://lnkd.in/gWyyzYZU #vpp #cleanenergy #energytransition

3

1 Comment

REsurety's Lee Taylor is a contributor on the policy brief: Assessing the Impact of Voluntary Actions on the Grid, that was published today from RMI with other contributors from National Renewable Energy Laboratory, WattTime.org and Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). Summary: The urgency of the climate crisis is leading many large energy consumers to consider how they can more accurately assess the impacts of various potential actions on grid decarbonization. This paper provides an overview of the ZEROgrid Impact Advisory Initiative’s collective findings on consequential impact and reliability assessments, their implications, and areas where further research is required. This consensus paper is intended for corporate practitioners and policymakers navigating policy, investment, and procurement decisions that affect grid decarbonization and reliability. Download the brief here: https://lnkd.in/ekiTzFNC #renewableenergy #cleanenergy

5

The current U.S. interconnection and transmission system is need of structural reforms in order to rapidly deploy clean energy projects and meet our climate goals. SI2’s recently released whitepaper offers clear guidance on how policymakers and regulators can create a more effective regional transmission planning processes in order to lower interconnection costs and strengthen the transmission system, accelerating clean energy deployment. Learn more on the steps that need to be taken in order to fully implement the U.S.’ clean energy goals. https://lnkd.in/erUtxfNF 

1

When FERC makes decisions, renewable energy developers listen. Here's the latest, including  PJM capacity market reforms and a revised transmission planning and cost allocation rule. #DriveEnergyForward, https://lnkd.in/eib9BFzy

1

Unintended Consequences of Well-Intended Regulations: In this recent article for Energy Marketing Conferences (EMC) Insider, I explain in very simple terms how carbon #capandtrade systems can undermine the #voluntarymarket for #cleanenergy if regulators do not set-aside allowances to account for #voluntaryprocurement. If you want your clean energy purchases to have greater impact , this is just another example of why you should look to Center for Resource Solutions and its Green-e© certified renewable energy.

7

Good climate news! 🔌 In the past few weeks, the U.S. power grid bottleneck saw a few new breakthroughs: 🔌 FERC now *requires* grid operators to plan for future demand. 🔌 The administration's Bipartisan Permitting Reform Implementation Rule sets a 2-year deadline for federal environmental reviews of all energy projects. 🔌 And the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will aim to streamline transmission project permitting by coordinating all environmental reviews and permits under one program. Full breakdown of the 3 new rules here! https://lnkd.in/g6H9psiz Importantly, while these rules are fantastic for building transmission, they don't accomplish everything proposed by the 3 bills the Climate Changemakers network is currently pushing to advance: CETA, the BIG WIRES Act, and the SITE Act. As with most things, for permanent and catalytic change, we need an act of Congress! See our under-an-hour Action Playbooks for making this happen: https://lnkd.in/gqtxKmK7

3

Come to hear two big brains on utility policy and EVs. Stay for the optimism and insights on what to expect in the near term. We're entering a pivotal moment in EVs. It's time to deliver on infrastructure promises for all vehicle types. The utilities are the driving force behind the power delivery necessary for this to happen. Two industry leaders, Brian Wilkie and Nadia El Mallakh joined me to talk about EV grid integration. Check it out on YouTube below or your favorite podcast app. Are utilities up to the challenge? What do you think? https://lnkd.in/eSTSFXVE

46

3 Comments

I have noted that despite dramatic decreases in the cost of solar panels over the last decade, followed by an additional (artificial) 50% drop just in the last year, such that panel costs are less than 20% of utility scale system costs, buyers continue to focus almost solely on module costs. I have suggested a more holistic perspective that looks at LCOE and competitiveness with other generation forms, not just panel cost. This recent work by Lazard notes that the levelized cost of electricity from solar is less than 1/2 the cost of competing fossil fuel sources. As this article in by Ryan Kennedy at pv magazine Global puts it: "Solar at the utility-scale is far lower in cost than the LCOE of coal, the least-expensive source of fossil fuel generation. Coal LCOE ranges $69 to $169 per MWh, making it nearly double the average LCOE of utility-scale solar assets. Meanwhile, natural gas peaker plants are highly inefficient in LCOE, ranging from $110 to $228 per MWh. Nuclear energy had the highest utility-scale LCOE with an average of $182 per MWh." This work makes clear that even a fairly significant increase in solar panel costs in the US occurs due to policies that restrict the current dumping behaviors will not shift the competitive dynamics in energy generation in the US; solar will continue to be the lowest cost form of generation and make more sense to deploy than fossil fuel generation. https://lnkd.in/e37QWZmC)

17

1 Comment

This week's Five Climate Stories to Watch as chosen by the Climate & Capital Media team: 1. SWind, solar, and hydropower meet 100% of demand on the state’s grid for 30 days running — a new record on its path to net zero emissions electricity by 2045. 2. Tesla to cut 14,000 jobs amid a slowdown in demand and fierce price war. Meanwhile, sales of hybrid models outpace EVs.  3. Despite climate commitments, Prime Minister Modi extends the life of old, coal-burning plants to keep up with red-hot economic growth. 4. Home damages cost UK insurance companies a record £2.55 billion (US$3.17 billion) in 2023, an increase of nearly 10% over 2022, driven by extreme weather. 5. The deaths of sharks, rays, and mantas highlight climate-caused “upwelling” in oceans. https://lnkd.in/gzAPn65 Follow Climate & Capital Media for stories focused on the business of climate change — the intersection of investment and sustainability. In addition to our stories on the opportunities and risks of the fast-moving #climate economy, our subscribers receive our Editor's letter on trends and important issues, including our Five Stories of the Week. Sign up for free via https://lnkd.in/gJMkwdAg.

1

Generating and demand resources help meet New England’s electricity needs, and state policies are transforming the resource mix. Learn about how your state fits into the regional power grid here: https://lnkd.in/eCfNeU8M

39

As the Illinois Manufacturers'​ Associationhas constantly and consistently noted, any energy transition needs to be smooth and seamless with proper on and off-ramps. Prematurely forcing the closure of baseload generation through government mandates without capacity to replace that energy will be devastating for the economy, especially the American manufacturing sector that uses 1/3 of all energy. PJM Interconnection has previously released a report highlighting serious concerns with both energy generation and transmission. PJM is the power market for 65 million people in 13 Eastern and Great Lakes states including northern Illinois. Now, a study by the Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG) estimates that PJM could face seriously diminished power reserves as soon as the end of the decade if demand grows too fast, new wind and solar power arrives too slowly, and coal- and gas-fired plants retire too soon. This warning comes from an organization that advocates for carbon-free power to combat the climate change threat and at a time when the ICC is undertaking a Future of Gas workshop series that could further limit the use of natural gas, a fuel that has led to a huge reduction in emissions over the last decade and reduced energy costs. This is a major issue for a state like Illinois that is focused on growing manufacturing, data centers, and quantum that are all large energy users. To be clear, manufacturers have reduced emissions more than any other sector since 1990 (EIA data) while simultaneously increasing production and economic output. Manufacturers and energy generation need access to technology like Carbon Capture and other innovative technology to further reduce their footprint while growing. https://lnkd.in/gApt4CsB

14

TODAY: A new report by National Renewable Energy Laboratory explores the barriers and opportunities for interregional transmission, a key tool for a cleaner, more reliable grid. Historically, regulatory challenges have prevented realizing the full value of interregional transmission. NREL’s report, a complement to GDO’s National Transmission Planning Study, outlines potential changes to market and operating rules to help connect high demand areas to renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eF95GU8w

28

1 Comment

🚨🚨𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿’𝘀 𝗡𝗘𝗠-𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀 🔋 Demand for rooftop solar has crashed in #California since the introduction of NEM 3.0. Several other states are mulling similar cuts to #PV net metering programs. The transition to California’s new net metering 3.0 (NEM 3.0) regime was justified, in part, as a way to support residential energy storage installations, but the state policy has pushed rooftop #solar off a cliff.⚡️ California, once known as a #cleanenergy leader, has fallen off track with its clean energy goals. That was the view shared recently by the California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA) during a panel discussion at the Intersolar North America 2024 conference in San Diego, California. -------------------------- 📌We're a simple and easy-to-access platform for posting and applying for #sustainability jobs. 📌#hiring. Stay with us 😊🥰

3

2 Comments

As #city after city reels under the worst water crisis, the urgency to address water shortage has never been more prominent. This calls for #sustainable actions, #innovation on multiple fronts, and bringing those directly impacted by the #watercrisis to the locus of the solution space. In this LiveMint article, our Co-founder and Director, Dharmendra chandurkar, discusses citizen-centric approaches leveraging behavioral insights as one of the lines of action towards sustainable solutions to ameliorate the #crisis. #behavioralinsights #waterconservation #citiesandclimatechange #urbanwater #behavioraleconomics #behavioralscience #humanbehavior #climatechange #climateaction #sustainability #sustainablelifestyles

3

The U.S. government's Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program (ERCIP) is pivotal in strengthening public utilities nationwide. One of POWER's articles in Energy Central's March/April 2024 edition, written by the Government Services Division's Steve Wirsching, delves into how ERCIP is driving advancements in energy infrastructure, ensuring a robust and resilient future. In case you missed it - Discover how these strategic investments foster innovation and sustainability in the energy sector. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gA5C3Ygs

31

Alaska local governments who need support addressing their energy needs should consider joining the webinar tomorrow to learn more about the technical assistance available via ETIPP.

3