Renewable Energy and DERs Are a Better Deal than New Gas Generation Almost Every Time
Utilities and independent power producers (IPPs) plan to invest $110 billion through 2025 to build new, natural gas-fired power plants. They, their shareholders and society would be better served were that capital invested in new, distributed, renewable power generation and distributed energy resources (DERs), including utility-customer demand response and energy efficiency programs, the Rocky Mountain Institute says.
Clean Energy Leadership Emerging in Washington, DC
About a month ago, legislators for the District of Columbia introduced a bill that, if passed, could revolutionize how utilities deliver power to customers. The bill is known as the Distributed Energy Resources Authority Act. It would establish an independent body that ensures DC utilities look at non-wires alternatives whenever they propose to spend more than $25M on construction to expand capacity or enhance reliability. The independent body would determine if any of the capacity or reliability requirements could be met with energy efficiency, demand response or distributed energy resources (DERs) like solar and storage.
U.S. Department of Energy announces funding for six marine energy projects
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a total of $6.7 million in funding to six recipients, with the goal of developing innovative marine energy technologies "capable of generating reliable and cost-effective electricity from U.S. water resources."
PennWell Partners with Folds of Honor Foundation
In commemoration of Flag Day, PennWell Corp. is partnering with the Folds of Honor Foundation to raise money for military families. The effort is in conjunction with PennWell’s Wall of Honor, a traveling wall highlighting the names of our military service personnel (past and present) and displayed at all PennWell power generation events in North America. The wall displays the branch, the company and the name of each person honored.
Want To Save the World with Your Brilliant Clean Energy Idea?
A new partnership between Enel and InnoCentive focuses on the power of the crowd to solve many of the world’s sustainable energy challenges.
A California Startup That Cools With Ice Raises $40 Million
Ice Energy, a California firm that uses chunks of ice to cool buildings, has secured $40 million in financing from private equity group Argo Infrastructure Partners LLC.
Tesla Plans China Plant With 500,000 Vehicle Capacity
Tesla Inc. is planning a factory in China with a capacity for 500,000 vehicles a year, its biggest step beyond the U.S. so far, according to people familiar with the matter. Tesla is due to sign a memorandum of understanding with local entities in Shanghai, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information isn’t public. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk was to be in the city for an event with the government on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported earlier. A Tesla representative in China didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Global Investments in Electricity Beat Investments in Oil and Gas for Second Year in a Row
IEA report reveals that more than US $750 billion went to the electricity sector while US $715 billion was spent on oil and gas supply globally as the world continues on the path to electrification.
Dominion Energy Files 1st Plan under Grid Transformation & Security Act
US utility Dominion Energy has filed grid modernization plans with the Virginia State Corporation Commission.
The Higher Efficiency State: Massachusetts or California?