Michael Darr’s Post

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has spent two years working on what could be the most important nationwide transmission grid reform in decades. Next week, it plans to finally announce its decision — and the implications for the clean energy transition are huge. FERC’s goal is to set rules for utilities and grid operators to plan for and fairly share the costs of expanding the nation’s overtaxed transmission grids, which carry electricity from where it’s produced to the substations where it’s distributed to where it’s consumed. The U.S. needs to build these new power lines at a rapid clip in order to shift the country from fossil fuels to clean, cheap, and reliable power, but right now the buildout is far too slow, due in large part to the cost-sharing issues FERC aims to iron out next week. As the regulator prepares to unveil its long-awaited reforms, FERC Chair Willie Phillips must navigate a key conflict, one that has split states — and Phillips’ two fellow FERC commissioners — along policy and partisan lines. That conflict is over clean energy policies, and whether the states that don’t have them should have to pay for power lines that they see as primarily supporting the climate objectives of other states. By mandating some form of cooperation on grid expansion, the upcoming decision “could enable hundreds of gigawatts of renewables to be connected that otherwise cannot be” due to grid backlogs, said Rob Gramlich, a well-regarded grid policy expert and president of consultancy Grid Strategies. “The best way to do that is to plan proactively, long term, for that future resource mix.” #energytransition #transmissiongridreform #gridexpansion #renewableenergy #ferc #regionalcooperation #worldgameworkshop

ACP’s Discloses Position on BLM’s Strategy for Solar Expansion in Western United States Frank Macchiarola, Chief Policy Officer of the American Clean Power Association (ACP), issued the following statement in relation to the publication of the draft Western Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM). “Solar energy had a strong year in 2023 and looks to build on that upward trajectory, modernizing our power systems and economy in the process. The Western United States has proved critical in driving this and prior deployment. We are hopeful that BLM’s action today—which identified 22 million available acres and takes proximity to transmission into account […] Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/dkhkr2CU #solarenergy #alternativeenergy #solarpv #pvsolar #photovoltaic #cleanenergy #cleantech #climatechange #middleeast #africa #india #asiapacific #asia #americancleanpowerassociation #northamerica #renewableenergy #rooftopsolar #unitedstates

Last month, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued FERC Order No. 1920, a rule experts call one of its most significant this century, requiring long-term planning by utilities and grid managers like Southwest Power Pool and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator. Arkansas Advanced Energy Association Executive Director Lauren Waldrip called the order a landmark, and “a significant step forward for the power industry, fostering innovation and enhancing grid reliability.” By encouraging long-term transmission planning, she said, “this momentous rule not only paves the way for a more resilient and efficient energy future but also unlocks substantial economic opportunities for states and communities, ensuring that the benefits of modernized infrastructure are fully realized.” #EnergyRegulation #FERCOrder1920 #GridReliability #EnergyInnovation #EconomicOpportunities #ResilientEnergy #PowerIndustry #SustainableFuture #JoinAAEA Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g5TNpEby

Let's hope this lawsuit impacts laws re funding Solar plus Storage: #SOLAR #BESS Groups sue FEMA and HUD to focus energy funds on distributed solar and storage Two federal agencies that provide billions of dollars for energy-related projects should fund renewable energy, a number of groups have argued in two lawsuits and two rulemaking petitions. The Center for Biological Diversity has filed lawsuits against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), alleging the agencies have withheld public records and failed to outline plans to use “resilient” renewable energy to “rebuild communities ravaged by the climate emergency.” FEMA “focuses almost exclusively on restoring centralized fossil fuel-based energy systems as it spends billions of taxpayer dollars each year rebuilding communities after disasters,” the center said in a statement. Last year the center filed a lawsuit aiming to redirect toward solar power FEMA’s $13 billion to rebuild Puerto Rico’s grid. That lawsuit cited a study that recommended equipping every home in Puerto Rico with 2.7 kW of PV and 12.6 kWh of battery storage. Last month the judge handling that FEMA lawsuit transferred the case, at the government’s request, to the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. The new lawsuit against FEMA says the agency has failed to comply with a 2018 congressional requirement to define the term “resiliency.” The center says FEMA’s definition of resiliency would show whether the agency is focused on ensuring that communities rebuild “to both withstand and address the climate emergency.” Meanwhile, HUD “spends billions annually” on utilities in public and assisted housing, the center said, “further propping up the fossil-fuel economy, without significant effort to encourage the use of renewable energy.” https://lnkd.in/dFzhabfG

Our next speaker is Brian Ó Gallachóir, Associate Vice-President of Sustainability at University College Cork, who talks about energy security in an all-island context. He says that the Single Electricity Market is the "golden goose" of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement, that electricity end users benefitting from an all-island market, and that the all-Island market has accelerated greater wind integration. However, he also says that short to medium term generation adequacy projections are "worrying", and makes two suggestions: 1. An all-island grid study for net-zero electricity system by 2035 2. Exploration of gas storage on an all-island basis  #EnergyIreland

Exciting news on the energy front! The USA are making strides towards enhancing their transmission infrastructure. In the USA, a bipartisan deal is in the works to strengthen the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's authority for approving transmission lines. The EU Member States need all to recognize the critical link between transmission and transition by emphasizing the need for fast-track permits. The EU is pushing for it; Member States must now implement it. Progress in transmission planning is essential for a sustainable energy future. #EnergyInfrastructure #TransmissionPlanning #SustainableFuture

Our electric grid is an often-forgotten piece of our transition to sustainable energy sources. This new ruling from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will help us better plan and fund the required upgrades to the electric grid.

Did you know that 25% of US counties have restrictions on renewable energy in place? One of the reasons we fund local power building is because we understand that so much of the clean energy transition rests on decisions made at the local level, from zoning rules to taxes to outright bans. This fantastic report and interactive map from Center for Progressive Reform offers an in-depth analysis of local energy ordinances, their implications for a just transition, and potential solutions. https://lnkd.in/eAYee-Eg #energydemocracy

The US power system keeps getting cleaner. This is how it has been achieved: 1) There has been a substantial increase in the use of renewable sources, including wind, solar and hydroelectric power. The reduced cost of solar and wind has made them more competitive with traditional fossil fuels. Federal and state policies, including tax incentives and renewable portfolio standards, have encouraged the adoption of renewable energy. 2) The number of coal-fired power plants have been reduced as a result of stricter environmental regulations and cheap fossil gas. The decline in coal use has accounted for ~60% of emission reductions from the power sector since 2005.

I hesitate to perpetuate this flawed narrative by sharing the G&M's op-ed. But it's so egregious, it needs to be countered. First, what's Minnesota's natural gas reserves and production? The answer is zilch, zero, nada. Alberta has mega gas reserves available to produce electricity. Second, Alberta's electrical system, with more intermittent electricity generation (wind and solar) than the rest of the county combined, gives priority to renewables. Third, having taken a close look at some of the big foreign investments in wind projects in Alberta, I support the province's decision to put a freeze on renewables development until we could make sure the folks most affected had a solid understanding of their options and system operators understood how to best integrate all this intermittent energy into our grid.