[USA] Marine energy industry sets deployment goal of 1GW by 2035

In a new report released on April 14, 2021, the National Hydropower Association (NHA) announced new industry deployment targets of 50 MW by 2025, 500 MW by 2030, and 1 GW by 2035.[1] The report, titled “Commercialization Strategy for Marine Energy,” considers the accelerated commercialization of marine energy technologies that generate electricity from waves, tides, and currents in oceans and rivers, as well as from the ocean's heat cycles. The NHA report follows the release of a Department of Energy (DOE) report on marine energy released in February 2021 that found that the total marine energy resource in the U.S. is roughly equivalent to 57% of U.S. electricity generation in 2019. The NHA report argues that marine energy could be essential for remote areas of the U.S. dependent on fossil fuels by providing zero-carbon power generation without the need for expensive new transmission lines. Marine technologies could also help produce green hydrogen and could be a strong complement to more intermittent renewable technologies.

The NHA report calls for the federal government to accelerate the commercialization of marine energy technologies by increasing financial support for research development, reducing market barriers, and creating financial incentives for marine energy deployment. Specifically, the NHA is looking for substantial new investments in the DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office and the Navy Energy Program, which will accelerate technology demonstration, reduce costs, and increase technology adoption.

[1] https://www.hydro.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/NHA_MEC_Commercialization_Strategy_Marine_Energy.pdf

[USA] FPL files 10-year plan that would expand emissions-free energy

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, filed a Ten-Year Site Plan with the Florida Public Service Commission on April 1, 2021.[1] The plan includes opening a 409 MW solar-powered battery storage facility and seven new solar energy centers by the end of 2021. The solar-power battery storage facility, currently under construction in Manatee County, will be the largest facility of its kind in the world. According to FPL, zero-emissions sources will generate 40% of its power by the end of the decade, a more than 65% increase from 2020. Under the plan filed with the commission, FPL would install 30 million solar panels and have more than 11,000 MW of installed solar capacity by 2030. Currently, FPL is the state’s largest solar producer and has 40 solar energy centers in Florida. By 2030, FPL also plans to have 700 MW of battery storage, a 186% increase compared to 2021.

Regarding coal, FPL has shut down less efficient coal-fired units to save customers millions of dollars, and on January 1, 2021, the company closed its last remaining coal-fired plant in the state. FPL is also currently building the FPL Dania Beach Clean Energy Center, an ultra-efficient power plant in Fort Lauderdale. The company does not currently anticipate the need to build another new natural gas power plant through 2030. For nuclear, FPL plans to request that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission extend the licenses of St. Lucie Units 1 and 2, allowing for up to 20 additional years of operations.

[1] http://newsroom.fpl.com/news-releases?item=126215

[USA] ERCOT report finds weather-related issues were the primary cause of February outages

On April 6, 2021, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) sent its preliminary report to the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) on the causes of generator outages and derates during the February 14-19, 2021 extreme cold weather event.[1] ERCOT’s report follows initial requests for information from generators about why so much generation went offline during the cold weather event. The report found that most of the outages during the event were weather-related outages, which ERCOT defined as outages “explicitly attributed to cold weather,” such as frozen or flooded equipment. During the February 14-19 time period, weather-related issues caused 54% of generator outages, equipment failures caused 14% of outages, and fuel limitations caused 12% of outages. ERCOT estimates that approximately 51,173 MW were forced offline during that period, which is slightly lower than the original estimate of 52,277 MW. ERCOT is still waiting on data for February 10-13, 2021. The grid operator anticipates completing a full report on the event by the end of August 2021.

[1]http://www.ercot.com/content/wcm/lists/226521/51878_ERCOT_Letter_re_Preliminary_Report_on_Outage_Causes.pdf

[USA] NYPA approves major transmission line rebuild

The New York Power Authority (NYPA), the largest state public power utility in the U.S., announced on March 30, 2021, that it had approved the Northern New York Priority Transmission Project (NNYPTP).[1] NYPA also announced that it had selected National Grid as a co-participant to help rebuild transmission lines in the northern part of New York. The NNYPTP is a significant transmission line rebuild that will improve New York’s power grid resiliency and help the state meet its aggressive clean energy goals. The project includes completion of NYPA’s Smart Path Moses-Adirondack project, rebuilding approximately 45 miles of transmission in a region known as the Northern Alignment, rebuilding approximately 55 miles of transmission in the Southern Alignment, and expanding several substations. According to NYPA, the NNYPTP will enable more than 1 GW of wind and hydropower deliveries from the northern region of New York to the central part of the state. It will also avoid more than 1.16 million tons of carbon emissions annually, save $447 million in annual transmission congestion costs, and create hundreds of jobs. NYPA’s approval of the project allows for engineering and planning work to begin in preparation for the New York State Public Service Commission’s environmental review and approval process. NYPA expects to begin construction on the NNYPTP in 2022 and plans to complete the project in about three years.

[1] https://nypa.gov/news/press-releases/2021/20210330-nny

[USA] Entrust Energy files for bankruptcy in Texas amid storm fallout

On March 31, 2021, E&E News reported that on March 30, 2021, Entrust Energy Inc., an electric utility based in Houston, Texas, filed for bankruptcy after the extreme cold weather event in Texas in February 2021 caused electricity prices to soar.[1][2] The company provides electricity to more than 170,000 customers across eight states, including Texas. According to the Chapter 11 petition Entrust Energy filed in the Southern District of Texas, the company has assets of $100 million to $500 million and liabilities of $50 million to $100 million. Entrust Energy claims that it has a $270 million disputed claim with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the state’s power grid operator, related to supply obligations. Other claims from the filing include $1.6 million from JPMorgan Chase & Co. for a Paycheck Protection Program loan[3]. In early March 2021, ERCOT barred Entrust Energy from the state’s power market after the company failed to make payments stemming from the February 2021 cold weather event.[4] ERCOT’s filing at the time said that Entrust Energy owed $234 million in payments to generators and others. Entrust Energy’s bankruptcy filing follows bankruptcy filings from Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc., Texas’s largest power generation and transmission cooperative, and Griddy Energy LLC, a power retailer.

[1] https://www.bkalerts.com/recent-bankruptcy-cases/texas-southern-bankruptcy-court/4:21-bk-31070/bankruptcy-case-entrust-energy-inc-and-entrust-treasury-management-services-inc

[2] https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2021/03/31/stories/1063728833

[3] The Paycheck Protection Program was established by the CARES Act of 2020 to aid small businesses. The program provides small businesses with loans to pay payroll costs including benefits. The loans can also be used to pay rent, utilities, and interest on mortgages.

[4] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-04/a-second-power-provider-defaults-after-texas-energy-crisis

[USA] Biden announces sweeping $2 trillion infrastructure plan

On March 31, 2021, President Joe Biden unveiled a $2 trillion, 8-year infrastructure plan, called the American Jobs Plan, which includes billions of dollars of investment in electric vehicles (EVs), transmission, and clean energy.[1] The plan is intended to create millions of new jobs, rebuild the country’s infrastructure, and position the U.S. as a global leader. According to the administration, the proposal would put the U.S. on the path to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2035 and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. If signed into law, the plan would be one of the largest federal efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Biden’s plan proposes investing $174 billion in EVs, $100 billion in the electric grid, $46 billion in clean energy manufacturing, and $35 billion in research and development to address the climate crisis. The proposal would also create a national Energy Efficiency and Clean Electricity Standard (EECES) to reduce electricity bills, increase market competition, encourage more efficient use of existing infrastructure, and boost carbon-free energy from existing sources like nuclear and hydropower. For tax credits, the administration proposes extending the tax credit phasedown by another decade and expanding tax credits to include a direct pay option for clean energy resources.[2] Biden’s plan also calls for the repeal of subsidies and foreign tax credits for fossil fuels.

[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/

[2] Expanding tax credits to include a direct pay option would allow tax credit holders to receive a direct cash payment from the U.S. Treasury instead of getting benefits through the tax equity market.

[USA] Report: Carbon tax could reduce emissions from federal fossil fuel leasing

In March 2021, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) released a new working paper titled “Climate Royalty Surcharges.” The paper proposes potential carbon fees that could be added onto existing royalty rates to increase revenue from the federal fossil fuel leasing program and lower greenhouse gas emissions.[1] On January 27, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14008, which paused new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters while the administration reviews the environmental impacts of the federal leasing program. This review includes considering “whether to adjust royalties associated with coal, oil, and gas resources extracted from public lands and offshore waters, or take other appropriate action, to account for corresponding climate costs.”

Set in 1920 when the leasing program was established, the royalty rate on revenue generated from onshore oil and gas leases is 12.5% (18.75% offshore). Half of the revenues are allocated to the state the lease is in. According to the report, the program is projected to generate an average of $9.6 billion/year from 2020 to 2050 under the current rates, assuming the pause is lifted. However, a "climate surcharge" for fossil fuel leases of $22 per ton of CO2 equivalent would generate an estimated $14.2 billion/year on average from 2020 to 2050. It would also reduce emissions by about 32 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. While $22 per ton of CO2 equivalent generated the most revenue, the report found that higher climate surcharges would further reduce emissions while still generating more revenue than current rates. In total, the paper’s proposed surcharges would bring royalties to approximately 39% to 51.5%.

[1] https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w28564/w28564.pdf

[USA] 13 states file lawsuit against Biden administration over oil and gas leasing plan

On March 24, 2021, 13 states[1], led by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry (R), sued the Biden administration over its restrictions on new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters.[2] On the same day, Wyoming filed a separate challenge against the Biden administration in a different federal court.[3] On January 27, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14008 which, among other initiatives, blocked new leasing while the administration conducts a review of the environmental impacts of the federal oil and gas program. The Louisiana-led lawsuit argues that the Biden administration violated requirements under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and the Mineral Leasing Act (MLA) to develop energy resources on federal lands and waters. According to the lawsuit, Biden’s policy could cause economic harm in fossil fuel-producing states like Louisiana and Texas. It could also cause energy prices to increase, which would indirectly harm the rest of the country. The lawsuit requested that the federal court block actions that relied on the executive order and allow the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to restart quarterly oil and gas lease sales.

[1] Louisiana, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginia

[2] http://agjefflandry.com/Article/10878

[3] https://governor.wyo.gov/media/news-releases/2021-news-releases/wyoming-launches-lawsuit-challenging-biden-administrations-federal-leasing

[USA] Texas PUC Chair resigns amid blackout crisis fallout

The Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chair Arthur D'Andrea resigned March 16, 2021 at the request of Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R).[1] The move was the latest in a string of events following an extreme cold weather event in February 2021 that caused widespread blackouts in the state. D’Andrea is the third PUC commissioner to resign in as many weeks which leaves the appointed panel empty. D’Andrea had been under pressure from Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) to follow the advice of Potomac Economics, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ (ERCOT) independent market monitor, to correct $16 billion of excessive charges from the power outage crisis. D’Andrea had declined to revise real-time wholesale energy prices. His resignation was announced after Texas Monthly published a leaked recording where D’Andrea promised out-of-state investors that he would support efforts to prevent repricing of the excessive charges.[2] On March 15, 2021, the Texas Senate passed a bill that would mandate ERCOT move ahead with pricing corrections. However, the Texas House speaker said he did not believe ERCOT’s decision was an error which may mean an uphill battle for the proposal.

[1] https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-puc-chair-resigns-following-pressure-from-governor-refusal-to-repri/596843/

[2] https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/wall-street-profited-off-texas-blackouts/

[USA] New Mexico governor warns Biden about effects of oil and gas policies

On March 15, 2021, New Mexico’s governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham (D), sent a letter warning President Joe Biden that his policies limiting oil and gas production will have widespread adverse effects on New Mexico.[1][2] In January, the Biden administration halted federal oil and gas leases pending a review of the program. According to the letter, more than 60% of New Mexico’s oil and gas production happens on federal land and the state will be disproportionately impacted by Biden’s policies compared to states like Texas or Oklahoma which have more private land available for development.

Oil and gas revenues make up about 32% of general fund revenue in the state. These revenues fund a wide range of state priorities, including public schools, infrastructure projects, and environmental initiatives. A “relatively modest” 10% drop in oil and gas production would cost the state $709 million in revenues by the end of Biden’s first term which could hinder New Mexico’s ability to achieve major goals, the letter says. The letter also highlights New Mexico’s commitment to increasing environmental regulations on oil and gas development, such as methane standards. Gov. Grisham notes that other states like Texas do not have the same robust methane restrictions which could mean high emissions if drillers move due to Biden’s policies. In the letter, Gov. Grisham asks for a seat at the table regarding possible changes to federal fossil fuel programs.

[1] https://www.eenews.net/assets/2021/03/16/document_ew_03.pdf

[2]https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2021/03/16/stories/1063727539?utm_campaign=edition&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eenews%3Aenergywire

[USA] National Grid and PPL announce pair of multi-billion-dollar deals

On March 18, 2021, National Grid (Headquarters: London, U.K.) and PPL Corp. (Headquarters: Allentown, Pennsylvania) announced two agreements that the companies claim will help them better align their assets with their clean energy strategies.[1][2] PPL will sell its U.K. utility business, Western Power Distribution (WPD), to National Grid for $10.9 billion. WPD is comprised of four electricity distribution companies that serve 7.9 million customers in central and southwest England and south Wales. In a separate transaction, National Grid will sell its Rhode Island utility, Narragansett Electric Company, for an equity value of $3.8 billion. Narragansett Electric is the largest electricity transmission and distribution service in Rhode Island, serving roughly 780,000 customers. As a part of the announcement, National Grid says it will also initiate a sales process for a majority stake in its National Grid Gas Transmission business in the U.K. The transactions follow an August 2020 press release in which PPL announced that it planned to sell WPD in order to shift its focus to U.S. utility investments and clean energy investments to improve share value.[3] National Grid says the “increased exposure” to the U.K.’s electricity sector will allow that company to take “a more holistic approach” and help the UK’s net zero ambitions.[4]

[1] https://www.nationalgridus.com/News/2021/03/The-Narragansett-Electric-Company-to-join-PPL-Corporation-/

[2] https://pplweb.mediaroom.com/2021-03-18-PPL-Corporation-to-sell-U-K-utility-business-to-National-Grid-and-acquire-National-Grids-Rhode-Island-utility-strategically-repositioning-PPL-as-a-high-growth-U-S-focused-energy-company

[3] https://pplweb.mediaroom.com/2020-08-10-PPL-Corporation-Launches-Process-to-Sell-U-K-Business-Reposition-Itself-as-U-S-Focused-Utility-Company

[4] https://www.nationalgrid.com/repositioning-national-grids-portfolio

[USA] Texas governor declares billing errors an emergency matter

On March 9, 2021, Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott (R), announced that the correction of billing errors is an emergency matter to be considered immediately by the Texas legislature.[1] The announcement comes after regulators at the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) declined on March 8, 2021 to direct the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to retroactively reprice its artificially inflated prices during the February 2021 cold weather event.[2] The commissioners expressed concern that there was too much uncertainty in how customers might be impacted by directing ERCOT to reverse its pricing. The decision goes against the recommendation of Potomac Economics, the region’s independent market monitor (IMM). According to the IMM, ERCOT should have immediately lowered prices after load shed instructions ended on February 17, 2021, but prices remained high through February 19, 2021 which cost the market $16 billion over the course of 32 hours. On March 8, 2021, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called on the PUC to retroactively change the prices from that time period. On the same day, Texas PUC Commissioner Shelly Botkin resigned effective immediately. Her departure comes just a week after the resignation of Chair DeAnn Walker and leaves the commission with just one member left, Chair Arthur D’Andrea.

[1] https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-puc-loses-2nd-commissioner-as-lt-gov-presses-ercot-to-correct-16b/596378/

[2] https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-regulators-decline-to-act-after-market-monitor-reports-16b-of-inapp/596252/

[USA] Ohio House votes to repeal $1 billion in nuclear subsidies

On March 10, 2021, the Ohio House of Representatives voted 86-7 to pass H.B. 128, which repeals many provisions in the Creates Ohio Clean Air Program (H.B. 6).[1] H.B. 6 was passed on July 23, 2019 and is a comprehensive energy bill that would provide subsidies to promote clean air. The bill created a customer-paid $1.1 billion subsidy for two nuclear power plants in northern Ohio which had been suffering economically. The bill On July 30, 2020, federal prosecutors indicted then-House Speaker Larry Householder (R) and four associates on charges of running a $61 million bribery scheme involving Energy Harbor, the FirstEnergy subsidiary that operates the two nuclear plants involved in H.B. 6. Householder and his associates are charged with receiving bribes from Energy Harbor in exchange for passing H.B. 6. Householder, who pled not guilty in court, was reelected in November 2020 and continues to serve in the Ohio House while he awaits trial. The former speaker was among those who voted to pass H.B. 128. In the wake of the scandal, there was a large push among Ohio representatives and government officials to repeal all or parts of H.B. 6. While H.B. 128 repealed many of the nuclear provisions in H.B. 6, it did not repeal H.B. 6’s subsidies for two of the Ohio Valley Electric Corp’s (OVEC) coal plants.

[1]https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2021/03/11/stories/1063727183?utm_campaign=edition&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eenews%3Aenergywire

[USA] ERCOT Board of Directors fires CEO after Texas power outages

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas' (ERCOT) Board of Directors voted on March 4, 2021 to issue a 60-day termination notice for CEO Bill Magness.[1] In a statement, the Board of Directors state that they will "begin an immediate search for a new President and CEO.” The vote comes just weeks after the state experienced widespread power outages during an extreme cold weather event in February 2021. In addition to this news, the Chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), DeAnn Walker, resigned on March 1, 2021. In her resignation letter, Walker stated that she "accepted [her] role in the situation," but that others, including the Texas Railroad Commission, ERCOT, and the legislature, should accept blame as well.

On March 4, 2021, the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on the Environment, Representative Ro Khanna (D-California), sent a letter to CEO Bill Magness that requested documents regarding ERCOT's lack of winter storm preparation.[2] In his letter he stated, "The Subcommittee is concerned that the loss of electric reliability, and the resulting human suffering, deaths, and economic costs, will happen again unless ERCOT and the State of Texas confront the predicted increase in extreme weather events with adequate preparation and appropriate infrastructure."

[1] https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-head-utility-regulator-deann-walker-resigns-authority-ercot-blackouts/595932/

[2] https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2021-03-03.Khanna%20to%20ERCOT%20re%20Winter%20Storms%20in%20Texas.pdf

[USA] Coalition of utilities unveil plan for multi-regional EV charging network

On March 2, 2021, the Electric Highway Coalition, which was formed by six utilities in the Southeast and Midwest, announced a plan to enable long distance electric vehicle (EV) travel by creating a network of direct current fast charging (DCFC) stations connecting major highway systems in the Midwest, South, Gulf, and Central Plains regions.[1] According to the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), there will be 18 million EVs in the U.S. by 2030. Currently, one of the major concerns of drivers when it comes to EVs is the availability of charging stations during long road trips.

The Electric Highway Coalition includes Duke Energy, American Electric Power (AEP), Dominion Energy, Entergy Corporation, Southern Company and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Each of the utilities have committed to providing EV fast charging options within their service territories to facilitate interstate travel. Sites near major highways that have easy highway access and amenities are being considered. DCFC stations will allow drivers to get back on the road in about 20-30 minutes. The utilities will coordinate with one another to prevent overlap of charging infrastructure if two or more utilities are in the same state. All of the utilities in the coalition have made efforts in recent years to increase EV charging infrastructure. For example, TVA announced in February 2021 that it is partnering with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to develop and fund a fast-charging network across major roadways in the state.

[1] https://www.tva.com/newsroom/press-releases/electric-highway-coalition

[USA] Biden backs former-president Trump on solar tariff suit

On March 1, 2021, the Biden administration filed with the U.S. Court of International Trade and requested that the court dismiss a lawsuit from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and other solar industry members that argued that former-president Trump’s tariffs on bifacial solar panels were unlawful.[1] [2] Bifacial solar was originally excluded from Trump’s 2018 tariffs on other solar products because they were a relatively small share of the market at the time. However, a 2020 midterm review of the 2018 solar tariffs by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) found that bifacial solar would become more popular and that the exclusion of bifacial solar from tariffs would hurt U.S. producers. This study led Trump to issue a presidential proclamation in October 2020 that removed the exception for bifacial solar. In late December 2020, the SEIA, NextEra Energy, EDF Renewables, and Invenergy Renewables challenged the Trump proclamation, which they claimed had violated rulemaking procedure. According to the Biden administration’s recent filing, the solar industry’s complaint "fails to set forth a plausible showing that the President’s determination involves a clear misconstruction of the governing statute, a significant procedural violation or action outside delegated authority."

[1] https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/biden-administration-backs-trump-on-solar-tariff-suit

[2] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-01/biden-doj-says-trump-lawfully-killed-solar-tariff-loophole

[USA] Dominion proposes retiring its South Carolina coal fleet by 2030

On February 19, 2021, Dominion Energy South Carolina filed its modified integrated resource plan (IRP) with the South Carolina Public Service Commission (PSC).[1] The South Carolina PSC rejected Dominion’s 2020 filing in 2020 after finding that the utility’s IRP had distorted its fuel cost and lacked demand side management resource options. In their ruling, the regulators requested that the utility model an early retirement of its coal fleet. The modified IRP included a preferred scenario that would retire the three coal-fired units at Wateree and Williams Stations in 2028 and convert the remaining coal plant, Cope Station, to natural gas in 2030. The preferred scenario adds substantial amounts solar and batteries while also adding natural gas resources to make up for lost generation from the coal plant retirements. Many of the other scenarios in Dominion’s IRP included adding large amounts of solar and solar plus storage between 2030 and 2048, with the possibility to add 2,000 MW of solar from 2026 to 2048. Dominion currently has 973 MW of utility-scale solar contracted and 700 to 900 MW of battery storage.

[1] https://dms.psc.sc.gov/Attachments/Matter/2ff6b38d-c8f9-4f29-8d9f-cc756de01a4e

[USA] Report: Grid-enhancing technologies could be key to solving grid congestion

According to a new study released on February 24, 2021 by the Working for Advanced Transmission Technologies (WATT) Coalition, a group of six transmission technology providers, moderate investments in technologies that boost power grid efficiency could be key to solving electric grid congestion.[1] The study, titled “Unlocking the Queue,” was done by the Brattle Group at the request of the WATT Coalition and funded by GridLab, EDF Renewables North America, NextEra Energy Resources, and Duke Energy Renewables. The study quantified the benefits of three grid-enhancing technologies (GETs): dynamic line ratings, advanced power flow control, and topology optimization. These technologies could enable Kansas and Oklahoma to integrate 5,200 MW of renewables currently in interconnection queues by 2025, which is more than double what is possible without those technologies.

At a national scale, the WATT Coalition argues that GETs would have benefits such as reduce carbon emissions by 90 million tons per year, provide $5 billion in yearly energy cost savings, create 350,000 total jobs, and double the amount of renewable energy that can integrated. To unlock the benefits the study found, the Watt Coalition recommends four legislative and regulatory actions: 1) federal infrastructure stimulus should invest in deployment of GETs, 2) the federal regulators should require GETs be considered in transmission planning, 3) federal regulators should establish incentives for GETs deployment, and 4) GETs should be offered to renewable developers as a least-cost solution to connect to the grid.

[1] https://watt-transmission.org/2021/02/22/unlocking-the-queue/

[USA] Southeast utilities file SEEM proposal with FERC

On February 12, 2021, utilities in the Southeast filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the approval to create a new electricity market called the Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM).[1] SEEM would set up an automated trading platform to buy and sell excess wholesale energy every 15 minutes, with the aim to reduce costs to customers and boost renewable energy resources. The new electricity market is expected to increased carbon-free energy across the Southeast by making it easier for utilities to incorporate renewables while maintaining reliability. SEEM members include Southern Company, Dominion Energy, and Duke Energy.[2] In their filing with FERC, the utilities requested that the commission give stakeholders a 30-day comment period. The utilities also request that FERC fast-tracks its review of the proposal and decide by May 13, 2021. If the proposal is approved, the market would be operational by early 2022.

[1] https://southerncompany.mediaroom.com/2021-02-12-Southeast-electric-providers-submit-filing-with-FERC-for-proposed-advanced-bilateral-market-platform

[2] The full list of expected members is: Associated Electric Cooperative, Dalton Utilities, Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress, Georgia System Operations Corporation, Georgia Transmission Corporation, LG&E and KU Energy, MEAG Power, NCEMC, Oglethorpe Power Corp., PowerSouth, Santee Cooper, Southern Company and TVA.

[USA] Report: Pandemic causes largest plunge in energy consumption in 30 years

According to the ninth edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, which was released in February 2021 by the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) and BloombergNEF, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the largest year-on-year decline in energy consumption in three decades.[1] In 2020, U.S. primary energy consumption dropped 7.8%. Transportation energy demand fell 14.4% due to lower rates of commuting and traveling. Electricity use declined least, falling by 3.8% as decreased commercial and industrial demand was partially offset by increased residential demand. Renewables production rose 11% year-on-year and renewable sources generated a fifth of U.S. power in 2020. The U.S. power grid added 17 GW of wind and 16.5 GW of solar. Coal-fired power generation was 19% of the U.S. power mix, down from 45% a decade ago. The report attributes this change to weak demand and increased competition. Total U.S. emissions fell 9.2% which put 2020 20% below 2005 levels. According to the report, these changes have put the U.S. on a trajectory to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement. However, the report notes that 2021 emissions will likely rebound with economic recovery.

[1]https://bcse.org/factbook/#:~:text=The%202020%20edition%20of%20the,natural%20gas%20and%20renewable%20energy