[USA] AMPLY Power and Volvo Trucks partner on charge management programs for electric trucks fleets

On September 22, 2021, AMPLY Power, an electric vehicle (EV) charging and energy management provider, announced that it is partnering with Volvo Trucks North America on customer programs to maximize uptime and cost savings for electric Class 8[1] heavy-duty electric trucks.[2] AMPLY Power joined the Volvo Group’s Connected Solutions Innovation Lab in Silicon Valley, CA, in 2019 as a founding member. The two companies collaborate on charging solutions to support the transition to electric power for fleets.  Through this partnership, the two companies are now working on projects on the West Coast and East Coast with two heavy-duty electric truck fleets. Notably, the companies are working with Manhattan Beer Distributors, a New York City-based company that is one of the largest beverage distributors in the country. The Manhattan Beer Distributors fleet includes five Class 8 Volvo VNR Electric models that have a range of 150 miles and a battery capacity of 264 kWh, needing approximately 70 minutes to reach an 80% charge. Other collaborations are in the works.

AMPLY uses its full-scale charge management system to help fleet operators like Manhattan Beer Distributors manage their energy infrastructure and charging needs for their operations. The company handles everything from site design to software and hardware to enable optimal energy charging. To manage charging operations, AMPLY uses its OMEGA software platform to charge vehicles based on the fleet’s priorities. The software also provides real-time alerts to help guarantee road time and deliver detailed emissions reporting.

[1] A Class 8 truck is a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) exceeding 33000 lb (14969 kg). This category include all semi-trailer trucks, single-unit dump trucks of a GVWR over 33,000, and non-commercial chassis fire trucks.

[2] https://amplypower.com/volvo-trucks-north-america-and-amply-power-collaborate-on-charge-management-programs-for-electric-truck-fleets/

[USA] PSEG and NJEDA sign lease for New Jersey Wind Port

On September 14, 2021, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and PSEG signed a lease for up to 78 years on land that will be the site of the New Jersey Wind Port in Salem County, New Jersey.[1] The Wind Port will provide a place for staging, assembly, and manufacturing activities related to offshore wind along the East Coast. The location of the port is adjacent to PSEG’s nuclear generating site, which currently provides more than 90% of the state’s carbon-free electricity. The site of the Wind Port itself is an artificial island on the eastern shores of the Delaware River, southwest of the City of Salem. Due to its large footprint, lack of height restrictions, and easy access to wind farm lease areas, the Wind Port is one of only a few ports on the East Coast that can house offshore wind turbine marshaling and manufacturing.

New Jersey and federal officials broke ground on the Wind Port on September 9, 2021.[2] Major construction is set to begin in December 2021, and the port should be completed by the end of 2023. The estimated cost of the project is between $300 million and $400 million. According to NJEDA, the Wind Port could potentially create more than 1,500 manufacturing, assembly, and operations jobs, as well as hundreds of construction jobs. Offshore wind is part of Governor Phil Murphy’s (D) Energy Master Plan to achieve 100% percent clean energy by 2050. Under the Energy Master Plan, the state has set a target to produce 7,500 MW of offshore wind energy by 2035.

[1] https://www.njeda.com/njeda-and-pseg-sign-78-year-lease-for-the-new-jersey-wind-port-establishing-new-jersey-as-a-hub-for-the-clean-energy-economy/

[2] https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2021/09/10/officials-break-ground-on-nj-wind-energy-construction-port-280415

[USA] Illinois passes landmark clean energy bill, Byron and Dresden nuclear plants to begin refueling

On September 13, 2021, the Illinois State Senate voted 37-17 to approve Senate Bill 2408, called the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act,[1] and Governor JB Pritzker (D) subsequently signed the bill into law on September 15, 2021.[2] The bill aims to prevent the premature closure of nuclear plants and will provide $700 million in subsidies for struggling nuclear power plants. In response to the provisions in S.B. 2408, on September 13, 2021, Exelon Generation said it plans to begin refueling its Byron and Dresden nuclear power plants.[3] The Byron and Dresden plants were previously set to shut down on September 13, 2021, and in November 2021, respectively.

In addition to the nuclear subsidies, the bill provides $340 million in subsidies for renewable energy and $180 million in subsidies for communities where fossil fuel plants will eventually be shutting down. S.B. 2408 also calls for the municipally-owned Prairie State coal plant, the largest carbon-emitting power plant in Illinois and one of the largest in the nation, CWLP Dallman, another municipally-owned coal-fired power plant, to cut carbon emissions 45% by 2038. In addition, the legislation raises Illinois’ renewable standard to 40% by 2030 and 50% by 2040, compared to its current renewable requirement of 25% of electricity by 2025.

[1]https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2408&GAID=16&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=135062&SessionID=110&GA=102#actions

[2] https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/pritzker-signs-transformative-energy-plan-aimed-at-bringing-state-to-100-clean-energy-by-2050/2612986/

[3] https://www.exeloncorp.com/newsroom/passage-of-illinois-energy-legislation-preserves-nuclear-plants-and-strengthens-states-clean-energy-leadership

[USA] Report: Solar energy prices increase across all markets in Q2 2021

According to a report released on September 14, 2021, by Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the price of solar energy increased in every market in the second quarter of 2021.[1] This is the first time solar prices have increased quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year since SEIA and Wood Mackenzie began tracking this data in 2014. Prices for utility-scale solar energy have increased the most, rising 6% in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the second quarter of 2020. The report found that major drivers of the increase include supply chain constraints, increased shipping costs, and rising prices for commodities like steel. The report said that recent enforcement actions on Xinjiang metallurgical grade silicon and two new tariff petitions could significantly exacerbate supply chain constraints and increase solar system prices. The report forecasts that prices will likely remain elevated throughout 2021 but should decrease sometime in 2022.

Despite rising prices, the solar industry accounted for 56% of all new U.S. electric capacity additions in the first half of 2021. The U.S. officially surpassed 3 million solar installations in the second quarter of 2021, which was driven by a strong recovery in the residential sector after it was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Wood Mackenzie forecasts that the U.S. will average just over 29 GW of new annual solar capacity additions through 2026 but noted that this falls short of the pace necessary to reach President Biden’s 2035 clean energy targets.

[1] https://www.seia.org/news/solar-prices-increase-across-every-market-segment-first-time-seven-years

[USA] Duke Energy Florida proposes plan to offset rate increases by 33%

On September 3, 2021, Duke Energy Florida announced that it had developed a plan to reduce the impact of new rates that go into effect in January 2022 by 33%.[1] Under this plan, Duke Energy Florida will spread the recovery of roughly $247 million of unrecovered fuel costs over two years and forgo immediate recovery of costs from recent storms, as well as other actions. These proposed actions would reduce a residential 1,000 kWh customer bill by an average of $4.67 per month. Under the plan, the typical residential customer's 1,000 kWh bill will increase by $9.24 per month, on average, for 2022. Commercial and industrial customer bills will increase by 1% to 8%.

The utility also recently proposed modifications to demonstrate its commitment to implementing energy efficiency and demand-side management programs. Proposed actions include increasing the Neighborhood Energy Savers targeted customers by 5% and making temporary changes to the approved Florida Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act (FEECA) programs for lower-income customers. In addition, customers enrolled in the utility's approved Residential Demand Response Program will receive a $30 "assistance incentive" in the form of a gift card that can be used toward their energy bill. Further, a second modification to FEECA programs will offer 20,000 assistance kits to provide energy efficiency savings to customers in need.

[1] https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-energy-florida-seeks-to-reduce-2022-bill-impacts-by-33

[USA] Vistra's 300 MW storage facility to remain offline after overheating incident

Vistra Corp announced on September 7, 2021, that it has begun a preliminary assessment of the Phase 1 300 MW/1,200 MWh lithium-ion battery storage system at its Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility in Monterey Bay, California, following an overheating issue on September 4, 2021.[1] Vistra's 300 MW storage system is the largest battery storage facility in the world and began operations in December 2020. Phase II of the project, which added an additional 100 MW/400 MWh, came online in August 2021. Moss Landing operates under a long-term agreement with Pacific Gas & Electric.

According to the statement, "a limited number of battery modules" at the facility overheated, resulting in the facility going offline. Experts from Vistra, engineering contractor Fluence, battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution, and others are conducting the initial investigation into the cause of the issue. The North County Fire Protection District of Monterey County is also helping with the investigation. In a statement, the California Public Utilities Commission said that it is also investigating the incident.[2] The 300 MW unit will remain offline for the duration of the investigation. Vistra's Phase II system, located in a separate standalone building, was unaffected by the incident and remains operational.

[1] https://investor.vistracorp.com/news?item=197

[2] https://investor.vistracorp.com/2021-01-06-Vistra-Brings-Worlds-Largest-Utility-Scale-Battery-Energy-Storage-System-Online

[USA] DOE Solar Futures Study provides a blueprint for solar to decarbonize the grid

On September 8, 2021, the Department of Energy (DOE) released its Solar Futures Study, which examines the role of solar in decarbonizing the power grid.[1] The study, produced by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), recommends "strong decarbonization policies coupled with a massive deployment of renewable energy sources, large-scale electrification, and grid modernization." According to the study, solar energy could account for as much as 40% of the nation's electricity supply by 2035 and 45% by 2050. To reach these levels, the U.S. must install an average of 30 GW of solar per year between now and 2025 and 60 GW per year from 2025-2030, which would total 1,000 GW of solar by 2035. By 2050, total solar capacity would need to reach 1,600 GW. Decarbonizing the entire energy system could require 3,000 GW of solar by 2050 due to increased electrification in the transportation, buildings, and industrial sectors. By comparison, in 2020, the U.S. installed 15 GW, bringing the total to 76 GW, or 3% of the current electricity supply.

According to the study, solar will employ 500,000 to 1.5 million people by 2035, and the clean energy transition will create about 3 million jobs across all technologies. The clean energy transition will also result in health and cost savings of $1.1 trillion to $1.7 trillion due to reduced carbon emissions and improved air quality.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-releases-solar-futures-study-providing-blueprint-zero-carbon-grid

[USA] Hurricane Ida knocks out all eight transmission lines into New Orleans

In a statement released on August 29, 2021, Entergy, a utility that serves customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, said Hurricane Ida caused the utility to lose all eight transmission lines delivering power into New Orleans, Louisiana.[1] Hurricane Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, as a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds. In addition to the eight major transmission lines, 216 substations, over 200 smaller lines, and more than 2,000 miles of transmission lines were put out of service by the hurricane. Hurricane Ida also toppled a 400-foot tower that withstood Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The loss of transmission led to a load imbalance, ultimately resulting in generation dropping offline. According to the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), nearly 1.2 million electricity customers in Louisiana and Mississippi were left without power the morning of August 30, 2021. As of September 1, 2021, Entergy has restored power to more than 107,000 customers in Eastern New Orleans with generation supplied by the New Orleans Power Station, a 128 MW gas-fired power plant.[2] The utility noted that full restoration will take time due to the significant damage across the region.

[1] https://www.entergynewsroom.com/storm-center/article/entergy-system-hurricane-ida-update-8-30-21-10-m/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=entergy&utm_campaign=Power+Outages%2FRestoration&utm_content=5392617605

[2] https://www.entergynewsroom.com/news/entergy-restores-107-000-customers-in-mississippi-louisiana-new-orleans-service-areas/

[USA] New reports from DOE highlight record wind energy growth in 2020

On August 30, 2021, the Department of Energy (DOE) released the 2021 editions of three wind market reports: Land Based Wind Market Report[1], Offshore Wind Market Report[2], and Distributed Wind Market Report[3]. According to the reports, wind energy accounted for 42% of all new capacity additions in 2020, beating solar, which accounted for 38%. The Land Based Wind Market Report found that a record 16,836 MW of onshore wind was added in 2020. DOE analysts project that wind capacity will continue to grow rapidly in 2021, with expected additions of 13 GW-16GW. In 2022 and 2023, additions will slow before rebounding to 11−13 GW in 2024 and 2025 due to the scheduled expiration of the federal production tax credit (PTC) and anticipated growth in offshore wind in the mid-2020s.

The offshore wind project development and operational pipeline grew by 24% in 2020, from 28,521 MW in 2019 to 35,324 MW in 2020. This figure includes two operating projects—the 30 MW Block Island Wind Farm and the 12 MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind pilot project—as well as Vineyard Wind 1, an 800 MW project that has been fully approved and received all permits. The DOE report cites several factors as drivers of this growth, including increasing state-level procurement targets in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, an increased number of projects clearing major permitting milestones, and growing vessel, port, and infrastructure investments needed to keep up with the pace of development.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/articles/land-based-wind-market-report-2021-edition-released

[2] https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/articles/offshore-wind-market-report-2021-edition-released

[3] https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/articles/distributed-wind-market-report-2021-edition-released

[USA] Illinois Senate passes clean energy bill, includes subsidies for nuclear plants

The Illinois Senate voted 39-16 on September 1, 2021, to pass Senate Bill (SB) 18, an energy bill that would decarbonize the state's electric grid by 2050.[1] Two Republicans joined with 37 Democrats to vote for the bill. SB18 aims to prevent the premature closure of nuclear plants, and to this end, the bill contains $694 million in taxpayer funds for Exelon's Byron, Dresden, and Braidwood power plants. Exelon has said that it will shut down its Byron plant in September 2021 and its Dresden plant in November 2021.[2] However, Exelon said that it has "established off-ramps" that will allow contingencies for continuing operations of the plants if legislation is passed. In addition to nuclear subsidies, the bill also provides more than $600 million in subsidies for renewable power-related initiatives.

The legislation still needs to pass the House, which has not set a date as to when it will return. Environmental groups and Governor J.B. Pritzker, D, have raised objections to the bill's plans for coal plants, saying that coal plants would not be phased out quickly or allowed to keep running with unproven carbon-capture equipment. Under SB18, the municipally-owned Prairie State coal-fired plant, the largest carbon-emitting power plant in Illinois and one of the largest in the nation, would shut down by 2045. Environmental groups and the governor say that this is not soon enough, and there need to be provisions to significantly reduce the plant’s emissions. In a statement, the governor said his "office looks forward to working with members of the House to finalize an energy package that puts consumers and climate first."

[1]https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=18&GAID=16&GA=102&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=127591&SessionID=110

[2] https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/illinois-senate-passes-bill-save-nuclear-plants-sends-house-2021-09-01/

[USA] Minnesota Appeals Court upholds Minnesota Power’s proposed natural gas power plant

On August 23, 2021, the Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld a 2018 Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approval of Minnesota Power’s plans to jointly build a $700 million natural gas plant in Superior, Wisconsin.[1] Minnesota Power and Dairyland Power Cooperative first proposed the 625 MW Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC) project in 2017, with a planned construction date in 2025. The companies said they would jointly operate the plant to ensure reliability while transitioning away from coal towards renewables. However, environmental groups, including the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Sierra Club, have challenged the PUC’s approval of Minnesota Power’s plans to buy a stake in the project.  They argue that there is substantial evidence that does not support the commission’s determination that the power plan is necessary and in the public interest.

The appeals court, which reviewed the case on remand from the Minnesota Supreme Court, said the NTEC is a “more reliable and lower cost source” of energy than equivalent-sized wind or solar power projects. The court ruled that Minnesota Power and the MPUC “offered extensive evidence and analysis showing that the transition away from coal and toward intermittent renewable resources impairs reliability and could cause a reliance on more expensive energy markets.” The NTEC is facing another legal challenge in Wisconsin where two environmental groups, Clean Wisconsin and the Sierra Club, petitioned an administrative law judge to review a prior approval by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission.[2]

[1] https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/31668-minnesota-powers-proposed-natural-gas-power-plant-wins-minn-appeals-court-approval/?amp

[2] https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2020/03/clean-wisconsin-sierra-club-challenge-gas-plant-approval

[USA] PG&E has installed more than 200 new weather stations in 2021 to monitor severe weather events

On August 24, 2021, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), a utility that serves more than 16 million people across Northern and Central California, announced that it had installed more than 200 new weather stations in 2021.[1] The utility said that it has installed more than 1,200 weather stations since 2018 and plans to have a total of 1,300 weather stations by the end of 2021. This plan would amount to one weather station for every 20-line miles of electric distribution circuits within Tier 2 and Tier 3 High Fire-Threat Districts. The new weather stations will help the utility better prepare for severe weather events and reduce the extent of Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events.

Data captured by the weather stations, such as temperature, wind speed, and humidity levels, will help the utility evaluate where severe weather may be headed and inform its operational planning. During a PSPS, PG&E turns off specific power lines based on severe weather conditions to prevent tree branches and other debris from contacting energized power lines. The 200 new weather stations are sending hyperlocal data to PG&E meteorologists as well as analysts and experts in PG&E's Wildfire Safety Operations Center (WSOC). The WSOC is where the utility detects, evaluates, monitors, and responds to wildfire threats. The utility noted that weather stations are just one part of its Community Wildfire Safety Program. The program also includes installing sectionalizing devices to split the grid into smaller pieces and hardening infrastructure to reduce wildfire risk and lessen the effects of PSPS events.

[1]https://www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/newsdetails/index.page?title=20210824_improving_weather_forecasting_to_better_predict_and_respond_to_weather_threats_pge_has_installed_more_than_200_new_weather_stations_this_year

[USA] D.C. Circuit orders FERC to reinvestigate alleged market manipulation in MISO

On August 6, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) must reinvestigate alleged market manipulation in the 2015 capacity auction for the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO).[1] MISO is the second largest regional transmission operator (RTO) in the U.S. and spans 15 states.[2] During the 2015 auction, capacity prices in the zone covering most of Illinois were 50 times higher than those across the rest of MISO. In their complaints to FERC, the state of Illinois, consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, and others allege that Dynegy Inc., which had just acquired four new power plants in the region, was responsible for the price spike. According to the state, the region in MISO was unable to meet its reliability requirements without purchasing capacity from Dynegy due to the company’s purchase of the power plants. Therefore, the clearing price was artificially inflated, costing the average residential customer an additional $131 in electricity costs in the 12 months that followed the capacity auction.

FERC dismissed the complaints in 2019 and dismissed the requests for rehearing in 2020, stating that the auction clearing price was just and reasonable. Then Commissioner and now-Chairman Richard Glick dissented in both orders, saying that the Commission did not adequately examine the complaints.[3] In response to FERC’s dismissal of the complaints, Public Citizen appealed FERC’s decisions to the D.C. Circuit. Similar to Chairman Glick’s previous findings, the three-judge panel found that the majority of commissioners failed to explain why the claims should be dismissed.

[1] https://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/opinions.nsf/418CFCD8F8D7ED6F85258729004F14E5/$file/20-1156-1909243.pdf

[2] MISO covers all or a portion of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin

[3] https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/news/appellate-court-remands-miso-2015-capacity-auction-order-ferc

[USA] Senate passes $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill and $3.5 trillion reconciliation package

On August 10, 2021, the Senate passed a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, in a 69-30 vote with the support of 19 Republicans.[1] The bill includes $73 billion in grid modernization and $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The bill now needs to pass the House. Following the passage of the infrastructure bill, the Senate passed a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package early on August 11, 2021, in a 50-49 vote before the chamber adjourned for summer recess.[2] Budget reconciliation is a special process to make legislation easier to pass in the Senate.[3] Instead of 60 votes to pass, reconciliation bills only need a simple majority. According to a summary released by Senate Democrats, the reconciliation package includes a clean electricity payment program, a clean energy technology accelerator, consumer rebates for electrification, and clean energy tax credits.[4]

[1] https://www.npr.org/2021/08/10/1026081880/senate-passes-bipartisan-infrastructure-bill

[2] https://www.npr.org/2021/07/14/1016052307/democrats-budget-deal-would-invest-in-the-child-tax-credit-health-care-and-clima

[3] Budget reconciliation is set up to expedite the passage of certain budgetary legislation, specifically spending, revenue, and the federal debt limit. Only policies that change these categories can be included. In contrast to most other legislation, senators cannot use the filibuster to prevent consideration of a reconciliation bill. Once passed in the Senate, the bill goes to the House where typical rules still apply.

[4] https://www.democrats.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/MEMORANDUM%20for%20Democratic%20Senators%20-%20FY2022%20Budget%20Resolution.pdf

[USA] Report: Transmission for renewables and offshore wind in PJM may cost as much as $3 billion

According to a study published by PJM Interconnection on August 10, 2021, an estimated $627.3 billion to $3.2 billion of transmission upgrades will be necessary to help states in the region meet their offshore wind goals and renewable procurement standard (RPS) requirements over the next decade and a half.[1] The study is in response to a 2019 request by the Organization of PJM States, a group of regulators that represents the 13 states[2] within PJM’s footprint. The study aimed to identify the cost and location of the transmission upgrades needed to support the renewable energy buildouts required to meet states’ clean energy goals. The PJM study simulated the transmission investments required to meet state goals in 2027 and 2035, with six scenarios overall.

The study does not quantify the benefits of transmission upgrades, but it does mention that the transition to cleaner energy will reduce greenhouse gases and lead to consumer benefits through lower energy costs. PJM also noted that while the study includes the costs of onshore transmission, it does not include lead lines or other offshore facilities. PJM highlighted that transmission investments increase significantly between the 2027 and 2035 scenarios in line with state RPS requirements.

[1] https://www.pjm.com/-/media/committees-groups/committees/teac/2021/20210810/20210810-item-10-offshore-transmission-study-group-phase-1-results.ashx

[2] PJM is in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

[USA] DC Circuit orders FERC to redo analysis for Texas LNG projects

On August 3, 2021, a panel of U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit judges unanimously ruled that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) did not go far enough in considering environmental justice and climate impacts in its 2019 approval of the Rio Grande and Texas liquified natural gas (LNG) projects.[1] When the commission did its environmental review of the projects, it found that it could not determine the impacts the projects would have on the climate crisis because there is no universal methodology for calculating the impacts. However, petitioners said that FERC could use the social cost of carbon or another generally accepted metric to evaluate the impacts of the projects. In his dissent of FERC 2019 approval, Chairman Richard Glick, who was a commissioner at the time, argued that under federal law, the commission was not allowed to "assume away" the impacts of these projects and that the commission's assessment was inadequate.

The judges found that FERC's analyses of the projects' impacts on climate change and low-income or minority communities in Cameron County, Texas, were "deficient" under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Natural Gas Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act. The panel did not vacate FERC's approval of the projects, though. Instead, the court's decision remands the decision back to the commission to review again.

[1] https://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/opinions.nsf/1F97B59429C7D4F6852587260052CC71/$file/20-1045-1908759.pdf

[USA] ADNOC sells first blue ammonia cargo to Japan's Itochu

On August 3, 2021, Abu Dubai National Oil Company (ADNOC), the state-owned oil company of the UAE, announced that, in partnership with Fertiglobe, it had sold its first blue ammonia cargo to Itochu in Japan to be used in fertilizer production.[1] The agreement builds upon the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's (METI) first fuel ammonia deal in cooperation with ADNOC in January 2021 to support the development of new UAE-Japan blue ammonia supply chains. Blue ammonia can be used as a low-carbon fuel in many different industrial applications, including transportation, power generation, and steel production, among other things. As a carrier fuel for hydrogen, which is hard to transport in its natural state, blue ammonia is expected to play an important part in Japan’s ongoing efforts to decarbonize its industrial sector.

In a statement, Masaya Tanaka, Executive Officer of Itochu Corp, said, "Starting with this trial of blue ammonia for fertilizer applications, we aim to create a wide range of ammonia value chains for existing industrial applications as well as future energy use. By collaborating with ADNOC and Fertiglobe, we expect to initiate and enhance our industrial portfolio in the fertilizer sector while achieving our commitments towards decarbonization activities in other industries."

Fertiglobe, a 58:42 partnership between Dutch chemicals company OCI and ADNOC, will produce blue ammonia at its Fertil plant in the Ruwais Industrial Complex in Abu Dhabi for delivery to ADNOC's customers in Japan. The Fertil plant has a production capacity of 1.2 million mt/year of ammonia and 2.1 million mt/year of urea. While the plant produces ammonia that is usually defined as “grey” ammonia, it will be fitted with CO2 liquefaction units. CO2 will then be transferred to and reinjected into underground reservoirs by the ADNOC Al Reyadah carbon capture and storage (CCUS) plant to enable the production of blue ammonia.

[1] https://www.adnoc.ae/en/news-and-media/press-releases/2021/adnoc-and-fertiglobe-partner-to-sell-uaes-first-blue-ammonia

[USA] Exelon subsidiary announces goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050

Exelon Utilities, a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation, announced its "Path to Clean" goal on August 4, 2021, which includes reducing its operations-driven emissions by 50% by 2030 compared to 2015 levels, and reach net-zero by 2050 as part of its efforts to address climate change.[1] Exelon Utilities is comprised of six utilities: Atlantic City Electric, Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE), Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), Delmarva Power, PECO, and Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO). Together, the utilities deliver electricity and gas to more than 10 million customers across five states and the District of Columbia. Exelon Corporation has previously met or exceeded three other emissions reduction goals spanning both its generation company and utilities.

Exelon Utilities' plans to meet the new goal include electrifying 30% of its vehicle fleet by 2025 and 50% by 2030, concentration technology and infrastructure investments on increasing energy efficiency and utilizing clean electricity for operations, and modernizing natural gas infrastructure to reduce methane leaks and increase safety and reliability. In addition, Exelon Utilities will aim to reduce emissions beyond its company by continuing to advocate for climate policies, partnering with state and local leaders to achieve community emissions goals, and piloting new grid technologies. The company will also continue to prioritize energy efficiency programs, which it says helped customers save money on their energy bills and reduced usage by 22.3 million MWh in 2020.

[1] https://www.exeloncorp.com/newsroom/exelon-utilities-announces-goal-to-achieve-net-zero-emissions-by-2050

[USA] FirstEnergy agrees to pay $230 million fine for bribing Ohio officials

On July 22, 2021, FirstEnergy Corporation announced that it had reached a settlement agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio to pay a $230 million penalty for bribing Ohio officials to guarantee the passage of Creates Ohio Clean Air Program (HB-6).[1][2] Passed on July 23, 2019, HB-6 created a ratepayer-funded $1.5 billion subsidy for two northern Ohio nuclear power plants previously owned by FirstEnergy and two coal-fired plants on the Ohio River jointly owned by the state's utilities. When the bill was being considered, FirstEnergy strongly lobbied for the passage of HB-6 and said that it would otherwise have to prematurely close the two nuclear plants. According to the federal disclosure, FirstEnergy cooperated with federal investigators to disclose bribing state officials through dark money groups to get HB-6 passed. FirstEnergy and its subsidiaries donated $59 million between 2017 and 2020 to Generation Now, a group controlled by then-Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives Larry Householder (R). The company set up a group called Partners for Progress in February 2017 as a 501(c)(4), which are registered lobbying entities, through which it directed $25 million "to entities associated with public officials" over two years.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio charged FirstEnergy for conspiring to commit honest services wire fraud. The charge will be dismissed so long as FirstEnergy cooperates with the government for the three-year period of the settlement agreement. FirstEnergy must disclose all political donations, including those made to dark money groups, during the three-year period of the agreement. In addition, the agreement requires the company to take other steps such as establishing an executive director role for the Board of Directors and hiring a new chief legal officer.

[1] https://www.firstenergycorp.com/newsroom/news_articles/firstenergy-reaches-agreement-to-resolve-department-of-justice-i.html

[2] https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/pr/firstenergy-charged-federally-agrees-terms-deferred-prosecution-settlement

[USA] Electric Highway Coalition doubles membership

On July 26, 2021, the Electric Highway Coalition (EHC) announced that its membership has more than doubled since its founding and now includes 14 companies.[1] The EHC is a partnership committed to creating a network of DC fast charging stations along U.S. highway routes to enable long-distance electric vehicle (EV) travel. The original members of the EHC were American Electric Power, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Entergy Corporation, Southern Co., and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The new members are AVANGRID, Consolidated Edison, DTE Energy, Eversource Energy, Exelon, FirstEnergy Corp., ITC Holdings Corp., and National Grid. Together, the coalition members represent 29 states and the District of Columbia and serve more than 60 million customers.

The EHC initially announced plans to create a network of DC fast charging stations in March 2021. The recent announcement included further defining the coalition’s goals and objectives. Coalition members have agreed to cooperate to ensure reliable fast charging deployment plants that will allow for long-distance EV travel, avoid duplicating charging infrastructure between member utilities, and complement existing corridor fast charging sites. One goal is to set up sites that are easily accessible and located less than 100 miles apart, with at least two charging stations with universal vehicle compatibility in each area. Member companies will also consider additional features such as real-time status reporting for drivers and convenient payment collection. The EHC noted that effective EV charging buildout will vary from area to area, and its members are working closely with stakeholders in their service territories to determine the best approaches. Each member will determine its own specific pricing models and choose its own charging equipment providers.

[1] https://www.aep.com/news/releases/read/7190/Electric-Highway-Coalition-Grows-to-14-Members-More-Than-Doubling-Participation