[USA] BLM gives final approval for $3B TransWest Express transmission project

On April 11, 2023, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) gave final approval, allowing for construction to begin on the TransWest Express transmission project. The BLM started reviewing the project in 2008.[1] The $3 billion transmission project is designed to deliver 3,000 MW of onshore wind generation from Wyoming to California and the Southwest. The 732-mile, bi-directional TransWest Express project is slated to run from a 600-turbine wind farm in Wyoming’s Carbon County to the Eldorado substation in southern Nevada in three segments. The project includes a 3,000-MW direct current (DC) segment between Wyoming and Utah and two 1,500-MW alternating current (AC) segments from Utah to the south of Las Vegas, NV. The project is being developed by TransWest Express LLC, a subsidiary of the Anschutz Corp. TransWest expects the first stage of its project will be completed in 2027. The full 3,000 MW line is expected to be completed by the end of 2028.

[1] https://www.transwestexpress.net/news/docs/BLM-Notice-to-Proceed-041123.pdf

[USA] Southeast Hydrogen Hub submits application to DOE for green hydrogen funding

On April 11, 2023, the Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition announced it had applied to the Department of Energy (DOE) for funding to build a green hydrogen network spanning six states and including five major utilities.[1] Specifically, members of the coalition include Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Louisville Gas & Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company (LG&E and KU), Southern Company, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and Battelle. The coalition’s goal is to develop a regional hydrogen hub that will allow members to deploy green hydrogen as a decarbonization solution for customers and communities. According to the press release, a hydrogen hub in the Southeastern U.S. could help in decarbonization efforts in the region and bring development benefits and jobs. The effort has the backing of lawmakers from both parties, including Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

The coalition is seeking funding from the $8 billion made available by the DOE through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to create regional clean hydrogen hubs. The Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition was one of 79 potential hubs to submit initial concept papers to the DOE in 2022. In late December 2022, the DOE issued notices to the coalition and 32 other applicants, encouraging them to proceed with submitting full applications by April 7, 2023. Final funding decisions are expected by the fall of 2023.

[1] https://www.tva.com/newsroom/press-releases/southeast-hydrogen-hub-coalition-submits-formal-application-for-funding-to-the-u.s.-department-of-energy

[USA] GAO warns of growing threats to U.S hydropower

On March 30, 2023, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report finding that four power marketing administrations (PMAs)—Bonneville Power Administration, Southeastern Power Administration (SEPA), Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA), and Western Area Power Administration (WAPA)—face increasing risks from climate change and must prepare for these vulnerabilities.[1] The four PMAs are run by the Department of Energy (DOE) and sell electricity generated from federal hydropower dams to public utilities, rural cooperatives, and Indian Tribes in over 30 states. These entities face risks to their operations, including reduced dam generation due to drought conditions and extreme heat, wildfires, and extreme storms. Reduced generation could raise power prices and reduce deliveries of low-emission hydroelectricity. Despite this, GAO found that two of the PMAs missed a DOE deadline to write assessments on the risks associated with climate change and develop plans to address them. WAPA and SEPA said that staffing issues contributed to the delay but that they would prepare them before the end of 2023.

[1] https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106224?utm_campaign=usgao_email&utm_content=daybook&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

[USA] ESIG report: EV charging plans should consider grid needs

According to a new report released by the Energy Systems Integration Group (ESIG), a nonprofit focused on grid transformation, on April 4, 2023, state transportation plans created to access funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula program do not consider the locational needs of the U.S. power grid.[1] The NEVI program was created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and provides $5 billion to states to develop a national electric vehicle (EV) charging network. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved plans submitted by all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in 2022.

As EV sales increase and charging stations are built, new demands will be placed on electric utilities. ESIG’s report, titled “Leveraging Locational and Temporal Flexibility in Transportation Electrification to Benefit Power Systems,” examined how locationally flexible demand from EVs could be used to address grid needs. It considered potential use cases and their challenges, identified key questions around designing incentives, and offered ideas for regulators and policymakers as they work to support EV infrastructure. The report finds that “Well-managed electrification across the distribution and transmission systems can reduce overall costs and emissions, improve equity outcomes, and help smooth variability in wind and solar generation.” Optimally connecting EV loads means charging site planning “should consider transmission and distribution constraints and locations where customers can take advantage of lower power prices.”

[1] https://www.esig.energy/leveraging-locational-and-temporal-flexibility-in-transportation-electrification-to-benefit-power-systems/

[USA] DOE releases reports highlighting commercialization paths for long-duration storage, advanced nuclear, clean hydrogen

On March 21, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced the launch of its Pathways to Commercial Liftoff, a series of reports charting pathways to commercialize long-duration storage[1], advanced nuclear reactors, and clean hydrogen.[2] The reports are designed to help the private sector and other stakeholders make decisions about emerging technologies that are needed to slash greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector. Each report highlights possible solutions to the challenges facing the technologies and routes to commercialization. Additional reports are expected in the coming months.

The reports concluded that by 2030, cumulative investments must increase from approximately $40 billion to $300 billion across the hydrogen, nuclear, and long-duration energy storage sectors. In the clean hydrogen report, the DOE found that production for U.S. demand could grow from about 1 million metric tons a year to about 10 MMT/year in 2030. However, despite increased investor engagement and project announcements, the DOE report states that infrastructure buildout, demand uncertainty, workforce development, and other challenges to at-scale adoption need to be addressed for clean hydrogen to realize its full potential. 

In the long-duration storage report, the DOE found that the U.S. grid may need 225 GW to 460 GW of long-duration storage to support power markets for a net zero economy by 2060, representing $330 billion in capital spending. To reach commercial viability, technological progress, cost reductions, and an increase in public and private investment must be achieved. For advanced nuclear reactors, the DOE found that U.S. nuclear capacity could triple by 2050 from about 100 GW today. The report identified several obstacles, including increasing deployment of mature technologies and building efficient and timely delivery models.

[1] The DOE defines long-duration storage as resources that can provide continuous energy for 10 hours to about 160 hours.

[2] https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-releases-new-reports-pathways-commercial-liftoff-accelerate-clean-energy-technologies

[USA] Avangrid signs 240 MW solar PPA with Meta

On March 20, 2023, Avangrid, a U.S. subsidiary of Spanish utility Iberdrola, announced that it has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Meta to procure energy from its True North solar PV project.[1] True North is a 240 MW solar farm under development in Falls County, Texas, and Avangrid’s first solar facility in the state. The solar farm will deliver 240 MW of solar energy to Meta once it reaches commercial operations in early 2025. According to Avangrid, the project will create over 200 local jobs during its construction and operation and generate over $40 million in property taxes over 25 years.

Since 2020, Meta’s global operations have been supported by 100% renewable energy. The True North project will support Meta’s upcoming data center in nearby Temple, Texas, their second data center in Texas. With more than 8.6 GW of installed renewable capacity, including 1.1 GW of solar projects operating and under construction, Avangrid is the third largest renewable energy operator in the U.S. the company has more than 25 GW of clean energy under development, including solar, onshore wind, offshore wind, and battery energy storage.

[1] https://www.avangrid.com/w/avangrid-to-support-meta-s-operations-in-texas-with-new-240-mw-solar-farm

[USA] PG&E reaches 96% greenhouse gas-free electricity in 2022

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced on March 20, 2023, that its customers received 96% of their electricity from greenhouse gas-free sources in 2022, making PG&E’s mix among the cleanest electricity portfolios in the world.[1] About 40% of PG&E’s total electricity mix came from renewable resources such as biopower, small hydroelectric, solar, and wind power in 2022. 49% of electricity came from nuclear power generated by Diablo Canyon Power Plant and 7% came from large hydroelectric power.

According to the press release, PG&E was the first energy company to support the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, which set the stage for the state's transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future. PG&E is also planning to exceed the state's requirements under Senate Bill 100, which requires 60% renewables by 2030 and 100% renewables and zero-carbon resources by 2045. PG&E’s Climate Strategy Report outlines the company’s plan to meet California's carbon neutrality goals five years early in 2040 and remove more greenhouse gases than it emits by 2050. Going forward, PG&E plans to deploy thousands of battery energy storage projects through 2025 and beyond. PG&E has contracts for battery energy storage projects totaling more than 3,000 MW of capacity being deployed through 2025. The company is also working to enable electric vehicles to participate in vehicle-to-grid integration programs to support grid reliability and climate resilience.

[1] https://www.pge.com/en_US/about-pge/media-newsroom/news-details.page?pageID=58e51c06-83b5-4c6e-bfb2-c10eeae99d59&ts=1679514345499

[USA] Environmental groups file lawsuit against Biden administration over Willow project in Alaska

On March 14, 2023, Trustees for Alaska filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s approval of ConocoPhillips’ Willow project in Alaska.[1] The $8 billion project, approved on March 13, opens three new drilling areas in Alaska’s North Slope and is expected to produce about 600 million barrels of oil over the next 30 years. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of a coalition of environmental and Indigenous groups, requested that the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska reverse the administration’s approval because the federal government had not considered the project’s climate risks and harm to wildlife. The lawsuit claims that the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) approval of the Willow project did not take the required "hard look" under the National Environmental Policy Act. They also claimed that BLM violated provisions of the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, procedural law, and other federal statutes. It also alleges that the Biden administration’s environmental review did not address all concerns raised by Judge Sharon Gleason when she blocked the project in 2021.

A similar lawsuit was filed by Earthjustice and the Natural Resources Defense Council on March 14, 2023, claiming that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries had failed to consider the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on two different species of seal.[2]

[1] https://trustees.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-Groups-take-Biden-administration-to-court-over-illegal-approval-of-massive-ConocoPhillips-Willow-proposal.pdf

[2] https://earthjustice.org/press/2023/conservation-groups-sue-to-stop-the-willow-oil-project-in-alaskas-western-arctic

[USA] DOT opens applications for first round of funding for EV charging in communities

On March 14, 2023, the Department of Transportation (DOT) opened applications for the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program, a $2.5 billion five-year program to support community and neighborhood electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.[1] The program was created by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The first round of funding will make $700 million available from fiscal years 2022 and 2023 to cities, counties, local governments, and tribes. The funding is split into two grant funding categories: the Community Program and the Corridor Program. The Community Program provides $1.25 billion to deploy EV charging infrastructure and other alternative-vehicle fueling infrastructure in communities, while the Corridor Program provides $1.25 billion to deploy projects along designated alternative fuel corridors (AFCs). Hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure are eligible under these programs.

The CFI grant program builds on the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program and would further the Biden Administration’s goal of building a national network of 500,000 public EV charging stations and reducing national greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 52 percent by 2030. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation will offer webinars for potential grant recipients in March and April. Applications for the grant are due by May 30, 2023.

[1] https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/cfi/

[USA] EPA releases new rule to reduce NOx emissions from powerplants, other sources in nearly a dozen states

On March 15, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final Good Neighbor Plan to cut nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution from power plants and other industrial facilities in 23 states.[1] [2] The Good Neighbor Plan ensures that these states meet the Clean Air Act’s “Good Neighbor” requirements by reducing pollution that significantly contributes to problems attaining and maintaining EPA’s health-based air quality standard for ground-level ozone, known as EPA’s 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), in downwind states. The rule limits emissions of NOx during the summertime “ozone season” through a NOx allowance trading program for fossil fuel-fired power plants in 22 states and NOx emissions standards for certain sources within nine industry categories in 20 states.

Under the new rule, power plant owners in these states (except California), will face tighter NOx emissions requirements starting in the 2023 ozone season. Power plants without NOx emissions reduction equipment will have to install the equipment, and power plants with the equipment will be required to run it all the time during the ozone season to protect downwind areas. More reductions will be phased in starting in 2024 and reflect emissions levels that could be achieved through the installation of new emissions controls. In addition, beginning in the 2026 ozone season, the EPA is setting enforceable NOx emissions control requirements for certain sources at new and existing industrial facilities in 20 states. This plan will reduce ozone season NOx pollution by about 70,000 tons from power plants and industrial facilities in 2026.

[1] https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-final-good-neighbor-plan-cut-harmful-smog-protecting-health-millions

[2] Alabama, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin

[USA] Constellation Energy starts hydrogen production at 1-MW demonstration scale nuclear-powered clean hydrogen facility

On March 7, 2023, Constellation announced that hydrogen production has started at the nation’s first 1 MW demonstration scale, nuclear-powered clean hydrogen production facility at Mile Point Nuclear Plant in Oswego, New York.[1] In 2022, the Department of Energy (DOE) approved moving forward with the construction and installation of an electrolyzer system at Nine Mile Point with an award of $5.8 million. The clean Hydrogen Generation System uses 1.25 MW of zero-carbon energy per hour to produce 560 kilograms of clean hydrogen per day. Constellation said this is “more than enough to meet the plant’s operation hydrogen use.” The Hydrogen Generation System’s Proton Exchange Membrane electrolyzer was manufactured by Nel Hydrogen and utilizes electricity generated at Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station to separate hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water. According to the press release, the demonstration project helps set the stage for possible large-scale deployments at other clean energy centers in Constellation’s fleet.

As part of its broader decarbonization strategy, Constellation is currently working with public and private entities representing every phase in the hydrogen value chain to pursue development of regional hydrogen production and distribution hubs. The company plans to invest $900 million through 2025 to advance commercial clean hydrogen production and is participating in the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2), Northeast Clean Hydrogen Hub, and Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub, all of which are exploring projects to develop hydrogen infrastructure in collaboration with DOE.

[1] https://www.constellationenergy.com/newsroom/2023/Constellation-Starts-Production-at-Nations-First-One-Megawatt-Demonstration-Scale-Nuclear-Powered-Clean-Hydrogen-Facility.html

[USA] SEIA outlines plan to improve U.S. domestic solar supply chain

In a whitepaper released on March 8, 2023, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) outlines steps to secure a stronger domestic solar supply chain in the U.S. and reduce reliance on global imports, particularly from China.[1] The plan, titled “American Solar and Storage Manufacturing Renaissance: Managing the Transition Away from China”, lays out steps for reducing imports at a parallel pace with efforts to reshore manufacturing and scale domestic production in key parts of the supply chain. According to the whitepaper, the current policy environment is enough to meaningfully manufacture all elements of the solar supply chain in the U.S. in the medium and long term. However, the plan does not call for the U.S. to cut itself off fully from global markets, instead recommending reducing reliance on equipment and materials from China and other potential adversaries. SEIA stated that the U.S. could have the most competitive and collaborative solar and energy storage industry by 2030.

In addition to the report, SEIA released an interactive map that tracks new and existing solar and storage facilities in the U.S. The map includes new solar manufacturing investments, such as those made since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). It incorporates facilities across the solar and storage value chain, including facilities that produce raw materials, solar module assembly factories, and component facilities. According to SEIA analysis, the IRA is projected to grow the solar manufacturing workforce in the U.S. from about 34,000 jobs today to more than 115,000 jobs by 2030.

[1] https://www.seia.org/news/us-solar-and-storage-paper-outlines-plan-take-control-us-supply-chain

[USA] Duke to build fleet electrification center in NC with Electrada, Daimler

On February 21, 2023, Duke Energy announced that it will build a fleet electrification center at its Mount Holly Technology and Innovation Center in North Carolina to help develop, test, and deploy zero-emissions light-, medium-, and heavy-duty commercial electric vehicle (EV) fleets.[1] According to the press release, the fleet electrification center will provide a “commercial-grade charging experience for fleet customers evaluating or launching electrification strategies.” The depot is expected to be operational by the end of 2023. Duke’s center will be able to be connected either to the utility’s grid or powered by 100% carbon-free resources through the microgrid located onsite. It is the first electric fleet depot to offer a microgrid charging option.

Duke will partner with Electrada, an electronic fuel solutions company, to develop the fleet charging center. Electrada will invest all required capital behind the meter on behalf of fleet owners and deliver reliable charging to fleet EVs through a performance contract. Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), the largest heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America and a producer of electric trucks, will be a founding participant in the fleet EV charging program. One of DTNA’s largest East Coast manufacturing facilities is located directly adjacent to the center.

[1] https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-energy-to-mobilize-first-of-its-kind-microgrid-integrated-fleet-electrification-center

[USA] Report: Solar and wind growth slowed in 2022

According to a report released by the American Clean Power Association (ACP) on February 16, 2023, the U.S. wind, solar, and battery storage sectors installed a total of 9.6 GW of utility-scale capacity in Q4 2022.[1] The report, titled Clean Power Quarterly Market Report- Q4 2022, found that issues such as supply chain constraints, delays connecting projects to the grid, unclear trade restrictions, permitting obstacles, and uncertainty regarding the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) slowed project development in 2022. Although Q4 was the best quarter of 2022, it was the lowest fourth quarter for utility-scale clean energy installations since 2019, down 21% from 2021. Annual installations were also below both 2021 and 2020 levels, down 16% and 12%, respectively.

The U.S. added more than 21 GW of wind and solar energy in 2022, below 2021 and 2020 levels. Battery storage had a record year, adding 4 GW of capacity in 2022, surpassing the 3 GW record set in 2021. Land-based wind saw the largest decrease in installations in 2022, with 37% less than in 2021. The report states that this decrease was expected, largely due to the declining value of the production tax credit for wind. The report highlighted that the clean power development pipeline had reached a new high, due in part to the IRA, with 13% more capacity in development queues since Q4 2021 and 135 GW of clean power projects in the late stages of development.  

[1] https://cleanpower.org/news/market-report-2022-q4/

[USA] Sunrun and PG&E announce new VPP to support California grid in the summer

On February 6, 2022, Sunrun, a solar and battery storage provider, announced plans to create a 30 MW virtual power plant (VPP) by enrolling up to 7,500 existing and new residential solar and battery systems in Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E) service area.[1] Storage systems that enroll in the Energy Efficiency Summer Reliability Program will be directed to discharge power to the grid every day between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. from August through October, a time when energy needs in California tend to be the highest. Customers will receive a $750 upfront payment and a free smart thermostat for participating. Batteries enrolled in the program will keep enough energy to meet customers’ needs in the event of a local power outage in their area. All Sunrun solar and battery customers in single-family homes in PG&E’s footprint who are not currently enrolled in other demand response programs are eligible to participate. In addition, the program will provide Sunrun with incremental revenue for managing and delivering VPP services to the grid for one year.

The new VPP is part of several programs and solutions that PG&E has implemented to ensure reliability during extreme heat events. The VPP was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in January 2023, and the company plans to begin enrolling customers into the program and start dispatches on August 1, 2023.

[1] https://investors.sunrun.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/279/sunrun-and-pge-collaborate-on-residential-battery-powered

[USA] FBI thwarts plot to attack BGE substations

On February 6, 2023, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that two suspects had been charged with planning a firearms attack on five Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE) substations.[1] According to the DOJ, Sarah Beth Clendaniel of Catonsville, Maryland, and Brandon Clint Russell of Orlando, Florida, were arrested on February 3, 2023,  and charged with conspiracy to destroy an energy facility. The two individuals planned to attack several substations across Baltimore, Maryland, to cripple the city’s electricity infrastructure. The planned attack was based on race, and at least one of the suspects is a member of a neo-Nazi group. BGE, an Exelon subsidiary, said it is working closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), state and local investigators.

“Attacks on multiple electrical substations in Maryland would have caused suffering to thousands of Americans going about their everyday lives, but the FBI and our partners put a stop to that threat,” said Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “According to the criminal complaint, the defendants allegedly were taking specific steps to carry out their plans, including selecting targets and trying to illegally acquire a rifle. The FBI and our partners will hold accountable all those who commit criminal acts that threaten the safety of those in our communities, regardless of their motivations.”

[1] https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/maryland-woman-and-florida-man-charged-federally-conspiring-destroy-energy-facilities

[USA] ACORE Report: More transmission would have prevented winter outages

According to a report released by the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) on February 8, 2023, adding 1 GW of transmission capacity during Winter Storm Elliott could have saved electricity consumers nearly $100 million over the course of the five-day storm.[1] The report, titled The Value of Transmission During Winter Storm Elliott, analyses the benefits more transmission could have provided during Winter Storm Elliot, which caused record winter electricity demand and rolling blackouts across much of the Central and Eastern U.S. in December 2022. About 1.7 million service disruptions occurred during the peak of Winter Storm Elliott. The report found that congested power lines prevented the region from importing lower-cost electricity when energy use spiked during Winter Storm Elliott. The ACORE report also found that additional transmission into the Duke/Progress utility area in the Carolinas and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) region would have yielded savings of $85 million and $95 million, respectively. In addition, a 1 GW transmission line between the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and TVA would have also provided $1 billion in savings to Texans during Winter Storm Uri in February 2021.

[1] https://acore.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/ACORE-The-Value-of-Transmission-During-Winter-Storm-Elliott.pdf

[USA] ChargePoint and Stem to partner on EV charging and energy storage for DC fast charging

On January 31, 2023, ChargePoint Holdings, an electric vehicle (EV) charging network company, and Stem, a utility- and industrial-scale battery storage and software company, announced an agreement to accelerate EV charging and battery storage for highway corridor DC fast charging and other EV charging applications like fleet charging.[1] According to the press release, by combining EV charging with battery storage and AI-driven energy management, EV site operators can benefit from lower operating costs and added energy resiliency.

ChargePoint will analyze EV charging demand at sites looking to install DC chargers and assess their eligibility for incentive programs like the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. ChargePoint will work with Stem to determine if a battery energy storage system may reduce the EV site’s operating costs. The companies say they will integrate ChargePoint’s Express Plus advanced fast charging platform with Stem’s on-site energy storage and its Athena platform, which integrates solar, storage, and EV charging management. The agreement has the potential to help reduce an EV site host’s utility bills by reducing demand charges, which can represent a significant portion of EV charging operating costs.[2] EV site hosts can reduce or avoid these costs by utilizing battery storage to mitigate demand peaks. Through energy storage-managed EV charging, customers can protect themselves against the risk of potential utility rate changes.

[1] https://www.chargepoint.com/about/news/chargepoint-and-stem-accelerate-deployment-ev-charging-and-battery-storage-solutions-dc

[2] Currently, public charging utilization is often too low to recover the cost of high-demand charges. A 2017 Rocky Mountain Institute study showed demand charges could be responsible for over 90% of a charging station’s electricity costs. Similarly, a 2019 Great Plains Institute study found that at low utilization rates, demand charges can be responsible for up to 90% of a site host’s monthly electricity bills.

[USA] PG&E projects 32% percent higher gas and electricity bills this winter

On January 31, 2023, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) warned its customers that the colder-than-normal temperatures mixed with increased costs of natural gas could lead to much higher energy bills this winter.[1] The utility said that compared to the same time last year, residential combined-use gas and electricity bills will be about 32% higher until March. PG&E cited higher demand and tighter supplies in the region. Natural gas prices have been much higher on the West Coast than in the rest of the U.S. since November 2022. Between January 19 and 25, California's average daily prices were five times higher than the U.S. benchmark prices. Residents are using more natural gas for heating during colder weather—customers have used more natural gas this winter than the past five-year historic average. In addition, power plants are utilizing more natural gas to meet electricity demand. However, the company noted that bill increases could be less severe if prices fall and the weather warms unexpectedly.

The utility said it supports the proposal to issue the annual April Climate Credit earlier this year, which would provide residential customers with credits of $91.17. The California Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to vote on February 2, 2023, on the proposal. Separately, more than 300,000 customers who experienced financial hardships during the pandemic will receive an automatic one-time bill credit before February 3, 2023, under the California Arrearage Payment Program.

[1] https://www.pge.com/en_US/about-pge/media-newsroom/news-details.page?pageID=57fb0682-a47e-4431-a678-7319d659e3ff&ts=1675355880012

[USA] Southern states without power due to ice storm

A combination of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and Arctic air spilling south from Canada is resulting in a long-duration ice storm across at least eight states. At least seven people have been reported dead since January 30, 2023.[1] Ice storm warnings were in effect across large portions of Texas, western Tennessee, northern Mississippi, and much of Arkansas. Ice accumulated on power lines, utility poles, and tree limbs, leading to power outages. According to PowerOutage.us, more than 437,000 customers were without power in Texas as of the afternoon of February 2.[2] Arkansas had about 82,000 customers without power, followed by Mississippi with 23,000 and Tennessee with 17,000. More than a quarter of all households in Austin, Texas, had lost power as of the afternoon of February 2. Austin Energy said that its crews are working to restore weather-related power outages across the service area.[3] However, based on changing conditions, the utility said it is unable to provide estimates on system-wide restoration.

[1] https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3840856-7-deaths-reported-from-texas-ice-storm-outages-top-400k/

[2] https://poweroutage.us/

[3] https://austinenergy.com/about/news/news-releases/2023/austin-energy-working-to-restore-widespread-local-power-outages