[USA] DOE announces new Building a Better Grid initiative

On January 12, 2022, the Department of Energy launched the Building a Better Grid initiative to catalyze the nationwide development of new and upgraded high-capacity transmission lines, as enabled by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.[1] According to the DOE, the initiative will make the power grid more reliable and resilient to climate change and is crucial for achieving President Biden’s goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035 and a zero-emissions economy by 2050. The program will also increase access to affordable clean energy and create more jobs in the transmission industry, which employs over one million workers across the U.S.

Rebuilding and improving aging roads, bridges, and electric grid is a fundamental goal of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law seeks to address the vulnerability of the nation’s grid transmission lines and power transformers, over 70% of which are over 25 years old. Additionally, the law will help meet the increased interconnection queue waiting times for the many clean energy generation and storage projects expected to be added to the grid. As outlined in the DOE’s January 11 Notice of Intent, the initiative will support the development of nationally significant transmission projects and grid upgrades by:

• Early engagement and collaboration with states, tribal nations, and stakeholders to accelerate transmission deployment

• Enhancing transmission planning to identify areas of greatest need and conducting longer-term national-scale transmission planning analysis

• Deploying more than $20 billion in federal financing tools, which includes the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s new programs and existing funding like the $3 billion Western Area Power Administration Transmission Infrastructure Program

• Facilitating an efficient transmission permitting process by coordinating with federal agencies to streamline permitting, using public-private partnerships, and designating transmission corridors.

• Performing transmission-related research and development to continue developing and reducing the costs of technologies that enable efficiency.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-launches-new-initiative-president-bidens-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-modernize

[USA] Federal judge halts construction on Dixie Meadows geothermal plant in Nevada

On January 4, 2022, Judge Robert Jones of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada issued a preliminary injunction blocking construction on the Dixie Meadows Geothermal Utilization Project for 90 days.[1] The order came two days before the developer, Ormat Technologies, planned to begin construction on the project. The Dixie Meadows geothermal project includes the development of up to two 30 MWe geothermal power plants, the drilling of up to 18 production and injection well sites and eight core hole sites, and the construction of pipelines for geothermal fluids and other associated structures. The project will be located in northern Nevada. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approved the project in November 2021.[2] Prior to the approval, Ormat completed an environmental assessment in 2017 and worked with the BLM and other partner agencies to create an Aquatic Resource Monitoring and Mitigation Plan. According to the BLM, the Dixie Meadows project will help the state meet its renewable energy portfolio requirement of 25% total capacity.

The federal judge’s order is part of a lawsuit filed on December 15, 2021, by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe. The plaintiffs cited concerns about the environmental impact of the project. The lawsuit alleges that the BLM illegally approved the Dixie Meadows project without the necessary environmental analysis. The lawsuit argues that the geothermal project could affect religious practices that depend on nearby springs and could harm the vulnerable Dixie Valley toad. For its part, Ormat’s lawyer said the company could lose $7 million in revenue if the project’s first phase is delayed. Judge Jones, however, said that the imminent risk to the area outweighed the potential financial consequences of a short-term delay for the developer. In addition, he noted that without a more in-depth National Environmental Policy Act analysis, the federal government might not have all the information necessary for its mitigation plan for the project. The 90-day restraining order will give the tribe and environmental challengers the opportunity to appeal the decision to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals.

[1] https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2022/01/05/judge-pauses-major-geothermal-project-cites-nepa-284812

[2] https://www.blm.gov/press-release/bureau-land-management-approves-dixie-meadows-geothermal-project

[USA] DOE announces loan guarantee of up to $1.04 billion for Nebraska pyrolysis facility

On December 23, 2021, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) announced that it would guarantee a loan of up to $1.04 billion to Monolith Nebraska LLC to scale up the production of hydrogen at its Olive Creek facility in Hallam, Nebraska.[1] According to the LPO, the expansion will create approximately 1,000 jobs during construction and 75 “high-paying, highly skilled, clean energy jobs” for facility operations. The LPO said that the company must meet certain conditions before a final loan is issued, though it did not specify what these conditions will be. The announcement is the office’s first conditional commitment to be offered to a non-nuclear project since 2016. According to the DOE, it is likely to be the first of many such awards in 2022.

The Monolith Olive Creek project is the first-ever commercial-scale project to use methane pyrolysis technology, which produces carbon black and hydrogen from natural gas. Monolith aims to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted during carbon black and hydrogen production by up to 80% compared to traditional methods. Carbon black is a type of soot that is widely used to reinforce and improve the performance of tires and other rubber products. It is also used in the production of plastics, dyes, and inks. Tire producers like Michelin and Goodyear are pledging to cut their own emissions footprints by sourcing their carbon black from Monolith.[2] The hydrogen produced at the Olive Creek facility will be used for cleanly made ammonia fertilizer and sold to agricultural buyers.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/open-business-lpo-issues-new-conditional-commitment-loan-guarantee

[2] https://monolith-corp.com/news/monolith-receives-conditional-approval-for-a-one-billion-dollar-us-department-of-energy-loan

[Japan] JAEA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to cooperate in Wyoming fast-reactor project

According to an article released by the daily Yomiuri on January 1, 2022, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are set to cooperate in a U.S. project to build a next-generation fast reactor in Wyoming.[1] The companies will sign a memorandum of understanding as early as January with Terrapower, an advanced nuclear power startup founded by Bill Gates, and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Terrapower is set to start operating the nuclear reactor in 2028. The U.S. government will provide funding to cover half of the project’s estimated cost of $4 billion. The fast reactor will have an output capacity of 345,000 kW and will use sodium as a coolant.

The U.S. government and Terrapower are seeking partners in Japan because commercial-scale development of a fast reactor has not taken place for many years in the U.S. JAEA, which is affiliated with the Japanese government, operates the Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, and the Joyo experimental fast reactor in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture. The Monju plant is now in the decommissioning and dismantling process.  JAEA and Mitsubishi are expected to provide reactor-design technologies and reactor-operation data. According to the Japan Times, safety tests might be conducted at a JAEA facility.[2] Japan’s industry and science ministries will support preparations for the safety tests.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/japan-help-build-bill-gates-high-tech-nuclear-reactor-wyoming-yomiuri-2022-01-01/

[2] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/01/05/business/corporate-business/japan-us-next-generation-fast-reactor/

[USA] Massachusetts and Maryland announce large procurements of offshore wind

On December 17, 2021, Massachusetts announced the selection of two offshore wind projects, Mayflower Wind and Vineyard Wind, totaling 1,600 MW of new capacity.[1] The selected projects, in combination with two previous projects, bring the total amount of offshore wind procured by the state to approximately 3,200 MW. The announcement brings Massachusetts closed to its goal of procuring 5,600 MW of offshore wind by 2027. Vineyard Wind and Mayflower Wind are both joint ventures of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Avangrid Renewables. Vineyard Wind received a 1,200 MW contract, in addition to its previous 800 MW contract. Separately, Mayflower, received a 400 MW contract, in addition to its 800 MW project in the state. The developers already had approval from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Management (BOEM) to build out their lease areas. The full capacity of Mayflower Wind’s lease is 2,000 MW, though only 1,200 MW is currently contracted.

On the same day as Massachusett’s announcement, the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) awarded offtake agreements to U.S. Wind and Skipjack Offshore energy for a combined 1,654.5 MW, bringing the state’s total to 2,022 MW.[2] Maryland’s 2019 Clean Energy Jobs Act expanded capacity for offshore wind in its Renewable Energy Portfolio to at least 1,200 MW. Maryland regulators awarded offshore renewable energy credits for 808.5 MW to US Wind's Momentum Wind development at a levelized price of $54.17/MWh for 20 years. Skipjack Wind, owned by Ørsted Offshore North America, was awarded 846 MW of credits at $71.61/MWh for 20 years. Both projects are subject to review under BOEM. They are expected to be operational before the end of 2026. Notably, the PSC has closed the next anticipated application periods for offshore wind solicitations because the latest approved bids will not leave room for additional projects.

[1] https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-announces-historic-selection-of-offshore-wind-projects-to-bring-clean-affordable-power-to-the-commonwealth

[2] https://www.psc.state.md.us/wp-content/uploads/Order-No.-90011-Case-No.-9666-Order-Granting-Offshore-Wind-Renewable-Energy-Credits.pdf

[USA] EPA finalizes ambitious GHG emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks

On December 20, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks for Model Years (MY) 2023 through 2026.[1] According to the EPA, the standards are the most ambitious vehicle GHG emissions standards ever established for the light-duty vehicle sector in the U.S. The EPA’s final standards for 2025 and 2026 are more ambitious than those proposed in the initial rulemaking stage in August of 2021.

The final standards will unlock $190 billion in net benefits, including reduced impacts of climate change, improved public health from lower pollution, and cost savings for vehicle owners through improved fuel efficiency. The EPA projects that as the GHG standards get stronger over four years, sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles will grow from about 7% market share in MY 2023 to about 17% in MY 2026. The standards will also result in avoiding more than 3 billion tons of GHG emissions, equivalent to more than half the total of U.S. CO2 emissions in 2019. Though the standards are ambitious, the EPA said that they provide adequate time for manufacturers to comply at reasonable costs. The final standards also put the light-duty vehicle GHG program on track to launch the next phase of standards for MY 2027 and beyond. The EPA is planning to initiate a separate rulemaking to set standards for MY 2027 and later in compliance with Biden’s “Executive Order on Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks.”

[1] https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-finalizes-greenhouse-gas-standards-passenger-vehicles-paving-way-zero-emissions

[USA] PSE announces new target of 63% clean energy by the end of 2025

On December 20, 2021, Puget Sound Energy (PSE), a utility based in Washington, announced a new goal of reaching 63% clean electricity by the end of 2025 and net-zero carbon by 2045.[1] In October 2021, PSE filed its draft plan to achieve those goals with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC). On December 17, 2021, the utility filed its final Clean Energy Implementation plan (CEIP), which further defines a course of action for clean electricity programs and investments for the next four years. The plans align with the state’s Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA).

The updated plan projects that the utility will have 63% clean energy by the end of 2025, up from 59% in the October draft plan and 34% in 2020. The plan proposes removing coal as a source of electricity by the end of 2025. It also aims to ramp up utility-scale renewables like wind and solar generation and calls for nearly doubling the installation of distributed energy resources (DERs). The plan also creates more ways for customers to save energy and reduce costs through energy efficiency improvements. In addition, it introduces new programs and incentives to reduce or shift energy use during peak times. The PSE’s implementation plan is under review by the UTC, which will conduct a public comment period and review process before making a decision.

[1] https://www.pse.com/press-release/details/Puget-Sound-Energy-raises-target-for-expanding-clean-energy-goals

[USA] Pennsylvania regulators release draft rules to cut methane emissions from existing oil and gas wells

On December 10, 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) released draft final rules to cut methane emissions from existing oil and gas wells. Pennsylvania is the second-largest gas-producing state after Texas.[1] The DEP first released the draft rules for new wells in 2019 and has collected comments over the past two years. The newly released draft applies to existing oil and gas wells and associated facilities. It includes an exception for oil and gas wells that produce less than 15 barrels of crude a day. The draft requires operators to conduct leak searches four times a year and upgrade existing equipment to reduce pollution from controllers, pumps, compressors, and tanks. According to the DEP, the final rules are expected to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds by nearly 12,000 tons per year and methane emissions by about 214,000 tons per year, compared to about 75,000 tons in the previous draft. The draft was released in advance of the DEP’s Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. It still has to be reviewed by several state boards and could be in place by mid-2022.

[1]https://files.dep.state.pa.us/Air/AirQuality/AQPortalFiles/Advisory%20Committees/Air%20Quality%20Technical%20Advisory%20Committee/2021/12-9-21/post_OG_CTG_FRN_ANNEX_A__DRAFT_AQTAC.pdf

[USA] CPUC releases proposed rules for solar net metering

On December 13, 2021, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a proposed decision to revise the current net energy metering (NEM) framework and replace it with a net billing tariff.[1] In 2016, the CPUC adopted the current NEM, which gives customers a credit at the retail rate for energy that they provide to the grid. However, the proposed decision determined that the current NEM "negatively impacts non-participating customers; is not cost-effective; and disproportionately harms low-income ratepayers." According to the agency, the new proposed decision would adopt more accurate price signals that will promote the higher installation of customer-sited storage, helping the state decrease its dependency on fossil fuels during the early evening hours when solar output is low but demand is high. Under the net billing tariff proposed by the CPUC, new solar owners will be compensated for their excess electricity sent to the grid using an avoided cost calculator, which is lower than the current incentives.

The CPUC also proposed creating a Market Transition Credit of up to $5.25 per kW for residential solar plus storage and solar-only systems. The credit would continue at this level for four years, after which it would begin to decline by 25% a year. The proposal would also put in place a monthly residential Grid Participation Charge of $8 per kW of installed solar. The proposed decision would also create an Equity Fund with up to $600 million to improve low-income customer access to distributed clean energy programs with strong consumer protections. The proposed decision is now open to public comments, and the proposal is on the CPUC’s agenda for January 27, 2021.

[1] https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M430/K903/430903088.PDF          

[USA] NuScale Power announces plans to be the first advanced nuclear reactor company to go public

NuScale Power, a developer of advanced nuclear reactor technology, announced on December 14, 2021, that it plans to go public by merging with Spring Valley Acquisition, a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company.[1] The move marks the first time an advanced reactor company has gone public. The NuScale Power Module (NPM) is the first and only small nuclear reactor (SMR) to receive Standard Design Approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The company is currently working with the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) to deploy a NuScale VOYGR power plant in 2029 and is working with several other companies. According to the press release, the company could deliver the first VOYGR power plant as soon as 2027, depending on customer needs.

The combined company, named NuScale Power Corporation, will have an estimated pro-forma enterprise value of approximately $1.9 billion.  NuScale expects the transaction to provide up to $413 million in gross cash proceeds to bolster and accelerate the commercialization of its SMR technology. Existing NuScale shareholders, including majority owner Fluor, will retain their equity in NuScale and roll it into the new company. Fluor projects that it will control about 60% of the combined company and will continue to provide NuScale with engineering services, project management, administrative, and supply chain support. The agreement is subject to approval by Spring Valley’s shareholders, as well as other closing conditions. NuScale expects to close the transaction in the first half of 2022.

[1] https://newsroom.nuscalepower.com/press-releases/news-details/2021/NuScale-Power-the-Industry-Leading-Provider-ofTransformational-Small-Modular-Nuclear-Reactor-Technology-Announces-Plans-to-Go-Public-via-Merger-with-Spring-Valley-Acquisition-Corp/default.aspx

[USA] FERC extends emergency certificate for Spire STL pipeline

On December 3, 2021, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a temporary certificate allowing the Spire STL pipeline to continue operating through winter.[1] The 65-mile pipeline runs from Illinois to the St. Louis, Missouri area to serve Spire Missouri customers. Spire STL has been operational since 2019, but in June 2021, the D.C. Circuit vacated the pipeline’s certificate of public convenience and necessity. The court ruled that FERC had failed to adequately assess the need for the Spire pipeline. FERC issued a temporary certificate in September 2021, which was set to expire on December 13, 2021. Prior to FERC’s December decision, Spire had warned that shutting off the pipeline would lead to 400,000 St. Louis area customers experiencing extended loss of service this winter.  The new temporary certificate allows the pipeline to remain in service while FERC decides how to proceed. The temporary certificate bars the company from engaging in construction activities or expanding service but allows the pipeline to operate under the rates that are currently in effect.

FERC’s decision came right after Spire STL Pipeline LLC petitioned the Supreme Court to review the D.C. Circuit’s ruling.[2] In its appeal, the company argued that the D.C. Circuit should not have revoked the permit in light of the "dangerous, and potentially fatal, consequences" of the decision.

[1] https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/news/ferc-extends-temporary-operations-spire-stl-pipeline

[2] https://missouriindependent.com/2021/12/03/spire-stl-pipeline-appeals-to-u-s-supreme-court-to-overturn-self-dealing-ruling/

[USA] More than 50 utilities plan coast-to-coast EV charging network

The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) announced on December 7, 2021, the formation of the National Electric Highway Coalition (NEHC), which is committed to building a coast-to-coast fast-charging network for electric vehicles along major U.S. travel corridors by the end of 2023.[1] The coalition merges the Electric Highway Coalition and the Midwest Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Collaboration and includes additional participating electric companies. NEHC consists of 51 investor-owned electric companies, Midwest Energy[2], and the Tennessee Valley Authority. NEHC’s member companies serve nearly 120 million U.S. electric customers across 47 states and the District of Columbia.

According to EEI, its member companies, which are all investor-owned electric utility (IOUs) in the U.S., have invested more than $3 billion in customer programs and projects to deploy EV charging infrastructure and accelerate electric transportation. EEI estimates that more than 100,000 EV fast-charging ports will be needed to support the projected 22 million EVs on U.S. roads in 2030. The press release also notes that EEI member companies are electrifying their own fleets and are on track to electrify more than one-third of all fleet vehicles by 2030. They are also involved with commercial fleet customers and are working together on electrification planning for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

[1]https://www.eei.org/resourcesandmedia/newsroom/Pages/Press%20Releases/Electric%20Companies%20Join%20Together%20to%20Form%20National%20Electric%20Highway%20Coalition.aspx

[2] Midwest Energy is a Kansas-based electric cooperative.

[Japan] Shizen Energy and Swancor Renewable Energy announce effort to jointly develop offshore wind in Japan

On December 8, 2021, Japan-based Shizen Energy and Taiwan-based Swancor Renewable Energy announced that they have agreed to co-develop offshore wind farms throughout the Kyushu region of Japan.[1] According to the press release, the joint venture will combine Swancor Renewable Energy’s technological strengths and experience in Taiwan, which has ocean areas geologically similar to Japan, and Shizen Energy’s  “developmental strengths in introducing renewable energy that embraces local conditions. The companies noted that Japan’s offshore wind market is gaining momentum. Among other things, in 2018, the Japanese government set a goal of increasing the share of renewables to 22-24% by 2030, and in 2021, the government increased this target to 36-38% by further strengthening measures. The new goal includes plans to introduce 10 GW of wind power, including both offshore and onshore wind power.

Both companies have a track record of developing renewable energy, with a focus on offshore wind. In 2012, Swancor Renewable Energy began developing the first offshore wind project in Taiwan. The company has been involved in the development of a cumulative total of approximately 5 GW of projects, including construction, operation, and maintenance. Swancor Renewable Energy’s Formosa 1 project, which went into operation in 2019, is the only offshore wind farm currently operating in Taiwan. Shizen Energy has developed approximately 1GW of renewable energy power plants in Japan, and its portfolio has expanded from solar to onshore and offshore wind, hydro, and biomass. The company has been involved in efforts to introduce offshore wind power in Japan, starting with its participation in a zoning project in 2016 and engaging in offshore wind power development off the coast of Chiba Prefecture.

[1] https://www.shizenenergy.net/en/2021/12/08/sre-se_partnership_eng/

[USA] Duke Energy files net metering agreement with NC regulators

Duke Energy announced that it filed a net energy metering agreement[1] with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) on November 29, 2021.[2] The filing is an agreement that the utility reached with the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) — on behalf of Vote Solar and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy —, Sunrun Inc., and the Solar Energy Industries Association. Over the past three years, Duke has encouraged private solar ownership through its $62 million solar rebate program, which the utility expects to continue into 2023. According to the press release, 24,000 North Carolina customers have adopted private solar arrays compared to just 6,000 at the beginning of 2018. The North Carolina agreement also follows a similar net metering agreement filed in South Carolina in September 2020.

If the NCUC approves the filing, the agreement would allow for new net metering tariffs to go into effect for customers submitting applications on or after January 1, 2023. The agreement would also create new pricing and incentives for residential solar customers. Additionally, the filing features rate design mechanisms for collecting grid infrastructure costs needed to serve solar customers. It also includes innovative retail rates that vary based on the time of day and when the utility is experiencing peak demand.

[1] Net energy metering tariffs are a process that allows small customers that own rooftop solar arrays to gain credits for excess electricity they generate and provide to the utility (Duke Energy in this case) via the grid.

[2] https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-energy-reaches-deal-with-renewable-organizations-to-modernize-rooftop-solar-policy-in-north-carolina

[USA] Department of the Interior releases report recommending changes to the federal oil and gas leasing programs

On November 26, 2021, the Department of the Interior (DOI) released its report on federal oil and gas leasing and permitting practices, following a review of onshore and offshore oil and gas programs.[1] President Biden ordered the review of the federal oil and gas program in Executive Order 14008, which was signed on January 27, 2021. The report identified several reforms that should be made to ensure the programs provide a fair return to taxpayers, discourage speculation, hold operators responsible for remediation, and more fully include stakeholders in decision-making.

The DOI’s report recommended that the Bureau of Land Management (BOEM) avoid offering lands with low production potential and instead focus on areas with moderate or high potential close to existing infrastructure. It also said that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) should consider ending area-wide leasing, under which the entire planning area is offered with few exclusions for a smaller lease sale. According to the report, previous government reports have found that the practice has cost the agency billions of dollars and significantly reduces competition and the value of bids In addition, the report recommends raising royalty rates, which have not been raised in the last 100 years. The report also suggested raising the bonding rates as well. The report argued that bonding rates are 50 years old, and recent bankruptcies show the increasing risk of cleanup costs falling to taxpayers. The report notes that these recommendations are consistent with pending congressional proposals.

[1] https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-department-report-finds-significant-shortcomings-oil-and-gas-leasing-programs

[USA] Hydrostor announces filing for planned 4GWh long-duration storage facility in southern California

On December 1, 2021, Gem A-CAES LLC, a subsidiary of Toronto-based Hydrostor, filed an Application for Certification with the California Energy Commission (CEC) to develop a 500 MW (4,000 MWh) energy storage facility near Rosamond, Kern County in southern California.[1] The recent filing follows Hydrostor’s November 2021 announcement and filing for the Pecho Energy Storage Center, a 3.2 GWh A-CAES project located in San Luis Obispo County, California. The project, called the Gem Energy Storage Center, will use Hydrostor’s Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage (“A-CAES”) solution, which is a long-duration energy storage technology that can deliver hundreds of megawatts and 4 to 24+ hours of storage. The project is expected to have a capital investment of $975 million, and the company expects to bring it online as early as 2026. During the four years of construction, the project is expected to provide a peak of 700 jobs. Once operational, Gem will create 30 to 40 full-time jobs.

The project is expected to interconnect at either the Whirlwind Substation in Kern County or the planned Rosamond Switching Station. According to the press release, Gem is “strategically located to provide enhanced utilization of both existing and future renewable energy resources serving California and the High Desert.” The project will also play a vital role in helping meet California’s future energy and reliability needs, significantly reducing the frequency of large-scale blackouts.

[1] https://www.hydrostor.ca/hydrostor-files-second-application-for-certification-for-500-mw-x-8-hour-4000-mwh-gem-energy-storage-center/

[USA] NERC releases winter reliability assessment report, warns of multiple risks to the grid

On November 18, 2021, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) released its 2021-2022 Winter Reliability Assessment, which found that reliability risk is elevated in regions that are especially vulnerable to extreme weather, natural gas supply disruptions, and low hydro conditions.[1] The assessment advises the industry to manage shortfalls and to take proactive steps for generator readiness, fuel availability, and sustained operations in extreme conditions. This winter, regions at risk include the Central U.S., New England, California, the Western U.S., and Canada. NERC’s assessment found that generator owners are facing challenges in obtaining coal and oil fuels as supply chains are stressed. Additionally, generator resource availability could suffer as a result of equipment failure or lack of fuel under severe winter conditions.

To reduce risks of energy shortfalls this winter, NERC recommends that grid operators, generator owners, and generator operators review the NERC Level 2 Alert and NERC’s Generating Unit Winter Weather Readiness Guideline. NERC also suggests that balancing authorities should periodically poll their generating units in advance of approaching severe weather to understand their readiness for normal and extreme conditions. Moreover, balancing authorities and reliability coordinators should conduct drills on alert protocols to ensure they are prepared to signal a need for conservative operations or restrictive maintenance periods. Lastly, distribution providers and load-serving entities should review non-firm customer inventories and rolling blackout procedures to ensure that no critical infrastructure would be affected.

[1] https://www.nerc.com/news/Headlines%20DL/WRA_final%2018NOV21.pdf

https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_WRA_2021.pdf

[USA] Biden announces oil release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in effort to lower prices

On November 23, 2021, President Biden announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) will release 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in an effort to lower prices and address the lack of supply around the world.[1] The decision is a response to the highest oil prices experienced in seven years, which the Biden administration attributed to the pandemic recovery. The announcement is in coordination with other major energy consuming nations, including Japan, China, India, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom. According to the White House press release, the effort “culminates weeks of consultations with countries around the world” and has already affected oil prices, with oil prices dropping nearly 10% since reports of the change became public.

32 million barrels will be an exchange over the next several months, releasing oil that will eventually return to the SPR in the coming years. The exchange is a tool matched to the current economic environment, where markets expect future oil prices to be lower than they are today. The tool helps provide immediate relief and bridge the gap to a period of expected lower oil prices. The exchange also automatically provides for re-stocking of the SPR over time to meet future needs. The DOE said the exchange will be conducted with crude oil from all four SPR storage sites: approximately 10 million barrels from Big Hill, Texas; 10 million barrels from Bryan Mound, Texas; 7 million barrels from West Hackberry, Louisiana.; and 5 million barrels from Bayou Choctaw, Louisiana.  The other 18 million barrels will be an acceleration of a sale of oil that Congress had previously authorized.

[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/23/president-biden-announces-release-from-the-strategic-petroleum-reserve-as-part-of-ongoing-efforts-to-lower-prices-and-address-lack-of-supply-around-the-world/

[USA] California regulators approve $1.4 billion plan for zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and manufacturing

On November 15, 2021, the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved a three-year $1.4 billion plan to help the state achieve its 2025 electric vehicle (EV) charging and hydrogen refueling goals.[1] The plan will close the funding gap to support Governor Gavin Newsom’s, D, September 2020 executive order to phase out the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger vehicles by 2035. The funding in the new plan will become available over the next two years. It will be distributed to projects through a mix of competitive solicitations and direct agreements, according to the press release.

The new plan increases the budget of the Clean Transportation Program by six times, including $1.1 billion from the 2021–2022 state budget in addition to the remaining $238 million in program funds. The three-year plan includes $314 million for light-duty EV charging infrastructure, $690 million for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, $77 million for hydrogen refueling infrastructure, and $25 million for zero-and near-zero-carbon fuel production and supply. In addition, the plan contains $244 million for ZEV manufacturing and $15 million for workforce training and development. In response to stakeholder engagement, the CEC intends to ensure that at least 50% of funds from the plan go to projects that benefit “priority populations,” including low-income and disadvantaged communities.

[1] https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2021-11/cec-approves-14-billion-plan-zero-emission-transportation-infrastructure-and

[Japan] Enviva and J-Power sign agreement for biomass supply for coal-fired plants in Japan

On November 16, 2021, Enviva Partners LP, a U.S.-based global renewable energy company focused on sustainable wood bioenergy, and Tokyo-based utility Electric Power Development (J-Power) announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the long-term, large-scale supply of wood biomass from Enviva’s operations in the Southeast of the U.S. to J-Power’s coal-fired power plants in Japan.[1] Under the MOU, the two companies will work to develop a plan for Enviva to build new infrastructure to produce and deliver up to 5 million metric tons of sustainable wood pellets to permanently replace coal in J-Power’s existing coal-fired power plants. J-Power has a total of 8.4 GW of coal-fired power capacity. The companies will work to repurpose the facilities into both dedicated and co-fired biomass plants, resulting in over 80% greenhouse gas emission reductions for each site. Biomass provided by Enviva will be certified under the EU’s current sustainability criteria, which guarantees that the biomass is only sourced from sustainably managed forests.

The MOU is part of J-Power’s plan to meet its “Blue Mission” goal to be carbon-neutral by 2050. The company has also recently announced various plans, including a phase-out of aged thermal power plants, to be replaced with co-firing biomass or ammonia. Enviva also announced its own net-zero goal to reduce, eliminate, or offset all of its direct emissions by 2030.

[1] https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211116006425/en/Enviva-and-J-Power-Join-Efforts-to-Decarbonize-Power-Generation-in-Japan