Focus
California’s latest demand-side emergency plan draws criticism from providers
Greentech Media – March 10
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued the latest proposal to prevent rolling blackouts. The proposal’s primary innovation, an Emergency Load Reduction Program (ELRP), would pay customers to cut power use during grid emergencies above and beyond their existing demand-response commitments. The proposal would also increase incentives for “base interruptible programs” that reward commercial, industrial and agricultural customers for cutting electricity use when the grid is facing emergencies. The ELRP would also allow behind-the-meter batteries and electric vehicles to export power to the grid — the first time a demand response program has permitted this key request from energy storage players like Stem and Sunrun. However, critics argue the ELRP lacks upfront payments and provides little clarity on how it will credit participants, which demand response providers say could limit its effectiveness. The CPUC’s proposal is set for a vote on March 25.
|
News
Diablo Canyon Power Plant to become wind energy hub
The Tribune – March 5
A research and renewable energy facility is proposed to take over the site of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in San Luis Obispo once it shutters in 2025. The site could become a hub for wind energy, eco-tourism, water resilience and cutting edge research and development, based on a memorandum of understanding recently announced between Cal Poly, The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, the nonprofit yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini Northern Chumash Cultural Preservation Kinship, the Tri-Counties Building and Construction Trades Council and elected officials. In 2018, the U.S. Bureau for Ocean Energy Management opened up applications for wind farm locations, including two sites off San Luis Obispo County, with a final decision expected as early as this year. Similar projects may be on the horizon with a bill co-introduced by California Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, AB-525, which would require state energy regulators to create a target for California off-shore wind development.
Google gets granular on renewable energy credits
Greentech Media – March 11
Last week, Google announced a step torward its 2030 goal to supply all of its annual electricity consumption, which now stands at 12.2 TWh, with carbon-free energy at all times of day and night. The tech company will work with the nonprofit Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System (M-RETS) to match renewable energy credits (RECs) to its electricity consumption on an hourly basis, rather than the current monthly standard. If expanded, the model could offer corporate renewables buyers the granular data required to decarbonize a greater percentage of their electricity load. Currently, companies meet voluntary renewables targets by making purchases that offset annual electricity use. The M-RETS partnership produces a more granular picture of electricity consumption: matching renewable energy credits to the hour they’re produced, allowing companies to buy credits around the clock.
PG&E says batteries will help it meet renewable energy and reliability goals
Solar Industry Magazine – March 10
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) says it has exceeded California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) goal requiring energy providers to deliver 33% renewable energy by the end of 2020. PG&E estimates that it delivered over 35% from specified eligible-renewable resources to its customers last year, according to its recent Form 10-K. Overall, more than 88% of the electricity PG&E delivered to its customers last year came from greenhouse gas-free resources, including eligible-renewable, nuclear, and large hydroelectric energy. PG&E is well-positioned to meet the state’s ambitious clean energy and storage goals while ensuring grid reliability, with battery energy storage projects under contract, totaling more than 1,400 MW of capacity to be deployed throughout its service area and the state through 2023.
In 2020, the U.S. surpassed a gigawatt of advanced energy storage installations
Energy Storage News – March 4
Installations of advanced energy storage — almost entirely lithium-ion battery systems — in the U.S. went beyond the 1-GW mark in 2020, while in capacity terms the figure was close to 3.5 GWh, according to a recent Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables report. Wood Mackenzie said that more storage was deployed in 2020 than in the six years between 2013 and 2019, when 3,115 MWh was installed in total. Meanwhile there was nearly a 200% jump in megawatts from 2019 to 2020.
|
Projects
First large U.S. offshore wind project completes environmental review
Associated Press – March 8
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management completed its environmental review of the Vineyard Wind offshore wind project, a much anticipated and debated project off Massachusetts that would include dozens of turbines and produce enough power for more than 400,000 homes. The 800-MW project will be the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S. and is expected to start delivering energy in 2023, after developers pushed back the intended 2022 in-service date due to federal permitting delays. Notice of the final environmental impact statement for the project was published on Friday.
Valley Clean Energy enters agreement to purchase up to 90 MW
Daily Democrat – March 4
Valley Clean Energy, the local electricity provider for Davis, Woodland, Winters, and unincorporated Yolo County, has purchased the output from the Resurgence Solar I project in San Bernardino County. The Valley Clean Energy Board of Directors approved a 20-year agreement to purchase the output from the project which is under development by a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC. The total capacity of the project is 90 MW of power and 75 MW of battery energy storage.
|