News Archive

FERC Order May Undermine Renewables, Energy Storage in New York’s Capacity Markets

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has rejected the latest proposal from New York's grid operator to allow renewable energy and batteries to compete against fossil fuels in its wholesale capacity market. That may give the state's regulators and policymakers more reason to consider alternatives to federally regulated energy markets. In a Friday order, FERC’s Republican majority denied grid operator NYISO’s proposal to restructure what it terms its “buyer-side market power mitigation rule​

bp boosts its renewable transition with $1.1B US offshore wind investment, Equinor partnership

Although Equinor says the partnership will help the Norwegian company "de-risk" its offshore wind assets, Musial said the move "isn't risky at all" for bp. "It's a logical step they need to take to get into an emerging U.S. market," he said. Offshore wind is still an emerging industry in the U.S., and has a long way to go before it meets its own goals, Musial said. But offshore wind has also reached a critical turning point in the U.S. There is now a clear path forward for both investors a​

DOE-Backed Hydrogen Project Underway in Texas

A California energy company is collaborating with its parent and the University of Texas on a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project to show that renewable hydrogen can be a cost-effective fuel with several applications, including for both the transportation and power generation sectors. Frontier Energy, headquartered in San Ramon, California, and a subsidiary of Illinois-based GTI Energy, on Sept. 15 announced the launch of the project, known as H2@Scale in Texas and Beyond. The effort is s​

SPP, MISO launch joint transmission study to address renewables interconnection challenges

When renewable developers propose new projects, grid operators undertake interconnection studies to determine what system upgrades are needed to move the power to customers — along with how much those upgrades will cost, and what benefits they will provide. "A fundamental issue facing grid transformation is the lack of transmission at requested connection points," SPP President and CEO Barbara Sugg said in a statement. "Working together, MISO and SPP can target those areas where there are mut​

Inside Clean Energy: Illinois Faces (Another) Nuclear Power Standoff

Illinois is up against what one observer calls a "nuclear hostage crisis": The energy company Exelon says it will close two struggling nuclear power plants unless the state provides subsidies.

Utility sector wary of new security rules for distributed resources

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission does not need to further modify cybersecurity rules for distributed resources on the bulk electric system (BES), a range of utility sector stakeholders indicated in response to a June notice of inquiry (NOI) focused on the potential for a coordinated cyberattack on geographically dispersed targets.

Batteries begin storing wind and solar energy for the Texas grid

Conventional wisdom maintains that wind and solar power depend on affordable energy storage, and until battery prices drop, the United States will rely on natural gas and coal-fired power plants.

FERC details carbon pricing conference as groups blast renewables, consumer and women exclusions

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Hydropower

The National Hydropower Association designated Monday, August 24, 2020, National Hydropower Day in the U.S. In honor of the occasion, POWER is highlighting a variety of things many people may not know about hydropower.

Energy sector divided over transmission incentives for voluntary cybersecurity investments

Opinions on new transmission incentives largely hinge on whether a party stands to profit or pay for the enhanced security measures. But whichever way FERC goes, experts say the federal government will almost certainly take some action to boost grid resilience.