News | Energy Bar Association

UK government makes energy storage-friendly changes to commercial, industrial and utility-scale clean energy policies

Nov 03, 2021 10:01 AM

The UK will exempt solar PV, energy storage and other clean energy technologies from business rate rises — the charges levied on non-domestic properties to pay for local services — from April 2023. In what has been considered a major victory for the sector, the exemption was revealed as the country’s Autumn Budget was discussed by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak last week. In a separate policy development, forthcoming tenders for large-scale renewables under the national Contract

Biden claims historic progress on climate efforts at summit

Nov 03, 2021 09:57 AM

President Joe Biden argued Tuesday that historic progress on addressing global warming was achieved at the U.N. climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, and expressed optimism for a similar outcome in Washington, where his legislative agenda has been stalled by intra-party disagreements. Speaking in a press conference before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington.

When Disaster Strikes, Utility Solar Asset Owners Turn to Recovery Experts

Nov 03, 2021 09:45 AM

From storm surges to tornadoes and wildfires, natural disasters can wreak havoc on solar power infrastructure — taking out inverters, knocking entire plants offline, and sending owners into a spiral of downtime, repair costs, and lost revenue. With solar losses due to natural catastrophes reaching alarming proportions — 25 times higher than non-weather-related solar losses in 2019* — owners need expert help to get crucial assets back online.

DIVE BRIEF EPA ability to regulate power sector GHG emissions at risk as Supreme Court takes case, analysts say

Nov 03, 2021 09:39 AM

The Supreme Court's decision to consider four consolidated appeals could hamper the Biden administration's goal of cutting U.S. GHG emissions by up to 52% below 2005 levels by the end of this decade. It comes as the EPA is developing a new plan for cutting emissions from the power sector, the second leading source of carbon emissions behind transportation.

MOPR Rehearing Requests Set Stage for Appellate Review

Nov 03, 2021 09:37 AM

PJM’s narrowed minimum offer price rule (MOPR), which took effect Sept. 29 after a 2-2 FERC deadlock, is likely headed for an appellate court review. Vistra, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, the Electric Power Supply Association and regulators from Ohio and Pennsylvania filed rehearing requests challenging PJM’s “focused” MOPR last week, after FERC Commissioner James Danly issued a statement explaining his opposition to it (ER21-2582).

ANALYSIS, FEATURES Battery analytics: The game changer for energy storage

Oct 27, 2021 03:11 PM

Around 25GWh of stationary battery storage is already installed worldwide. This will rapidly increase, as battery storage systems are ideally suited to address the challenges of the energy transition. Unlike most other power plant technologies, batteries can not only supply energy, but also store it. And they can respond to the need to do so within milliseconds.

We like its ability to scale’: Honeywell targets gigawatt-scale storage opportunity with flow battery

Oct 27, 2021 03:05 PM

In our sponsored webinars with Honeywell earlier this year, members of the company’s Process Solutions team mentioned that the company had been working on a long-duration battery storage technology and that an announcement would be made in due course. Yesterday, the curtain was raised and Honeywell officially announced that it has created a flow battery which it will deploy in pilot projects of increasing size in 2022 and 2023.

North Carolina energy law adds urgency on housing, weatherization funding

Oct 27, 2021 02:58 PM

A ceremony this month to enact a new North Carolina law to cut power plant pollution produced a rare picture in this often-polarized state: Republican leaders who control the state legislature standing together with Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat.

California groups divided on inclusion of gas in 11.5 GW 'clean' procurement order

Oct 27, 2021 02:50 PM

When the CPUC passed its 11.5 GW procurement order in June, Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen hailed it as a "landmark decision," noting that "This is enough to power about 2.5 million households in the state, and all this will be coming from renewable or zero-emitting resources."

FERC Commissioners Opine on Western RTO

Oct 27, 2021 01:58 PM

The possibility of forming a Western RTO with or without California was a central topic at this week’s joint meeting of the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation and the Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body (CREPC-WIRAB). Held in San Diego and virtually, the three-day summit brought together stakeholders and state regulators from across the West for panels on markets and transmission and to hear from three FERC commissioners.