The Irving City Council on Feb. 9, approved an electric vehicle (EV) charging needs assessment. The assessment will provide data-driven insight to build a charging infrastructure strategy based on current and future EV driver needs, including within disadvantaged communities. The City Council’s Transportation and Natural Resources Committee will use this data to develop a comprehensive […]
The Public Utility Commission on Jan. 19 adopted the proposed Performance Credit Mechanism (PCM) electric market design option that had initially been proposed in November 2022. Following the adoption, the PUC deferred implementation of the PCM until Texas lawmakers had a chance to review and provide feedback during the current Legislative Session, which convened Jan. […]
Texas lawmakers from the House and Senate have asked the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to pause its planned electricity market redesign until it can be evaluated by the Legislature. The Texas Legislator ordered the PUC to make changes to the power grid after the winter storm of February 2021 which left millions without power and […]
WASHINGTON D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced local education agencies can apply for energy improvement grants totaling $80 million. The grants will focus on supporting schools in rural and/or high poverty areas. The funds can be used for energy efficiency projects like HVAC system upgrades, alternative vehicles and infrastructure improvements. The grants come […]
California – The California Public Utilities Commission approved a $1 billion vehicle electrification charging project, most of which will be devoted to accelerating the number of midsize and heavy-duty trucks on state roads. The cost of the five-year program will be spread out among utility ratepayers across California with 70 percent of funds being devoted to […]
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) unveiled a draft Texas Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan on June 7 that aims to develop a charging network capable of serving millions of electric vehicles (EVs) in the coming years. Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) estimates there will be 1 million electric vehicles on the road in Texas […]
A new report by the Center for Houston’s Future finds the city that claims to be the “Energy Capital of the World” could be a contender for one of four clean hydrogen hubs designated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Regional clean hydrogen hubs are networks of clean hydrogen producers, potential clean hydrogen consumers, […]
Virginia – Loudon County is considering options for pursuing renewable energy agreements as precursor to a potential solicitation with power providers with the county’s board of supervisors recently directing staff to assess the merits of power purchase agreements (PPAs) and community choice aggregation (CCA). Their action followed a county committee recommendation that the board instruct staff […]
Washington, D.C. – Twenty-two U.S. communities will receive assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop local action plans that will help them take direct control of their clean energy futures. The DOE will work with these overburdened areas through the Communities Local Energy Action Program (Communities LEAP) to create plans that reduce local […]
South Carolina – The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will hold a wind energy auction for two lease areas offshore the Carolinas on May 11. The lease areas cover 110,091 acres in the Carolina Long Bay area that, if developed, could result in at least 1.3 gigawatts of offshore wind energy, enough to power nearly […]
CPS Energy, a San Antonio-owned utility, recently announced a 15-year partnership with a private Houston-based start-up to use water pumped underground as a battery to store power in reserve to be used during hot days and other times of peak demand. Using hydraulic fracturing technology, typically employed by the oil and gas industry, water is […]
Oklahoma – The states of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma have entered a partnership to establish a regional hub for development, production, and use of clean hydrogen as fuel and feedstock, which is raw material for manufacturing. In entering the agreement, the states intend to compete as a unit for a portion of $8 billion funding established […]
Texas could receive up to $408 million in funding to bolster its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure over the next five years through a new $5 billion federal formula program. U.S. departments of transportation and energy will make the funding available under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure […]
Renewable energy expansion in Texas is expected to keep pace with the global rise in clean energy capacity. A new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts rapid growth of worldwide renewable energy over the next five years. According to the IEA report, titled “Renewables 2021, Analysis and Forecast to 2026,” renewable capacity will […]
Washington, D.C. – The Biden-Harris Administration released an Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Plan on December 13 that sets the course for investing $5 billion in formula funding for states to build a national charging network of 500,000 chargers. The plan is designed to support Biden’s target of 50 percent of EV sale shares in the U.S. […]
The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) and Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) on November 30 adopted rules for critical designation of natural gas infrastructure to help protect Texans in energy emergencies. These new rules implement provisions in HB 3648 and SB 3 and define natural gas facilities that would be designated as critical gas […]
Washington, D.C. – The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is planning up to seven new offshore lease sales by 2025 to meet the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy by 2030. Sites under consideration are in the Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, Central Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico, […]
The Bryan City Council authorized the sale of more than $95 million in revenue bonds by Bryan Texas Utilities (BTU) to finance multiple capital improvement projects. At their September 14 meeting, councilmembers approved the sale of $73.6 million in city revenue bonds for the construction of a $20 million BTU administration building, a $10 million […]
Illinois – The city of Chicago extended its deadline for submissions to 4 p.m. CDT September 30 on a request for information (RFI) that opened this spring regarding a new franchise agreement for electric utility service. In an earlier addendum, Chicago extended the deadline to July 30. Through the RFI process, for the first time in […]
Connecticut – As it works to modernize the state’s electric grid, the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is seeking written comments for innovation pilots. PURA is seeking comparisons of potential non-wires alternative (NWA) solutions against traditional distribution system capacity upgrades and other utility expenses. Written comments are due by 4 p.m. local time September 21. […]
El Paso Electric (EPE) will host a pre-bid webcast at 2 p.m. MDT/ 3 p.m. CDT August 24 in advance of accepting bids for short-term and long-term power generating and renewable energy. EPE is seeking renewable energy sources for its New Mexico customers by 2025 to meet increasing standards and projected energy demand there. Initial […]
In response to directives from the governor’s office to take steps to increase power generation capacity and ensure reliability of the Texas power grid, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) released a 60-point plan on July 13. The “Roadmap to Improving Grid Reliability” addresses operational improvements to the Texas power grid, including legislative changes, […]
Oregon – A deadly record-breaking heat wave, wildfires, and power outages spurred the Oregon Legislature to pass HB 2021 to support renewable energy and resiliency projects by establishing a clean energy standard. The bill is awaiting the governor’s signature. The legislation appropriates $50 million to the Community Renewable Investment Fund for the Oregon Department of Energy […]
Bills to reform the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and weatherize the state’s power grid were signed into law on June 8 to address leadership and system failures during Winter Storm Uri. Senate bills 2 and 3 will require the weatherization of power generation facilities, natural gas facilities, and transmission facilities to withstand extreme […]
Kentucky – A recent energy study recommended a combination of nanogrid installations and regional community microgrids to achieve increased resilience in Kentucky. The study identified 558 sites suitable for nanogrid installations and 12 potential regional community microgrids. An ideal deployment strategy would install nanogrids or microgrids at critical facilities in Kentucky such as national defense and […]
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