Energy Exchange

The unsung reliability hero of New England: Energy efficiency

By Liz Delaney / Published: May 20, 2019

While most New Englanders are busy making summer plans, ISO New England, our regional grid operator, alongside stakeholders, is hard at work ensuring that our grid operates well in winter conditions.

As older, less efficient power generators retire and are primarily replaced by natural gas-fired generators without firm fuel contracts, grid operators warn that the lights could go out. There are solutions to this problem, including investing in winter-peaking clean energy resources such as offshore wind, and shoring up fuel supplies, but one year-round solution is often overlooked: energy efficiency.

Posted in Energy Efficiency / Comments are closed

Markets offer solutions to New England energy challenges

By Liz Delaney / Published: February 5, 2018

A recent report published by ISO-New England, the Operational Fuel Security Analysis, has certainly grabbed the region’s attention.

“The ISO has been able to maintain power system reliability during severe winter conditions without using all its emergency procedures,” the report says. “However, the evolving generation mix is increasingly susceptible to variable and uncertain factors.”

The study looks ahead at the 2024/2025 time frame, examining 23 scenarios for coal, oil, gas, nuclear and renewable sources. While it says the system is maintaining a delicate balance for now, “study results suggest that in the future, New England could be headed for significant levels of emergency actions, particularly during major fuel or resource outages.”

Although EDF doesn’t necessarily agree with all the assumptions in the study, ISO New England is asking the right questions at the right time. So what are the best policies and actions we can take to ensure the New England utility grid is clean, reliable, and resilient?

Posted in General, Natural Gas, Utility Business Models / Comments are closed

Looking beyond pipelines to address New England’s electricity needs

By Liz Delaney / Published: October 4, 2017

Our dramatic seasonal temperature fluctuations here in New England create a unique energy challenge. Most days of the year (i.e. spring, summer, and fall), we have enough pipeline capacity, or space, to meet electricity and heating demand. However, approximately 40 days out of the year natural gas pipeline capacity becomes scarce, and in certain hours, unavailable; and the system relies on storage to maintain sufficient gas supply and delivery to homes, businesses, and electric power plants.

Many people look at the region’s pipeline constraints and assume that the only solution is to build more pipelines. This is a logical reaction, but it overlooks an opportunity to explore multiple solutions in a more economical and holistic way. Rather than only looking at pipeline solutions, why not broaden the solution conversation by calling forth market competition?

The grid needs to foster participation by all resources

All resources can help ensure reliability during those key hours when pipelines are constrained. By allowing resources, such as batteries, pumped storage, demand response, and LNG, to compete, market forces can be used to fill in gaps, reward resources that are flexible and available to meet peak demand, and ultimately signal to investors when and where right-sized investments are needed. Read More »

Posted in Gas to Clean, Natural Gas / Comments are closed

Six months into the presidency, where are all the jobs?

By Liz Delaney / Published: June 28, 2017

We’re halfway through “Energy Week” at the White House–a series of events promoting President Trump’s energy policies. These are policies the administration claims will boost the economy and grow America’s energy dominance (note the change from “energy interdependence” to “energy dominance”), while creating jobs by reviving America’s declining coal industry.

It’s the same plan we’ve heard since Trump’s first day as President. So let’s ask ourselves, is it working? Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, General, Grid Modernization, Jobs / Comments are closed

From energy efficiency to clean energy: 10 years of EDF Climate Corps

By Liz Delaney / Published: May 25, 2017

Ten years ago, EDF found itself head-on with a challenge: how to effectively jump-start corporate energy efficiency initiatives. We started EDF Climate Corps, a summer fellowship program, with the theory that a small, intense injection of effort could catalyze investment in energy efficiency, giving companies the opportunity to capitalize on the associated cost and energy savings. That was 10 years ago.

Since then, more than 800 fellows have been placed in over 430 organizations to advance corporate energy management.

We have seen companies use their help to go beyond single-site projects and scale energy efficiency across their entire portfolios of facilities. This growth is representative of a vibrant and growing industry. Deploying energy efficiency has become a mainstream practice, and an entire ecosystem of service providers has cropped up to support these efforts. Employment in this market has skyrocketed and energy efficiency now represents the largest source of clean energy jobs in the country. Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, EDF Climate Corps, Energy Efficiency / Comments are closed

Companies Want Clean Energy – These 2 EPA Programs Help Them Get It.

By Liz Delaney / Published: March 6, 2017

For companies, future planning is simply good business. This is why many in Corporate America – having long accepted that climate change is real – are continuing to transition towards low-carbon energy options and to work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Recently, it was reported that under the watch of newly-appointed EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, the environmental agency’s budget could be cut by 24 percent – to roughly $6 billion, its lowest since the mid-1980’s. If this happens, it may be up to the business community to maintain its vigilant eye on the environment and future while helping today’s economy thrive.

Here’s a look at just two of the many EPA programs that have helped business transition to a clean energy future. Read More »

Posted in Clean Power Plan, Renewable Energy / Comments are closed