Energy Exchange

Texas grid reform report card is in, and it isn’t good

By Colin Leyden / Published: February 15, 2022

Following the historic and crippling grid failure caused by Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, the state of Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott and a bipartisan collection of elected leaders — pledged to ensure such a catastrophic disaster would never happen again.

The state Legislature, already in session, launched a series of hearings to find causes and culprits. Several organizations and energy experts provided state leaders suggestions and guidance; EDF was one of them. Our detailed report to the Legislature, issued in February 2021, recommended eight specific areas on which the state’s examination should focus.

Following the Legislature’s modest action, Gov. Abbott famously exclaimed, “Everything that needed to be done was done to fix the power grid in Texas.”

A look back at what’s actually been done so far to strengthen the grid, however, tells a very different story. Comparing the state’s action against EDF’s suggestions reveals a remarkably lackluster response to the biggest failure of state infrastructure and oversight in recent memory.

As we prepare to recognize the first anniversary of the grid failure, EDF graded the state’s response against our eight core recommendations.

Posted in Texas / Comments are closed

Solving the EV charging challenge: A how-to guide for regulators

By EDF Blogs / Published: February 15, 2022

By Larissa Koehler and Pamela MacDougall

We are at a pivotal moment in the electric vehicle revolution. Demand for electric cars outpaced their fossil fuel alternatives in the United States, Europe and China last year. And, demand for electric trucks and buses could jump tenfold over the next decade as interest among business and government surges.

Yet the complexities around charging still remain a major barrier to wide-scale adoption.

While state and federal legislators are setting ambitious goals for the electrification of vehicles, utility regulators across the country are the ones untangling many of the (literal) wires of how to achieve these targets. Via utility commission proceedings to consider aspects of vehicle electrification, utility plans to electrify vehicles, and stakeholder working groups, regulators are increasingly being tasked with figuring out how to integrate the tsunami of EVs plugging into the grid.

A new report from EDF, Accelerating Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: A How-to Guide for Regulators, offers guideposts for policymakers as they navigate this unprecedented transition in a way that’s clean, equitable, reliable and cost-effective.

A few highlights include:

Posted in Air Quality, Electric Vehicles / Comments are closed

Smart charging should be integral part of a national EV charging network

By Pamela MacDougall / Published: January 20, 2022

Electric trucks are coming, and they’re coming fast. Just before 2021 drew to a close, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts joined California, Oregon and Washington to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission trucks with the adoption of the Advanced Clean Truck program. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, securing up to $67 billion in direct investment in zero-emission trucks and buses, as well as several critical tax credits to support the purchase and production of zero-emission trucks. And more than 150 truck fleets are either operating zero-emission trucks or have trucks on order.

Posted in California, Electric Vehicles, New Jersey, New York / Comments are closed

Methane policy is a test of investors’ post-COP climate commitment. Will they pass?

By Dominic Watson / Published: January 11, 2022

Climate pledges and statements of support from the financial industry ring hollow unless and until firms support public policies that will deliver required emission cuts. That’s at risk of happening now as major asset managers have remained silent on a proposed new Environmental Protection Agency rule requiring oil and gas producers to cut their methane emissions.

Now is the time for investors to speak up. By backing the regulation, the financial sector has a crucial, cost-effective opportunity to support the mitigation of short-term climate risk from a dangerous climate pollutant. The EPA comment period for the proposed methane regulations lasts until Jan. 31, 2022, and is the perfect venue for investors to voice their support.

Posted in Methane, Methane regulatons / Comments are closed

Walmart and Pepsi push for policy action on zero-emission trucking

By Jason Mathers / Published: December 17, 2021

PepsiCo and Walmart operate collectively over 18,000 freight tractors. So, when these companies make a joint statement on the future of trucking, folks pay attention.

In a blog post published earlier this week, executives from PepsiCo and Walmart noted their support for federal policy action on trucks, as well as the importance of state leadership in ushering in a zero-emission future.

The companies wrote that:

“The Biden administration rolled out an executive order to advance light-duty electrification and ‘smart fuel efficiency and performance standards’ for medium- and heavy-duty trucks… Walmart and PepsiCo are encouraged by this ambition and momentum and are ready to work with the administration, Congress, and state and local officials in shaping effective solutions that will enable a zero emissions future for fleets.”

Posted in Electric Vehicles / Comments are closed

New York should accelerate the adoption of zero-emission trucks

By Larissa Koehler / Published: November 22, 2021

On the heels of COP26, Governor Hochul has made it clear that New Yorkers must work together to tackle climate change in the state. And New York is taking steps to prioritize climate and clean air. Back in September, the Department of Environmental Conservation introduced the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, which requires manufacturers to produce and sell a percentage of new electric trucks annually through 2035. Since the process began, there has been a 60-day public comment period, during which Environmental Defense Fund provided testimony at a public hearing and submitted joint comments with key stakeholders.

The ACT is a critical first step toward eliminating tailpipe emissions from new trucks and making the air cleaner and more breathable in neighborhoods across the state. But it is not — nor should it be — the sole means to mobilize the market for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and reduce pollution. A variety of complementary policies must be put in place to allow for a cost-effective, equitable and sustainable transition to clean vehicles.

New York needs zero-emission trucks

Transportation is a leading source of air pollution in New York, accounting for 36% of all greenhouse gas emissions across the state. And while trucks only make up 5% of the state’s 10.6 million registered vehicles, the emissions produced from this sector are disproportionate to the population. Read More »

Posted in Electric Vehicles, General, New York / Comments are closed