Energy Exchange

Hot Topics in Clean Energy this California Legislative Session

By Lauren Navarro / Published: May 25, 2016

10935503663_2740a674dc_kAs the days are getting longer and the weather is warming up, kids across the country are counting down the days until summer vacation. California state lawmakers, on the other hand, are rolling up their sleeves and building upon California’s strong foundation of clean energy leadership and momentum. With the electricity sector responsible for about 20 percent of California’s total greenhouse gas emissions – the main culprit of climate change – the state still has work to do.

Last year, the California Legislature passed ambitious clean energy legislation. At the head of the pack, SB 350 (De León) raised the state’s renewable energy target to 50 percent by 2030 and required a doubling of savings gained from energy efficiency in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.

This year, the legislature is considering bills that could help California continue on the path to a clean energy future. It is up to our lawmakers to ensure these efforts make it past the finish line and onto the governor’s desk. Read More »

Posted in California, Demand Response, Grid Modernization / Read 2 Responses

“We Don’t Do Green”

By EDF Blogs / Published: May 24, 2016
NC Heros Fund

John A. Nicholson, Col., USMC (Ret), and EDF consultant (fourth from left), pictured with fellow Board members of the NC Heroes Fund, which provides grants to service members and their families who are experiencing financial difficulties as they transition from active duty back into civilian life.

By: John A. Nicholson, Col., USMC (Ret), and EDF consultant

I cringed when I read this quote, attributed to a senior military representative in Scientific American. I understood what he was trying to say, but the sound bite could easily be misinterpreted.

The Department of Defense (DoD) most certainly “does green,” and it has for some time now. At the highest level of leadership, there is recognition that energy and environmental conservation is important. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have reinforced and brought to the forefront the importance of energy planning and, more importantly, its use and integration by our deployed forces. Furthermore, improved energy planning and use has played a significant role in reducing costs and improving the efficiency, resiliency, and security of military bases, facilities, and other installations that prepare DoD forces for their missions. Read More »

Posted in Energy Efficiency, Military, North Carolina, Solar Energy, Wind Energy / Read 2 Responses

SolSmart: Helping Communities Go Solar by Cutting Costs

By EDF Blogs / Published: May 20, 2016

CaptureBy: Jayant Kairam and Jorge Madrid

American cities have made excellent progress in installed solar. For example, the top 20 solar cities, which account for less than a 0.1 percent of total land area, account for six percent of solar capacity. But what’s really exciting is the potential, which is figured to be nearly 1,200 GW, or enough power 790 million homes a year – more than double the current population. If we are able to tap this potential and harness more of our power from this clean, renewable resource, we could avoid substantial amounts of harmful pollution from the electricity sector.

One huge barrier to utilizing all this potential is “soft costs.” These are costs associated with processing applications, issuing permits, inspections, and regulatory procedures. Laurence Berkeley National Lab finds soft costs related to permitting can increase typical rooftop installation prices by $700 and, combined with other soft cost factors, can increase a system price by as much as $2,500. These additional fees account for 50 to 70 percent of total rooftop solar costs in the U.S. today.

By expediting these processes, cities and third parties can reduce soft costs of solar installation, helping to spread this clean energy resource to more households and communities. Read More »

Posted in On-bill repayment, Solar Energy / Read 3 Responses

Five Nordic Countries Agree to “Drive Down” Oil and Gas Methane Pollution Alongside the U.S.

By Drew Nelson / Published: May 20, 2016

Nordiske-flagLast week’s White House announcement marked an important step in the march toward global climate action. The U.S.-Nordic Leader Summit Joint Statement, issued by the United States, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, underscored the need for a broad climate strategy, one that prioritizes reductions in both long- and short-lived climate pollutants across key industry sectors.

In addition to addressing renewable energy, HCFs, international aviation emissions and deforestation, the statement included a commitment for each country to develop a national plan to reduce emissions of methane, a powerful short-lived greenhouse gas. This is critical, given a wave of scientific data that highlights the need to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas supply chain. The agreement is another sign that methane is starting to get the international attention it deserves, as reducing oil and gas methane is one of the most impactful and cost-effective actions we can take to slow the current rate of warming. Read More »

Posted in General, Methane, Natural Gas / Tagged | Read 2 Responses

Regulation as a Platform for Innovation

By Aileen Nowlan / Published: May 20, 2016

To get anything accomplished, you can’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. One unsung story buried in last week’s release of EPA’s new source methane rules may make good options even better – driving innovation and offering industry more options to meet the methane challenge.

The new rules target a pervasive problem: methane – the primary component of natural gas – leaking throughout the oil and gas value chain. Methane emissions represent a waste of saleable resources, a reputational risk, and a contributor to both poor local air quality and climate change.

Under the EPA’s framework, oil and gas operators must take steps to minimize  emissions from new and modified sources – from finding and fixing equipment leaks to swapping out equipment to reduce methane vented from pneumatic controllers and pumps,. Companies in Colorado working to comply with the state’s similar rule have reported that putting similar measures in place are cost-effective, even generating positive returns from selling the captured gas.

But what should an agency do when the solutions available now are reasonable but not perfect? Existing strategies don’t monitor all the time—only a few days a year. So leaks and malfunctions can be missed, or leak for months before they are fixed. Read More »

Posted in Methane, Natural Gas / Comments are closed

3 Policies Driving Innovation in the Electricity Sector

By Diane Regas / Published: May 17, 2016

solar photoAs rapid changes in energy technology – both in renewable and fossil fuel sources – transforms the way we power our lives, we have a chance to leave our children a prosperous world and reduce the effects of climate change. But, to scale fast enough, we need smart policies – at all levels of government.

National policies are essential to raise our level of ambition, put a price on carbon, limit emissions from key sectors, and spur innovation. For example, the Clean Power Plan would accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies. But, many states are taking strides to promote innovative technologies and paving the way for national policy. Read More »

Posted in Clean Power Plan, Climate, Data Access, Electricity Pricing, Energy Efficiency, Grid Modernization, Utility Business Models / Read 4 Responses