ESG & Industry Updates

Solar & Wind Production Ramps up Over 2022

Posted by Kelly Burke on May 3, 2023 12:43:00 PM

Independent research organization Climate Central published a report recently that showed how the national capacity for solar and wind generated power shot up in 2022. The report comes just as the Biden Administration begins rolling out billions of dollars to renewable energy projects as part of its commitment to decarbonizing the grid completely by 2030 and getting the US to net zero emission by 2050.

Here are some of the key points from the report:

  • The US generated over 680K of electricity from solar & wind (combined) in 2022, which equates out to about $82 billion of revenue generation. 
  • Solar & Wind capacity increased by 16% year over year from 2021 - that's enough of an increase to cover the electricity generation needs of approximately 64 million American homes. 
  • Texas, Oklahoma, and Iowa let the nation in wind production
  • A myriad of State incentives helped encourage different states to up production, including a California's mandate on solar panels for new buildings, Iowa's tax credits for wind generation, etc. 
  • Larger States had more impressive gains than smaller, more densely populated ones. Smaller, more dense areas are less able to take advantage of space for larger scale generation projects - a good example of this is the growth we see in Texas or Iowa versus New England States, which haven't made similar gains despite also having incentives. 

We wrote an article for Oil & Energy Magazine that goes further into the points, the holdups to progress on renewables, and what the future looks like it might hold. If you are interested, you can read that article in its entirety here: Solar and Wind Growth Soars in 2022

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Topics: Solar, Carbon Emissions, renewable energy, Biden Administration, offshore wind, decarbonization

Renewable Advocates Target ISO New England over Natural Gas Preference

Posted by Kelly Burke on May 9, 2022 8:45:00 AM

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In March, RENEW Northeast and the American Clean Power Association (ACPA) filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee (FERC) asking the agency to find that ISO New England market rules “provide undue preference to natural gas only resources” and to direct the grid operator to fix its ruled to end that preference.

 

The allegation is based on how the reliability is weighted for natural gas versus “intermittent” resources like solar and wind. For example, solar is scored lower for reliability based on winter supply issues, wind turbines are lowered through summer months based on projected output, but natural gas is presumed to have 100% reliability despite growing concerns that capacity problems in the Northeast Region would potentially make gas inaccessible under full winter loads in extreme situations. If you recall, natural gas capacity in the region has been a concern for quite some time. 

We wrote an article for Oil & Energy in April laying out the details and basis of the complaint, as well as how the capacity auction works and served to generate this complaint. You can read that article in its entirety here: Renewable Advocates Target ISO New England

 

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Topics: Solar, natural gas, renewable energy, ferc, offshore wind

FERC Dismisses NERA  Petition on Net Metering

Posted by Ed Burke on Jul 2, 2020 3:11:00 PM

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Back in April the NERA (New England Ratepayers Association) filed a petition that would have changed the way so called "net metering" works for solar energy generation, by essentially considering the excess "buyback" solar energy sold back to utilities as constituting a wholesale transaction, governed by the established rates. (We discussed that here: "Net Metering Under Threat" ).

In June, the FERC unanimously voted to dismiss the petition. That means for the time being, the net metering system as we know it will remain, but the question becomes how long that will be the case, as it's unlikely the proposal offered by NERA will be the last of its kind. For more on the dismissal and potential future of net metering, this article in Forbes has a quick overview:  "Unanimous FERC Decision Saves Net Metering, But Its Future Remains Uncertain"

 

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Topics: Solar, net metering, ferc

Net Metering Under Threat

Posted by Ed Burke on May 28, 2020 1:22:00 PM

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This April, the New England Ratepayer's Association (NERA) filed a petition asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to "declare exclusive federal jurisdiction over wholesale energy sales from generation sources located on the customer side of the retail meter (rooftop solar), and order that the rates for such sales be priced in accordance with public law.”

In a nutshell, this would change how the market works for residential solar panels completely. Currently, with net metering, panels generate energy that offsets use by the residence/building and the excess energy produced is "bought back" by the utility - usually via credits to a home/business owner's utility bill at a retail rate. 

The NERA petition basically objects to the "buyback" being a retail transaction and believes any utility transaction is a wholesale energy sale and should be regulated and governed in the same manner, including being processed at the same prices. The argument against this of course being that net metering is advantageous to the residential customer, and that has been a large factor in the increase in consumer level proliferation of solar panels. The flip side of that argument, which is the NERA petition's point, is that the transactions being equivalent in terms of energy transfer, but priced such that they are distinctly advantageous to residential customers means they are fundamentally disadvantageous to other players in the field. 

It's a little complicated as an issue, if you want more info, I wrote an article for Oil & Energy magazine that delves a little more into the specifics- you can read that article here: "Net Metering Under Threat"

 

 

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Topics: Solar, Clean Energy, net metering

Holyoke's Mt Tom Site is a Blueprint for Success with Renewable Energy

Posted by Ed Burke on Jun 6, 2019 10:43:00 AM

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Holyoke MA, the site of the last coal fired plant in MA, this year will see the smokestacks of the now closed plant taken down. The site is now home to the largest solar farm in the state, and the first large scale renewables battery storage system. By 2017, the Mount Tom site housed over 17,000 solar panels, and in 2018 Engie (formerly GDF Suez) installed 3 megawatts of battery storage on site to keep supply to the grid consistent. 

Holyoke Gas & Electric, which is the city owned utility, supplies roughly 90% of its power from carbon-free sources, including nuclear, about 2/3 of which comes from wind and solar. 

I've written a few articles for Oil & Energy magazine about the project in Holyoke, which has become essentially a template for communities moving toward more renewable power, as well as looking at workforce shifts, equitable pay outs, and job training for the changes brought by moving power sources, which Engie and Holyoke did a fantastic job with. You can read them here: Holyoke's Path Away from Coal and here Massachusetts Envisions Huge Growth in Energy Storage

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Topics: Holyoke, Solar, Clean Energy

Turning CO2 & Sunshine into Fuel: The Bionic Leaf

Posted by Ed Burke on Jul 25, 2017 10:39:59 AM

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"Bill Gates has said that to solve our energy problems, someday we need to do what photosynthesis does, and that someday we might be able to do it even more efficiently than plants...That someday has arrived" - David Nocera, Harvard University

David Nocera & his colleague Pamela Silver, professors of energy science, biochemistry & systems biology (respectively) have co-created a system that combines H20 splitting solar energy and hydrogen-eating bacteria to essentially produce liquid fuel from sunlight, carbon dioxide and water. 

The "Bionic Leaf" (version 2.0) is a cutting edge hybrid approach to artificial photosynthesis that can convert solar energy to biomass at an efficiency rate of about 10% using pure CO2 and 3-4% using air, which believe it or not, far surpasses "real" photosynthesis. ("Real" or plant based photosynthesis generates about 1% return of carbohydrates from solar energy in efficient plants)

Generally speaking, artificial photosynthesis seeks to use solar energy, water, and carbon dioxide to produce energy dense liquid fuels in the same way that plants use the same elements to produce energy. The process has the potential to be carbon neutral, which is a huge upside, environmentally speaking. Pretty exciting stuff!

I did an article for Oil & Energy Magazine this month that deals with the Bionic Leaf & Artificial Photosynthesis, if you want a little more on the chemistry and details involved you can read that article here: "Bionic Leaf Turns Sunshine, Water and CO2 into Liquid Fuel" 

 

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Topics: Oil & Energy Magazine, Solar, Carbon Emissions, bionic leaf

Solar Power - New Developments Off Of the Rooftop

Posted by Ed Burke on Jun 10, 2016 3:30:00 PM

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Solar Power has seen a huge growth in installations - from residential neighborhood rooftops to large installations along highways throughout the country.

However, the new and exciting developments in solar are all off rooftop, with potential applications from wearable tech to on board setups in trucks across the nation, to floating panels in reservoirs. MIT is working on photovoltaic solar cells so light they can rest on soap bubbles without popping them. Amazing stuff!

To read more in depth about the new frontiers being explored you can read my most recent article in Oil & Energy Magazine here: "Solar Power: Looking Beyond the Rooftops"

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Topics: Solar, MIT, photovoltaic

Battery Tech Advances Could Change U.S. Energy Storage Outlook

Posted by Ed Burke on Apr 14, 2016 2:00:00 PM

Batteries had a great year in 2015 - with costs going down and large scale installations occuring, primarily in the utility sector. The United States energy storage capacity grew by 221 megawatts in 2015, which is triple the capacity added in 2014.

Batteries serve to bridge the gap between renewables like wind and solar and the grid. Wind and solar are both intermittent in terms of power generation, and battery storage technology is a necessary to ensure power is available when its needed versus when it happens to be generated. 

I wrote an article for Oil & Energy magazine going into depth on new developments in battery technology and what the future holds in terms of the goals of cutting edge developments at MIT, Harvard, and the Department of Energy. You can read that article here: Oil & Energy Magazine: "Persuing the Holy Grail of Battery Tech"

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Topics: Solar, renewable energy, energy storage

Dennis K Burke's EV Charger Station debuts this Friday

Posted by Ed Burke on Nov 15, 2011 8:28:00 PM

I'm excited to let everyone know that we will be debuting our EV Charging Station at our Chelsea MA Headquarters on November 18th (this friday) at 1:30pm. The ceremony will be emceed by Chelsea City Manager Jay Ash and special guests including the Massachusetts Clean Cities Manager Stephen Russell, and Mark Sylvia, the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources.

We will be the home of the first EV Charging system in Chelsea MA. Im excited to be adding the station to a list of environmentally conscious steps  we’ve taken. We were the first at the pump retailers of Biodiesel and E85 in the Commonwealth, and in 2009 we completed a photovoltaic solar power system at our headquarters as well. Now you can charge your car from solar generated power – pretty cool stuff!

Burke EV Charger Chelsea Massachusetts

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Topics: Mass DOER, Solar, EV Charger, Massachusetts Clean Cities

Let’s Get Blogging

Posted by Ed Burke on Jan 2, 2011 6:38:00 AM

As we start 2011, God Bless America!

Here are a few 2010 issues I’d like to discuss and get some industry input.

The Massachusetts Biodiesel Mandate, will we see any progress this year?

The Biodiesel Tax Credit is back and RINS values are soaring, does this play a role for Massachusetts?

Moving toward reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil, will solar power and electric cars become more accessible?

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Topics: Solar, massachusetts biodiesel mandate, Biodiesel Tax Credit, Biodiesel, RINs

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