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Abstract: A decentralized clean energy future is both necessary and inevitable. The centralized bulk power system, while still needed, is not capable by itself to meet today’s goals for decarbonization, resilience and energy justice. These goals all have local dimensions that require local solutions. Meanwhile DER technologies are rapidly improving in performance and cost just in time to enable cost-effective local energy solutions to be deployed for almost any type and scale of end-use need. This presentation will describe key elements of a decentralized, democratized future electricity system and offer practical strategies for building that future from the bottom up.

Speaker bio: Lorenzo Kristov is an independent consultant working on electric power system reform to integrate high levels of renewable generation and distributed energy resources (DER). With 18 years of experience as a Principal in market design and infrastructure policy at the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), Lorenzo’s areas of expertise include wholesale power market design, DER participation in wholesale markets, coordination of transmission and distribution operations, markets and planning, distribution system operator (DSO) models, distribution-level markets, local energy resilience and microgrids, and whole-system grid architecture.

Resources

1. Speaker slides available here.
2. Rough audio transcript available here.
3. Video recording available on request to kentwitt@gmail.com.
4. Announcement by Maine of availability of DSO study draft, webinar, and opportunities for comment.

Background

1. Envisioning a More Democratic, Bottom-Up Energy System, VOLTS podcast, May 15, 2024.
2. Testimony to Minnesota PUC re Xcel Minnesota rate case in 2022, provided by speaker.

The post Talk by Lorenzo Kristov appeared first on Fix the Grid.

Bob recommends the following sources for industry news going forward. All of them allow for email subscriptions.

John Kemp’s daily Best in Energy: An interesting big-picture source, particularly from the financial perspective.

Northeast Energy News: It draws from a multitude of local and regional sources. 

Utility Dive:  Reporters have inside connections to FERC and all U.S. regional transmission organizations including ISO-NE. Comprehensive resource.

The post Industry News Highlights appeared first on Fix the Grid.

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Eligibility for each cohort depends on the cohort topic, but ideal participants may include local and regional governments, not-for-profit economic development districts, municipal and cooperative utilities, Tribes, and community-based organizations.

The three peer-learning cohort topics in this round are:

• Distributed wind
• Renewable energy and energy efficiency 101 in Appalachia
• Microgrids

Applications are due by October 31 at Clean Energy to Communities Program: Peer-Learning Cohorts | State, Local, and Tribal Governments | NREL

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– Metropolitan Area Planning Council peak demand notification program (more specifically for Boston metro area but still generally applies elsewhere)

The post Managing peak demand during summer heat: appeared first on Fix the Grid.

–Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. (EDT) the 48e Bonus Low Income Tax Credit

–Wednesday, August 7, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. (EDT) the Weatherization Assistance Program and the Enhancement and Innovation Grant

Please register for the upcoming sessions and share information about these sessions with anyone in your network who you believe will benefit from engaging with the DOE. Meeting Registration – Zoom (zoomgov.com) OR https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItcO2vrDwpGhHrhYNWvquwIlzPs_bWp6U#/registration

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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Instead, Enbridge, the infamous pipeline company responsible for Line 3, Line 5, and the Weymouth Compressor, is proceeding with a 23% capacity expansion of the Algonquin pipeline. This pipeline runs from New Jersey through New York and into Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, bringing fracked gas from as far away as Texas.  The gas is then distributed to customers via distribution systems throughout New England. Enbridge claims more gas is needed for electricity generation and heating at the exact time we are seeking to reduce gas for these purposes.

Enbridge first announced this capacity expansion in late 2023, seeking customers willing to sign contracts. Since then the company has been proceeding with a series of supposedly independent “improvements and maintenance” on the pipeline, all consistent with their objective of increasing its capacity. Here is what we know so far.

• Enbridge is proceeding with a replacement pipeline with 4X the capacity of the existing pipeline in Rhode Island under the Sakonnet River, part of Narragansett Bay. Despite best efforts of the opposition, the Rhode Island authorities and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved the project at the end of June.
• At the same time, FERC also authorized the construction of a new metering and regulator facility in Coventry, CT, denying protests filed by the opposition.
• On state-designated Priority Habitat of Rare Species in Lincoln, MA, Enbridge is planning to remove 40 or more mature trees in order to gain access to replace the metering and regulator facility there. The site is on land owned by the City of Cambridge that was purchased to provide a natural buffer for the city’s water supply. Cambridge opposed the project, but Enbridge sued, claiming eminent domain. A settlement was reached on June 14.  Opposition is forming, including a tree sit-in. It appears that Enbridge is short-cutting the approval process that should have included at least the state environmental authorities.

What can you do?

1. Educate yourself and others about this problem.  See http://stopprojectmaple.org for more background and upcoming actions. Join activists in the Stop Project Maple coalition by contacting Martha Klein (puckyshouse@gmail.com).
2. Write Letters to the Editor of your local papers expressing your opposition.
3. Contact your local officials in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut to sign an opposition letter for your state. See https://stopprojectmaple.org/take-action/ for instructions.

The post Stand Against Fossil Gas Expansion in our Back Yards appeared first on Fix the Grid.

Roy Harvey

The NECPUC Symposium is an annual gathering of the New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners, i.e., NECPUC.  Many other organizations were represented, including the utilities regulated by NECPUC members, ISO-NE (who had the largest contingent), climate and consumer advocates, and others.  The presentations and a list of registrants are linked in my full notes, which you can access here.

Themes and topics included the pace and the cost of the energy transition, emissions accounting, Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs), Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Demand Response (DR), carbon pricing, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  The CEOs of Vineyard Offshore and Eversource both were concerned that the transition is not moving fast enough.  But the head of the Northeast Power Coordinating Council was concerned about moving too fast.  

Rob Gramlich of Grid Strategies gave a concise presentation on Grid-Enhancing Technologies.  These can double the capacity of existing transmission lines or quintuple the capacity of transmission corridors.  Current rate-making policy, which is based on return on investment, does not encourage GETs, which cost less than older technology.  New rate-making policies, including a shared savings model, can incentivize GETs. Several FERC orders require or recommend considering GETs.

Richard Levitan of Levitan Associates estimated the ratepayer subsidy needed for offshore wind at $24 billion over 30 years, which works out to about 1.5 cents/kWh.  Jamie Van Nostrand, chair of the Massachusetts DPU, discussed regulatory “sticks” and financial “carrots” to implement policy goals.

A panel discussed accounting methods to track emissions and clean energy production, including hourly matching. Mason Emnett, Sr VP of Constellation Energy, said that carbon pricing would be better than hourly matching of renewable energy generation and demand, but states have not adopted it.

Cheryl LeFleur, former FERC Chair and present ISO-NE Board Chair, discussed working with the states and recent and anticipated FERC actions, including the recent Order No. 1920 on transmission planning.

In the final panel, Gordon van Welie, CEO of ISO-NE, listed 4 pillars that will support the transition to clean energy.  Pillar #2 is balancing resources, which includes Demand Response (DR).  He said we need two kinds of DR: several hours (day-to-night or evening-to-morning) and long duration (5 days).  

After the symposium, he told me that commercial/wholesale DR has limited additional potential because there’s little industry in NE that hasn’t already signed up to provide DR, and there’s little growth in this market. He said that with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and suitable state policies, retail DR could add 3-4 GW. 

Phil Bartlett, Maine PUC, mentioned NECPUC’s new retail DR group, which he chairs.  It publishes its presentations and recordings of its meetings and has an email list.  (See full notes for link.)

Gordon van Welie reiterated that a carbon price would help. He didn’t suggest a value for a carbon price, but said that one could be inferred from pricing for Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and states’ clean energy procurements and other out-of-market programs.

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