ENERGY & WATER
theinfohive.com
EV Charger Systems in State Parks
What’s happening? Rivian reached an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to install waypoint chargers at TN state parks that will be open to the public and accessible to all electric vehicle brands with a J1772 plug.
Why is this important? A similar proposal was floated in Texas legislatively in 2021. Rivian 4 months ago announced a similar deal with CO parks.
How will this be important? Rivian in its agreements agree to service and maintain the chargers, at no cost, for 10 years
Rivian | Rivian plans to install EV chargers in Tennessee’s 56 state parks
Expedited Utility Owned EV Chargers
What’s happening? California regulators have approved an expedited process for utilities to have their EV charger plans approved. California has already approved $1.5 Billion in transportation electrification by utilities
Why is this important? To meet the state’s 2025 clean air goals, they need to build charging networks faster, hence the expedited approval system for utilities. Plans that promote resilience; serve customers without access to home charging; investments in medium and heavy-duty vehicles; & new building constructions will qualify for expedited approval.
How will this be important? There’s a catch to get expedited approval, utilities must limit the infrastructure they will own to only 50% of what’s in the proposed program
Utility Dive | California approves expedited pathway for near term utility EV investments
CO2 Reductions in the Power Industry in 2021
What’s happening?
- CO2 emissions decreasing about 10% between 2019 and 2020
- Fueled by increased renewable generation and coal-to-gas transitions
- Power produced by non-hydro renewables increased 20% from 2019
- coal-fired generation decreased by roughly 17%
Why is this important?
- 20 states have aggressive plans for 100% sustainable power
- 12 states have not initiated any clean energy plans
How will this be important? “From 2000 to 2020, US power sector CO2 emissions decreased 37%, while the gross domestic product grew 40%”
S&P Global Platts | US reducing power sector CO2 emissions while growing economy: study
2 Signs Houston Cementing its Role as Energy Capital
What’s happening? The Financial Times and the Nikkei are opening a joint office in Houston to cover energy news
Why is this important? they want to cover a variety of subjects including:
- the shift toward a low-carbon economy
- the influx of tech companies
- energy policy
- corporate management trends
- latest developments in the U.S. economy
How will this be important? “Houston is an obvious place to position ourselves to capture a big, globally relevant story”
Nikkei Asia | Nikkei and FT to open Houston bureau, strengthening energy coverage
Decommissioned Generators + Crypto Mining
What’s happening? Crypto miners are buying old power plants and manufacturing facilities to use for mining cryptocurrency.
Why is this important? Miners are looking for stranded power facilities or dormant energy facilities
How will this be important? redeveloping abandoned utility and manufacturing facilities has new face
Update: Maine’s Consumer Owned Electric Utility
What’s happening? Maine’s Governor vetoed the legislation that would have allowed the state to acquire the two electric utilities operating in Maine to create one state consumer owned utility. The Governor said the bill was rushed and creates more problems than it solves.
Why is this important? Supporters are moving to add this to the state ballot for approval by voters if the Legislature cannot override the veto, which seems to be the case.
How will this be important? We’ve seen through t he years localities buying up private water utilities to make them city owned water utilities. Now we’re moving into electric utilities converting to governmental entity owned utilities.
Mount Desert Islander | Mills vetoes bill to buy out power companies
ERCOT Announces 6 Initiatives
What’s happening? This week ERCOT released the following 6 initiatives:
- Taking a more aggressive operating approach. ERCOT is bringing more generation online sooner if it is needed to balance supply and demand. The grid operator is also purchasing more reserve power, especially on days when the weather forecast is uncertain.
- Requiring CEO certifications. After a rule change, all market participants who own or operate generation resources and/or transmission/distribution power lines will be required to submit a letter signed by their CEO twice a year certifying their companies have completed their weatherization preparations to protect the electric grid for the summer and winter seasons.
- Adding new requirements for generation owners. ERCOT is proposing a new market rule that requires generators to provide operational updates more frequently.
- Assessing on-site fuel supplies. ERCOT is reviewing the need for on-site fuel supplies for some generators.
- Performing unannounced testing of generation resources. This testing helps verify that generators have provided accurate information about their availability.
- Addressing transmission constraints in Rio Grande Valley. ERCOT and the PUC are initiating a process to address RGV transmission limitations and provide increased market access for resources in the Valley. This will improve reliability for customers during normal conditions and high-risk weather events.
Why is this important? After February 2021 Winter Storm Uri, ERCOT is under the microscope from policymakers, the public, business interests, and consumer advocates.
How will this be important? ERCOT wants to balance grid reliability with consumer protections and free market incentives.
Clean Air Bill Target: Food Waste & Landfills
What’s happening? Looking for a way to reduce greenhouse gases that doesn’t hit the energy industry? Well, follow NY which passed a bill to limit the amount of food waste that goes into landfills to cut down on methane and greenhouse gases.
Why is this important? 8 states in the North East and California require food waste to be reprocessed before hitting landfills to limit greenhouse gases.
How will this be important? The food waste instead gets mixed with microbes and manure, and turn it into fuel, fertilizer and bedding for dairy cows. In New Jersey the target was producers of food waste such as hospitals, prisons, restaurants and supermarkets recycle food garbage rather than send it to incinerators or landfills.
Route Fifty | Waste Not? Some States Are Sending Less Food to Landfills
Protect Water Resources with Solar Panels
What’s happening? India is protecting its water supply by creating evaporation shelters that are solar panels.
Why is this important? Drought can be impacted by limiting evaporation. Perhaps this is a two-fer- power source and evaporation protection all in one.
How will this be important? Put this in your pocket for a negation tool if your solar project gets questions and then offer to limit water evaporation to help with drought.
Sharing Economy Meets Energy Sector Supply Chain
What’s happening? Meet REPOWR which is peer to peer sharing of energy services equipment.
Why is this important? “The company is refining the way transportation companies rent and lease equipment, by connecting transportation and leasing companies to a network marketplace.”
How will this be important? Companies can generate revenue from equipment that is not currently in use.
EV Charger Systems in State Parks
What’s happening? Rivian reached an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to install waypoint chargers at TN state parks that will be open to the public and accessible to all electric vehicle brands with a J1772 plug.
Why is this important? A similar proposal was floated in Texas legislatively in 2021. Rivian 4 months ago announced a similar deal with CO parks.
How will this be important? Rivian in its agreements agree to service and maintain the chargers, at no cost, for 10 years
Rivian | Rivian plans to install EV chargers in Tennessee’s 56 state parks
Expedited Utility Owned EV Chargers
What’s happening? California regulators have approved an expedited process for utilities to have their EV charger plans approved. California has already approved $1.5 Billion in transportation electrification by utilities
Why is this important? To meet the state’s 2025 clean air goals, they need to build charging networks faster, hence the expedited approval system for utilities. Plans that promote resilience; serve customers without access to home charging; investments in medium and heavy-duty vehicles; & new building constructions will qualify for expedited approval.
How will this be important? There’s a catch to get expedited approval, utilities must limit the infrastructure they will own to only 50% of what’s in the proposed program
Utility Dive | California approves expedited pathway for near term utility EV investments
CO2 Reductions in the Power Industry in 2021
What’s happening?
- CO2 emissions decreasing about 10% between 2019 and 2020
- Fueled by increased renewable generation and coal-to-gas transitions
- Power produced by non-hydro renewables increased 20% from 2019
- coal-fired generation decreased by roughly 17%
Why is this important?
- 20 states have aggressive plans for 100% sustainable power
- 12 states have not initiated any clean energy plans
How will this be important? “From 2000 to 2020, US power sector CO2 emissions decreased 37%, while the gross domestic product grew 40%”
S&P Global Platts | US reducing power sector CO2 emissions while growing economy: study
2 Signs Houston Cementing its Role as Energy Capital
What’s happening? The Financial Times and the Nikkei are opening a joint office in Houston to cover energy news
Why is this important? they want to cover a variety of subjects including:
- the shift toward a low-carbon economy
- the influx of tech companies
- energy policy
- corporate management trends
- latest developments in the U.S. economy
How will this be important? “Houston is an obvious place to position ourselves to capture a big, globally relevant story”
Nikkei Asia | Nikkei and FT to open Houston bureau, strengthening energy coverage
Decommissioned Generators + Crypto Mining
What’s happening? Crypto miners are buying old power plants and manufacturing facilities to use for mining cryptocurrency.
Why is this important? Miners are looking for stranded power facilities or dormant energy facilities
How will this be important? redeveloping abandoned utility and manufacturing facilities has new face
Update: Maine’s Consumer Owned Electric Utility
What’s happening? Maine’s Governor vetoed the legislation that would have allowed the state to acquire the two electric utilities operating in Maine to create one state consumer owned utility. The Governor said the bill was rushed and creates more problems than it solves.
Why is this important? Supporters are moving to add this to the state ballot for approval by voters if the Legislature cannot override the veto, which seems to be the case.
How will this be important? We’ve seen through t he years localities buying up private water utilities to make them city owned water utilities. Now we’re moving into electric utilities converting to governmental entity owned utilities.
Mount Desert Islander | Mills vetoes bill to buy out power companies
ERCOT Announces 6 Initiatives
What’s happening? This week ERCOT released the following 6 initiatives:
- Taking a more aggressive operating approach. ERCOT is bringing more generation online sooner if it is needed to balance supply and demand. The grid operator is also purchasing more reserve power, especially on days when the weather forecast is uncertain.
- Requiring CEO certifications. After a rule change, all market participants who own or operate generation resources and/or transmission/distribution power lines will be required to submit a letter signed by their CEO twice a year certifying their companies have completed their weatherization preparations to protect the electric grid for the summer and winter seasons.
- Adding new requirements for generation owners. ERCOT is proposing a new market rule that requires generators to provide operational updates more frequently.
- Assessing on-site fuel supplies. ERCOT is reviewing the need for on-site fuel supplies for some generators.
- Performing unannounced testing of generation resources. This testing helps verify that generators have provided accurate information about their availability.
- Addressing transmission constraints in Rio Grande Valley. ERCOT and the PUC are initiating a process to address RGV transmission limitations and provide increased market access for resources in the Valley. This will improve reliability for customers during normal conditions and high-risk weather events.
Why is this important? After February 2021 Winter Storm Uri, ERCOT is under the microscope from policymakers, the public, business interests, and consumer advocates.
How will this be important? ERCOT wants to balance grid reliability with consumer protections and free market incentives.
Clean Air Bill Target: Food Waste & Landfills
What’s happening? Looking for a way to reduce greenhouse gases that doesn’t hit the energy industry? Well, follow NY which passed a bill to limit the amount of food waste that goes into landfills to cut down on methane and greenhouse gases.
Why is this important? 8 states in the North East and California require food waste to be reprocessed before hitting landfills to limit greenhouse gases.
How will this be important? The food waste instead gets mixed with microbes and manure, and turn it into fuel, fertilizer and bedding for dairy cows. In New Jersey the target was producers of food waste such as hospitals, prisons, restaurants and supermarkets recycle food garbage rather than send it to incinerators or landfills.
Route Fifty | Waste Not? Some States Are Sending Less Food to Landfills
Protect Water Resources with Solar Panels
What’s happening? India is protecting its water supply by creating evaporation shelters that are solar panels.
Why is this important? Drought can be impacted by limiting evaporation. Perhaps this is a two-fer- power source and evaporation protection all in one.
How will this be important? Put this in your pocket for a negation tool if your solar project gets questions and then offer to limit water evaporation to help with drought.
Sharing Economy Meets Energy Sector Supply Chain
What’s happening? Meet REPOWR which is peer to peer sharing of energy services equipment.
Why is this important? “The company is refining the way transportation companies rent and lease equipment, by connecting transportation and leasing companies to a network marketplace.”
How will this be important? Companies can generate revenue from equipment that is not currently in use.