Celebrating #InterconnectionWeek | September 13, 2024
Advanced Energy United
United in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy.
A Note From Our CEO
We’re celebrating #InterconnectionWeek here at Advanced Energy United! I am appreciative of the enthusiasm and engagement from the entire clean energy community as we’ve elevated the challenges – and solutions – to one of the biggest barriers to the clean energy transition today. Fixing generator interconnection was the focus of a two-day FERC workshop this week where we, our member companies, and industry allies elevated in panel after panel?the fixes proposed in our new report, Unlocking America’s Energy . Thank you to all who participated in this initiative and spread the word. Our pursuit of interconnection policies that improve efficiency, transparency, and electricity reliability continues, and we hope you join us in advocating for public policies that accelerate the energy transition.?
Heather O'Neill, President & CEO
Policy Update
New Jersey Assembly Members James Kennedy, Andrea Katz, Robert Karabinchak, and David Bailey released a joint statement on the 900% price increase announced last month by New Jersey’s electric grid operator, PJM, declaring that the state’s clean energy goals are being stunted due to incompetent grid operators. PJM earned a national-worst “D-” in United's Generation Interconnection Scorecard , which was released earlier this year and rates the management of all grid operator interconnection processes. Read more.>
On the Blog
United’s Caitlin Marquis and Doug Pietrucha expand upon each of the four recommended reforms featured in a new report by Grid Strategies LLC and The Brattle Group, co-commissioned by United and the Solar and Storage Industries Institute, which calls for new approaches to interconnection. The blog post is a core part of a larger campaign led by United called #InterconnectionWeek, intended to elevate the innovative solutions discussed at FERC’s recent two-day interconnection reform workshop. Read more.>
Webinars
As utilities face rising peak load, energy affordability concerns, and increasingly complex reliability needs, virtual power plants (VPPs) offer a solution by providing the same or even superior reliability and value to the grid as traditional power plants. In this webinar, United and several expert panelists will discuss successful VPP case studies, explore opportunities to expand the VPP market, and highlight different VPP models across the nation that are meeting the needs of utilities and communities. Register here.> ?
United in the News
Canary Media reports on California’s energy affordability challenges and how they relate to expanding the state's power grid. The article quotes United's Edson Perez, who emphasizes that, to help address the state’s energy challenges, critical steps must be taken such as optimizing the existing grid, maximizing the cost effectiveness of essential grid upgrades, and fully leveraging available technologies including distributed energy resources. Read more.> ?
In an opinion piece for CT Mirror, United's Kat Burnham writes on the looming crisis of heat affordability in Connecticut and the need to reduce spending on the gas pipeline system, urging lawmakers to adopt the same aggressive approach they have taken with the electricity sector. Read more.>?
Indianapolis Business Journal : Trish Demeter - The Case for Renewable Baseload Energy in Indiana ? ?
United's Trish Demeter authored an opinion piece for the Indianapolis Business Journal, arguing Indiana will need to embrace new clean energy solutions in order to meet rising electricity demands, develop high-growth jobs, and position the state as a leader in sustainable growth. Read more.>?
The Boston Globe : Massachusetts and Rhode Island Announce New Round of Wind Farms, Smaller Than They Had Hoped ? ?
The Boston Globe spotlighted Massachusetts’ and Rhode Island’s recent developments in offshore wind farms, highlighting the significant investment and progress being made by both states to minimize their dependency on natural gas, expand their offshore wind capacity, enhance renewable energy sources, and reduce carbon emissions. In the article, United's Kat Burnham praised the efforts made by state officials to support new wind farm projects. Read more.>?
The Bakersfield Californian : Bills To Expand Electric Transmission Capacity Land on Newsom’s Desk ? ?
Two grid-enhancing technology bills, Senate Bill 1006 and Assembly Bill 2779, have recently passed the California legislature, awaiting Governor Newsom’s signature. The article, published by The Bakersfield Californian, quotes United's Edson Perez, who highlights that the passing of these bills would lead to far greater transmission capacity and offer more efficiency, safety, and reliability to the grid. Read more.>?
Member News
A recent story by Canary Media’s Jeff St. John highlights how virtual power plants (VPPs) can help make the energy transition “billions of dollars cheaper” and why decision-makers should put policies in place to allow VPPs to thrive. The article features several United members, including Sunrun, Renew Home, Sunnova Energy, EnergyHub, Voltus, and Ford Motor Company, working to scale the adoption of VPP technology solutions across the country. Read more.>?
Industry Events
Join South-central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource (SPEER) for its upcoming Industry and Policy Workshop in Austin, TX. Engaging sessions at the workshop will cover a wide variety of topics, including consumers’ role in resiliency, distributed energy resource policy implementation, and virtual power plant expansion. Don’t miss Matthew Boms of Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance (United’s Texas state affiliate) speaking on the “Shifting Demand: The Power of Energy Efficient Policies & Residential Demand Response” panel at the conference. Register here.> ?
Don’t forget to register for Texas Solar Energy Society’s upcoming Texas Clean Energy Summit in San Antonio, TX. Attendees will get the chance to meet and learn from policymakers, state developers, asset owners, and other key players to discuss the opportunities and challenges in the current renewables environment. Catch United’s Doug Pietrucha, who will be moderating the "Moving Existing Generation to Load: Today's Transmission Constraints & Potential Fixes” panel on September 24, and Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance’s (TAEBA’s) Matthew Boms, who will be speaking later that afternoon on the "Understanding & Accounting for DERs & VPPs" panel. Register here.> ?
Mark your calendars for the nation's premier electric transportation event, the Forth Roadmap Conference in Detroit, MI. With over 100+ national and international speakers, attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about rising clean energy technologies, find solutions to common EV challenges, and discover trends and best practices in electric transportation. United’s staff will have a booth for the three-day event and will be the official sponsor of the Hosted Reception.?Register here.> ?
Register now for the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council’s 12th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Gala for an evening of networking with policymakers and clean energy experts, all while celebrating the individuals and businesses who have succeeded in growing Michigan's advanced energy sector. A Megawatt sponsor of the event, United will be represented by several of our Midwest policy experts. Register here.> ?
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