Mark Liffmann

Wyoming's highest court rejected a scheme to reduce compensation to small solar net-metering customers. But lawmakers may again try to reform the law, citing contested notions of unfair subsidies. ☀ ⚡ Climate and energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer has more. 👇 #solarenergy #rooftopsolar #solarpower #utilityindustry #utilities #renewables #renewableenergy #wyoming #smallbusinesses #netmetering #energy

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Aspen Power's Kristy Zaragoza will be on GridTECH Connect Forum's upcoming panel: "Community solar: A California dream?" Expect an interesting discussion on the heels of the recent California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) decision to adopt a flawed community solar program. If you have questions or would like to connect in advance let us know! By siding with utilities, the CPUC has made a choice that not only undermines the interests of ratepayers but also poses a significant setback to California's ambitious climate goals. Distributed energy generation supports the equitable and sustainable growth of community solar initiatives, and our progress toward a cleaner and more resilient energy future. Learn more about the panel here: https://lnkd.in/eAw87QMP #GridTECH #Sustainability #Solar

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A new analysis examines the 'Regulatory Gap' between utilities and their regulators, which is cause for them to focus on taking the easy route and building local transmission when it would be much more valuable to build large interstate transmission lines. 🛣️ ⚡ This 'Regulatory Gap' exists in Missouri and is partially driven by PISA legislation, which requires grid investment and allows certain recovery of it. Sadly, these grid improvements still aren't addressing reliability and aging infrastructure issues in the lower income or minority neighborhoods, and a large chunk of investment is being put into more affluent neighborhoods. https://lnkd.in/gQiMgztj

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Canary Media with an article on how rural electric cooperatives are tapping into the IRA to fund the shift from fossil to renewable generation. "How $7.3B will help rural co-ops build clean power—and close coal plants This Inflation Reduction Act program is offering 16 rural electric co-ops financing to overcome the up-front costs of shifting from dirty coal to clean power. Rural electric cooperatives, which bring electricity to the most sparsely populated parts of the country, are getting their biggest federal investment since the New Deal — and this time around, the money is going to help fight climate change. Last week, the Biden administration announced $7.3 billion in financing for 16 rural co-ops serving about 5 million households across 23 states. The money will be administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which implemented the Rural Electrification Act, the 1936 law that financed the buildout of the grid in more remote areas of the country. It will also be matched by more than $29 billion in private investments with a goal of building more than 10 gigawatts of clean energy. That’s a big jump from the nearly 16 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity co-ops have today." Read more at https://conta.cc/4d4kLmE #solar #energy #solarenergy #renewables #renewableenerg

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📈 Corporate PPA activity in the ERCOT market has reached 1.8 GW, YTD 2024. Data from the Enerdatics Energy Transition PPA database indicates that ERCOT has seen ~1.8 GW in corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) since the start of 2024, constituting over 60% of the U.S. total. 💡 Tech giant Microsoft leads the way, having secured ~800 MW across three deals. Meanwhile, new entrants such as UnitedHealth Group, Sonoco, and AdventHealth are also stepping up their sustainability efforts. 🏆 Key Suppliers Making Waves: > Regional Leaders: Primergy, Leeward Renewable, Scout Clean Energy > International Players: Orsted, ENGIE 🤝 Positive PPA negotiations in ERCOT are driven by the market's lower land and interconnection costs, which help mitigate higher interest rates and supply chain issues. 🌟 Top Deals to Note: > Microsoft and Primergy Solar: 408 MW from Ash Creek solar project > Hyundai and Matrix Renewables: 147 MW (Hyundai’s first U.S. PPA) > RTX and ENGIE: ~38 MW from Priddy wind project #CorporatePPA #ERCOT #RenewableEnergy #Sustainability #Microsoft #Hyundai #RTX #ENGIE #Orsted #Primergy #LeewardRenewable #ScoutCleanEnergy #UnitedHealthGroup #Sonoco #AdventHealth

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From Senator Roberts Uncensored: Sun Cable is a sprawling 12,000-hectare solar complex, which is estimated to deliver 2.5GW of power. This output estimate may be based on a 30% capacity factor, which is generous for solar energy. To put this into perspective, here's what 12,000 hectares looks like over [CITY]. In stark contrast, a coal-fired power station could match this output using nearly 100% of its capacity in just 25 hectares. These facts challenge the narrative that net-zero is the ultimate environmental saviour. In reality, they are the destruction of the environment.

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Grid analysts challenge Bonneville Power’s pace in adopting advanced conductors--my latest for PV Magazine USA. As the White House encourages utilities to use advanced conductors to help interconnect new renewable generation, the federally-owned utility Bonneville Power is moving slowly to use the high-capacity conductors, analysts said. Mike O'Boyle, Casey Baker, Michelle Solomon #AdvancedConductors

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The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently issued a decision that sets timelines for the state’s three largest investor-owned utilities to complete customer energization projects. Energization is the process of connecting electrification projects—such as electric vehicle charging equipment—to the grid so that we can make use of our clean energy technologies. By setting timelines to complete energization projects, the CPUC decision recognizes that the state’s clean energy transition can’t happen without the timely integration of electrification projects to the grid. IREC has been actively engaged in the decision’s proceedings and contributed to the decision’s results. Our new blog post digs into the CPUC’s decision requirements for energization timelines, how the decision sets out to implement current clean energy laws and goals, and why accelerating energization is crucial for our transition to clean energy. Read it now at https://lnkd.in/g3fqQ_fD!

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What a great program from GridLab. Taking the plunge into entrepreneurship can be daunting. Don’t let the fear win out. Support like this in the beginning is a great way to help with the transition. Kudos to GridLab

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As solar panels age, they produce less power, jeopardizing the financial viability of grid-scale solar projects tied to long-term energy output. For the largest grid-scale solar projects, accelerated or undetected solar degradation can mean tens of millions of dollars in missed performance payments. Learn how customized testing strategies can help preserve solar panel functionality and protect capital investments: https://hubs.li/Q02YYm1f0 Ezra Jampole, Ph.D., P.E., Sumit Chaudhary #Exponent #WhatCanWeHelpYouSolve #Utilities

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Partnership to deliver #CleanPower to low-income communities - Haven Energy is partnering with Clean Power Alliance to establish a virtual power plant and drive #Solar and #Battery adoption in communities in California #ClimateAction #RenewableEnergy #SolarPower https://ow.ly/ACzr50UAs8O

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California’s transmission grid faces growing challenges, and Local Solar is the key to reducing peak demand and easing transmission strain. 🌞 This shift not only saves ratepayers hundreds of billions by avoiding costly infrastructure investments but also reduces the lifetime costs of operations and maintenance. As the article highlights, only Local Solar delivers these unparalleled economic, environmental, and resilience benefits. Discover how Local Solar can reshape California’s energy future: https://lnkd.in/dr-6gHJ4 #LocalSolar #EnergyResilience #Sustainability #CleanEnergySolutions

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As #YourTrustedEnergyPatner keeping you informed is essential. It is also vital that we keep your electricity affordable, reliable, and environmentally responsible. Learn more about the balancing act that utilities face in this recent Substack by GM, Rick Dunn here: https://ow.ly/nR5N50T48sz #CommunityPowered #AffordableEnergy #ReliableEnergy #EnvironmentallyResponsibleEnergy

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Interested in how the electric grid is evolving during the energy transition? Check out these three episodes from With Great Power! 1️⃣ What cleaning the grid means for Californians: https://hubs.li/Q02R6t1k0 2️⃣ Preparing the grid for millions more electric cars: https://hubs.li/Q02R6sqg0 3️⃣ The urgent need for more grid automation: https://hubs.li/Q02R6rM80

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ICYMI: “DOE’s Office of Electricity has provided over $10 million to fund multi-year research, development, and demonstration of microgrid-related technologies to make clean energy available and affordable in remote areas of the country, especially in underserved communities. Read the full announcement to learn how microgrid solutions can make the electric grid more reliable and resilient!” https://lnkd.in/ggb449_h

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