Robert Wilhite

Capacity market prices for energy in PJM surged, signaling a crucial demand for additional generation. PJM Interconnection's footprint is set to allocate $14.7 billion for capacity in the 2025/26 delivery year, a substantial rise from $2.2 billion in the previous auction. Stay informed about the energy sector's evolving landscape: [Link to the article] #EnergyMarket #CapacityAuction #PJMInterconnection

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Great article from Sara Baldwin. Power Demand Reduction (DR) on the consumer side is a critical component to balancing our growing grid power needs. But we must go beyond traditional DR that curtails power and give the customers a means to reduce their own peak power behind-the-meter. Affordable, high-power energy storage is the key.

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) continues its investment in improving the nations interconnection process with a focus on advancing AI technology in the space. GridUnity looks forward to being a part of this important initiative.

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Utility regulators and power plant owners have expressed their backing for PJM's Reliability Resource Initiative, as conveyed to FERC. However, there is opposition from renewable developers and other stakeholders towards this initiative.

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“There is danger of a backlash to the energy transition if it drives up costs for consumers.”-Sense CEO Mike Phillips To really nail load forecasting and keep costs in check, there needs to be better grid visibility. When utilities can see what’s happening right at the edge, they can predict demand more accurately and better manage energy distribution. This means lower costs and a more reliable energy supply. 💡 Small shifts like this can make a huge difference in how we power the future. What do you think about expanding grid visibility? #GridEdge #GridReliability #CostControl #LoadForecast

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Distributed Capacity Procurement is like giving utilities a superpower: they can now strategically place distributed energy resources (DERs) where they’re needed to build a more reliable grid. This builds a future where everyone wins: communities get more reliable power, vendors get new market opportunities, and ratepayers see innovation and a cleaner grid. 👷‍♀️👨‍🔧 Plus, with utilities driving this change, we can unlock the true power of solar, batteries, and other DERs at a scale. Get the details: https://hubs.la/Q02TgxBw0

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Our thoughts on FERC's approval of PJM's requested Capacity Auction delay, and what it could mean for energy buyers.

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Bloomberg published an article that underscores the significant challenges our global electricity networks face due to climate change. At Exelon, we recognize the urgency of these issues and are proactively preparing to meet them head-on. We are investing in advanced grid infrastructure, expanding renewable energy sources and enhancing our systems' resilience to ensure reliable power in the face of increasing demands and climate impacts. While the challenges are immense, our commitment to innovation and sustainability fuels our optimism for a resilient energy future. Together, we can build a grid that not only copes with climate change but thrives despite it. https://bit.ly/3Xwc7ZL

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The PJM Energy Capacity market is experiencing a surge in demand for electric generation, leading to price hikes. Michigan's decision to restart its nuclear power plants aligns with this trend. Stay updated on the changing energy market landscape. #EnergyMarket #ElectricGeneration #NuclearPower #PJMCapacityAuction

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A two-pronged challenge is forcing utilities to make sure their workforce planning ducks are in a row - a younger workforce that needs training, and new technology roles that require a new paradigm of support and enablement. Our Energy Industry Update explores how utilities are responding. Subscribe! https://lnkd.in/ecpWqnFU #EnergyIndustryUpdate #workforceplanning #techjobs #energyjobs

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Kudos to Grid Strategies LLC for pulling this together. This is one of the best "state of play" reports on energy demand growth around. It's well worth the read, but here are some key takeaways. Five-Year Load Growth Forecast Explodes: Electricity demand is projected to increase by 15.8% through 2029, with a 5-year growth forecast jumping from 23 GW to 128 GW. Data Centers as Key Drivers: Data centers alone could contribute between 65 GW and 90 GW of new demand by 2029, with AI-centric facilities making up 70% of this growth by 2030 Infrastructure Lagging Behind: Despite rising demand, only 55 miles of high-capacity transmission were built in 2023. Planned investments are increasing but remain insufficient to meet the forecasted load Regional Hotspots for Load Growth: Texas, Northern Virginia, Georgia, and the Pacific Northwest are leading regions for demand, driven by data center development, hydrogen plants, and industrial manufacturing. Challenges with Forecasting and Planning: Utilities face difficulties in accurately predicting load growth due to factors like data center energy use, hydrogen production, and electrification of transportation. New Financial Models and Tariffs: Utilities are adopting new tariffs requiring financial commitments from large loads, like data centers, to share infrastructure costs Opportunities in Energy Efficiency and Resilience: Improvements in energy efficiency, though slow, could reduce overall strain. Distributed energy resources (DERs) and Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) are potential solutions for enhancing resilience and grid flexibility Risks to U.S. Global Leadership: Delays in grid expansion could hinder economic and technological leadership in strategic industries like AI and advanced manufacturing.  #cloudcomputing  #cryptomining  #energyinfrastructure  #climatechange  #gridoptimization  #smartgrid  #batterystorage  #smartbuildings  #iot  #ev  #energytransition  #energynews https://lnkd.in/gTMVUYgh

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Great article by @LisaCohn It's exciting to see V2G technology getting the recognition it deserves. As the report highlights, if we see widespread adoption, electric vehicles capacity alone could meet peak demand by 2035. This is really outstanding!

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Some good news! Accelerating the interconnection process for new resources is a huge step in improving resource adequacy for our ever-increasing demand and facilitating the energy transition to renewables.

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Interesting read on near term electricity reliability planning - growth of intermittent capacity; asset shifts; growing cyber-threats; sector-coupling gas & grid; inter-regional capacity markets and demand growth. A lot to digest. In my view, district energy systems fit perfectly in the mix to support cities, communities and campuses as the energy transition unfolds. https://lnkd.in/eFQr9uGs

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FERC 1920 will improve transmission planning across regions, taking into account state #EnergyPolicy goals and cost allocation concerns. Ultimately, these efforts will enhance sustainability, reliability/resilience, and affordability by: 1️⃣ Supporting higher penetrations of renewable resources 2️⃣ Strengthening #GridResilience by sharing resources during extreme events 3️⃣ Improving affordability by balancing supply and demand across larger areas https://lnkd.in/gq2F2yzK

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AEP’s 2024 Corporate Sustainability Report is out!

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A few highlights out of today's U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) DOE Grid Deployment Office announcement for the next round of federal GRIP program funding grants for #transmission. Today's announcement provides $2.2 billion in federal funding for 18 projects. Three of the today's projects utilize #advancedconductors - these are composite core conductors that can increased existing ROW line capacity at the same voltage and have 30-40% fewer line losses without sag. The California Energy Commission was awarded ~$650 million for a project that will reconductor 100 miles of lines in the state, in addition to utilizing other advanced transmission technologies. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality in partnership with Duke Energy Corporation will utilize advanced conductors to maximize an existing 230kV right of way. The grant is for $57 million. Utah Office of Energy Development was awarded almost $250 million to replace legacy transmission technology with advanced conductors in existing right of ways. DOE notes that this will "improve grid #reliability for 700,000 utility customers across four states and five tribal nations and enable the integration of more than 500 MW of renewable #energy." On the #HVDC front, New York received a $30 million contribution for the $3.2 billion New York Clean Path project, a 1300 MW system that will move renewable energy from upstate / western NY to New York City. The Montana Department of Commerce was awarded $700 million for the North Plains Connector Interregional Innovation (NPCII) project, a 3,000 MW HVDC project that will connect WECC, MISO, and SPP. On the #offshorewind front, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources was awarded almost $390m to both add and upgrade points of interconnection as well as to add #batterystorage to allow for the integration of 4,800 MW of #interconnecting wind resources. Note that this will impact the design of the #transmission RFP expected in New England in the relatively near future. That RFP will be driven by the New England states in terms of scope and will be conducted by ISO New England under a new structure that Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently approved outside of the disfavored public policy structure that the NE states did not embrace. https://lnkd.in/eU_VfmTQ

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Resharing this great conversation I had on our All Things DER podcast with Allison Bates Wannop. I truly believe that effective communication between all industry stakeholders is critical to gathering the data, building the models, running the analytics, and ultimately, gaining insights that lead to a more modern, sustainable grid for all. https://lnkd.in/e8fSKPGT

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