Over 60 Percent of Battery Storage Coming Online Will Be Co-located, EIA Says
October 12, 2021
by Peter Maloney
APPA News
October 12, 2021
Most of the battery storage expected to come online in the next five years will be co-located with a solar power plants, according to the Energy Information Agency’s (EIA) most recent annual electric generator report.
Of the 14.5 gigawatts (GW) of battery storage planned to begin come online between 2021 and 2024, 9.4 GW, or 63 percent, will be co-located with solar power, the EIA said. Another 1.3 GW of battery storage will be co-located at sites with wind turbines or fossil fuel-fired generators, such as natural gas-fired plants. The remaining 4 GW of planned battery storage will be located at standalone sites.
The EIA’s generator report collects information about existing and planned generation projects that are 1 MW or greater.
According to historical EIA data, most of the battery storage deployments in the United States have been done on a standalone basis. Of the 1.5 GW of battery storage that was in operation at the end of 2020, 71 percent was standalone, and 29 percent was co-located with other power generators.
A combination of falling prices for lithium-ion batteries and rising levels of wind and solar generation is driving an increase in renewable energy projects that include battery storage, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Batteries can offset the intermittent nature of renewable resources such as wind and solar power. Solar power, in particular, can be effectively paired with battery storage because of their relatively regular daily generation patterns, EIA noted.
Predictability works well with battery systems because they are limited in how long they can discharge their power capacity before needing to recharge. If paired with a wind turbine, a battery system could go days before having the opportunity to fully recharge.
The EIA also pointed out that battery systems co-located with renewable energy resources also can take advantage of the Investment Tax Credit available for solar projects.
EIA data also show that most standalone battery storage sites have been planned or built in power markets that are governed by regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and independent system operators (ISOs). Some RTOs and ISOs have market rules that provide revenue streams for energy storage projects, which encourages developers to site projects there.
Of the utility-scale battery systems announced due online between 2021 and 2024, 97 percent of the standalone battery capacity and 60 percent of the co-located battery capacity are in RTO/ISO regions, EIA said. Outside of RTO and ISO regions, over 90 percent of planned battery storage is scheduled to be co-located with a solar photovoltaic plant, EIA said.
Massachusetts Public Power Utilities Extend Hydropower PPAs
October 10, 2021
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
and Peter Maloney
APPA News
October 10, 2021
Middleborough Gas and Electric Department (MGED) and Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant (TMLP) in Massachusetts have extended power purchase agreements for hydroelectric supplies.
MGED extended its contract with FirstLIght Power for an additional 10 years to 2040. MGED said the extension helps to keep its rates affordable while growing the amount of carbon dioxide-free power in its portfolio.
“MGED’s 2021 power portfolio is more than 60 percent carbon free,” Jackie Crowley, MGED’s general manager, said in a statement. “And with the 2021 FirstLight extension we can ensure a growing share of renewable energy through 2040 as we work to reach the MGED Board’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.”
The agreement will account for approximately 910,000 megawatt-hours, equivalent to more than 12 percent of MGED’s purchases for residential, commercial and industrial customers for the term.
MGED entered into an initial 2019 agreement with FirstLight Power. The agreement was developed by Energy New England with FirstLight to supply 21 Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont municipal utilities with hydropower.
“Never before have so many municipal light plants, municipal electric departments, and other public power utilities come together to buy emissions-free renewable power on this scale,” John Tzimorangas, president and CEO of Energy New England, said at the time.
In November 2020, the 21 utilities signed agreements to purchase 200 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year of hydroelectric power produced by FirstLight Power.
Meanwhile, TMLP on Oct. 6 announced that it has extended its contract with FirstLight Power. The transaction will now encompass an additional seven years to 2030.
TMLP was the first Massachusetts utility to enter into an initial 2018 agreement with FirstLight Power, the owner and operator of hydroelectric generation facilities in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
The extension helps TMLP “to lock in the resources it needs to decarbonize its electric generation output,” the utility said.
The extension will keep the TMLP power portfolio at nearly 26 percent of hydropower through the year 2030.
MGED serves customers in Middleborough and Lakeville by purchasing electricity from regional generating plants in New England. The utility also buys local energy produced by privately owned solar arrays. Almost all the electric power MGED’s buys comes from hydro, nuclear, wind or solar power with less than 1 percent coming from fossil fuel-burning plants that are mostly used during times of peak demand.
TMLP serves over 38,000 customers in Taunton, Raynham, Berkley, North Dighton and sections of Lakeville and Bridgewater.
FirstLight Power owns hydro generation stations in Massachusetts and Connecticut and has a total portfolio of more than 1,400 megawatts that includes two pumped hydro energy storage facilities, six conventional hydroelectric generation plants, five run-of-river hydroelectric generation plants, and one solar generation facility.
Two Temporary Mobile Generators Now Online In Roseville, Calif.
October 10, 2021
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
October 10, 2021
Two temporary mobile generators are now online in Roseville, Calif., following six weeks of construction at Roseville Energy Park, public power utility Roseville Electric recently reported.
The two generators were deployed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) following an emergency proclamation by Governor Gavin Newsom in July.
Each unit can produce up to 30 megawatts. The units run on natural gas but can run on a blend of up to 75 percent hydrogen.
The generators would be deployed under emergency conditions determined by the California Independent System Operator (ISO) under a contingency plan developed in coordination with the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission.
In order to raise awareness in the communities surrounding these generators, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has posted a document outlining an order from the U.S. Department of Energy as well as the circumstances under which the CAISO can activate the units.
Zeeland Board of Public Works Unveils Online Portal For Customers
October 7, 2021
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
October 7, 2021
Michigan public power utility Zeeland Board of Public Works recently unveiled an online portal that will allow customers to track their energy and water usage, pay bills, and get notifications for unusual energy and water use.
“We’re pleased to provide more technology to our service area and consider this a step closer to empowering our customers with meaningful usage information that can be leveraged to control utility bills,” said Andrew Boatright, General Manager of Zeeland Board of Public Works, in a statement.
With daily, weekly, and monthly usage reports, the utility’s “MyMeter” portal gives customers insight into how much electricity and water they are using.
With the investment in MyMeter, Zeeland BPW is also launching a multi-year project to upgrade all meters to digital advanced meters.
Electric meter replacements to new digital advanced meters have already begun and are anticipated to be substantially deployed by the end of 2022. Water advanced metering deployment will begin in 2022 and is targeted for completion by 2025.
Senate Committee Approves Cyber Incident Report Legislation
October 7, 2021
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
October 7, 2021
The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on Oct. 6 approved S. 2875, the Cyber Incident Reporting Act of 2021.
The legislation would require critical infrastructure owners and operators to report to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) within 72 hours if they are experiencing a cyber-attack.
The bill would also create a requirement for critical infrastructure entities and other organizations, including nonprofits, certain businesses, and state and local governments, to notify the federal government within 24 hours if they make a ransom payment.
Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), chairman of the committee, wants to offer the bill as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) when it comes to the Senate floor. It is currently unknown when the Senate will consider the NDAA.
In late August, Joy Ditto, President and CEO of the American Public Power Association, and Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, said that if Congress chooses to enact broad mandatory cyber incident reporting legislation for critical infrastructure, the associations agree with the principles laid out in an August 27 letter lead by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) and endorsed by numerous other critical infrastructure sector entities and associations.
In that letter, ITI and the other entities and associations said that in order to ensure an effective incident reporting regime that leverages the limited resources of federal agencies, enables regulatory compliance, provides liability protections, and advances national cybersecurity interests, policymakers in Congress should, at a minimum, follow five key principles:
- Establish feasible reporting timelines of no less than 72 hours
- Limit reporting regulations to verified incidents and intrusions
- Limit reporting obligations to the victim organization, rather than third-party vendors or providers
- Harmonize federal cybersecurity incident reporting requirements
- Ensure confidentiality and nondisclosure of incident information provided to the government
Utilities Can Be Recognized For Proper Tree Care Standards
October 7, 2021
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
October 7, 2021
The Arbor Day Foundation has opened applications for utilities to be recognized for their commitment to safe and reliable electric service by demonstrating best practices in public and private utility arboriculture.
Last year, almost 150 utilities across the U.S. attained the foundation’s Tree Line USA status.
The foundation, which is based in Nebraska, said that Tree Line USA utilities benefit from lower line clearance costs from proper pruning, lower peak energy demand and more public exposure by meeting Tree Line USA requirements.
To receive Tree Line USA recognition, eligible utilities must meet the following core standards:
- Perform quality tree care
- Report annual worker training
- Conduct yearly tree planting and public education opportunities
- Have a tree-based energy conservation program
- Hold an Arbor Day celebration
Recognized utilities will receive a plaque, emblem, decals and other promotional materials to increase public exposure of their Tree Line USA recognition.
For more information about the Tree City USA program or to apply, visit www.arborday.org/TreeLineUSA.
Applications are available through the end of the year depending on the state.
OPPD Awards Contract For Design And Construction Of New Power Plants
October 7, 2021
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
October 7, 2021
Nebraska’s Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) on Oct. 4 said that it has made a key selection for its Power with Purpose project, which will add 400 to 600 megawatts (MW) of utility-scale solar and 600 MW of natural gas to OPPD’s generation portfolio.
The utility awarded an engineer, procure, and construct (EPC) contract to Zachry Group. The company will be responsible for the design and construction of both of OPPD’s new natural gas generation facilities — Standing Bear Lake Station, a 150 MW facility in Douglas County, and Turtle Creek Station, a 450 MW facility in Sarpy County – as well as their associated substations. Both of these plants are peaking plants.
The solar and gas generation capacity that the Power with Purpose project will build “supports reliability and resiliency of the system as our communities grow, while significantly positioning OPPD on a path to meet its net zero carbon goal in 2050,” OPPD noted.
Preliminary grading at both natural gas generation sites related to the project has begun and major construction is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2022.
In July, OPPD announced two other contracts related to Power with Purpose. The utility selected Siemens Energy to provide two combustion turbines to power the 450 MW Turtle Creek Station, a simple-cycle turbine facility. This facility will be in commercial operation by late summer of 2023.
OPPD also selected nine Wartsila reciprocating internal combustion engines to power the 150 MW Standing Bear Lake Station. Standing Bear Lake Station will be in commercial operation by late spring of 2023.
In a recent episode of the American Public Power Association’s Public Power Now podcast, Javier Fernandez, President and CEO of OPPD, provided details on the Power with Purpose project and discussed how the project fits in with his overall vision for OPPD’s future generation mix.
CPS Energy’s Paula Gold-Williams Named As New Member Of Secretary of Energy’s Advisory Board
October 6, 2021
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
October 6, 2021
Paula Gold-Williams, President and CEO of San Antonio, Texas-based CPS Energy, has been named as a new member of the Secretary of Energy’s Advisory Board (SEAB).
The members of the SEAB are appointed for a two-year term and represent academic institutions, nuclear security experts, labor unions, utility companies, energy equipment manufacturers, low-income consumers, and non-governmental organizations.
The SEAB meets quarterly to advise the Secretary of Energy on how best to achieve the priorities of the Department of Energy, help identify emerging issues related to the DOE’s activities, and offer suggestions for improvements to its operation. For the first time ever, the SEAB is majority women.
“I am honored to be appointed to the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board and extremely humbled to join my esteemed colleagues,” said Gold-Williams. “I am looking forward to working with them and to providing input on how best to achieve the Department of Energy priorities,” she said.
“As a leader of a municipally owned utility, this opportunity also allows me to further share the perspectives of public power providers and the communities they passionately serve. I want to thank Secretary Granholm and Dr. Arun Majumdar for their confidence in me and for allowing me the opportunity to make a real impact on our nation as our broad industry makes significant progress in transitioning to a clean energy future,” Gold-Williams said.
Majumdar, who previously served on the SEAB from May 2014 to January 2017 and was the first Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy, will serve as Chair. Madelyn Creedon, who previously served as Principal Deputy Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, will serve as Vice-Chair.
The terms of the appointed members of the SEAB expire on August 30, 2023.
A list of the other SEAB members is available here.
Five Midwest Governors Sign MOU to Foster EV Adoption
October 6, 2021
by Peter Maloney
APPA News
October 6, 2021
The governors of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin at the end of September signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at accelerating vehicle electrification in the Midwest.
The Regional Electric Vehicle for the Midwest Memorandum of Understanding (REV Midwest MOU) provides a foundation for cooperation on fleet electrification along key commercial corridors. The parties to the agreement also say it will help ensure that the Midwest will be able to compete for new private investment and federal funding for vehicle electrification.
Under the MOU, the participating states agree to evaluate strategic challenges and opportunities in fields such as manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and energy. The participating states also agreed under the MOU to coordinate on regional electric vehicle infrastructure siting and deployment strategies with an initial focus on target routes of commercial significance.
They also agreed to share best practices to inform the standardization of regulatory schemes and public communications, to develop a common customer experience across state lines, and to coordinate on best practices for working with energy providers to ensure sustained electricity supply and grid resilience.
The participating states also agreed to identify and engage with historically disadvantaged communities to understand the challenges to bringing the benefits of electrification to those communities.
Each of the participating states agreed to maintain a task force of senior leadership and to meet regularly to share updates and input and to complete progress reports at regular intervals.
The MOU is not legally binding, and any participating state may withdraw at any time at its sole discretion. This MOU may also be modified, terminated, or expanded by unanimous agreement of the participating states.
TVA Adds Another Solar Project To Its Green Invest program
October 6, 2021
by Peter Maloney
APPA News
October 6, 2021
Danish energy company Ørsted has completed a 227-megawatt (MW) solar project in Alabama for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
The Muscle Shoals photovoltaic solar project in Colbert County has a long-term power purchase agreement with TVA. The project will support the sustainability goals of Facebook’s data center in Huntsville, Alabama that just started operations.
TVA’s Green Invest program is available to businesses and local power companies in TVA’s territory.
In May, TVA announced a new Green Invest partnership with Facebook and RWE Renewables that will build a 150-MW solar facility near Millington, Tenn. Facebook will use 110 MW of the solar energy to support their data center operations in Gallatin, Tenn., and the broader Tennessee Valley.
In January 2020, TVA announced a partnership with Nashville Electric Service and Vanderbilt University for a 35-MW solar project in Bedford County, Tennessee. In March 2020, TVA entered into a deal to secure 212 MW of solar power for Knoxville Utilities Board’s customers.
Since 2018, TVA’s Green Invest program has attracted nearly $2.7 billion in solar investment and procured over 2,100 MW of solar power on behalf of its customers.
Since 2005, TVA says it has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 63 percent. With a variety of initiatives, including long-term customer partnerships for Green Invest projects, the utility hopes to reduce its emissions to 70 percent by 2030, 80 percent by 2035, and to achieve net-zero emission generation by 2050.