Governors' Wind Energy Coalition

FERC emboldened by Supreme Court victory

Robin Bravender, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:47:18

A landmark Supreme Court opinion issued yesterday underscored the government’s power to regulate an evolving electric grid. In a 6-2 opinion, the high court sided with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by reviving the agency’s contentious “demand-response” rule aimed at encouraging energy conservation. A majority of the justices found that FERC did indeed have the authority to issue a regulation requiring that power users be paid for committing to scale back electricity use at times of peak demand. [ read more … ]

Climate Deal’s First Big Hurdle: The Draw of Cheap Oil

By CLIFFORD KRAUSS and DIANE CARDWELL, New York Times • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:47:44

Barely a month after world leaders signed a sweeping agreement to reduce carbon emissions, the global commitment to renewable energy sources faces its first big test as the price of oil collapses. Buoyed by low gas prices, Americans are largely eschewing electric cars in favor of lower-mileage trucks and sport utility vehicles. Yet the Obama administration has shown no signs of backing off its requirement that automakers nearly double the fuel economy of their vehicles by 2025. [ read more … ]

Transmitting Wind Power To Customers Is A Quixotic Challenge

By Frank Morris, Morning Edition • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:48:18

Some wind resources are hundreds of miles from potential customers. Projects to build high voltage lines to carry that power to where it’s needed are regularly stymied by the regulatory environment. [ read more … ]

Supreme Court rejects energy pricing case

Robin Bravender, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:55:34

The Supreme Court yesterday refused to hear a case surrounding how much a utility is required to pay a family producing wind power. In a customary short order, the high court rejected an appeal from Gregory and Beverly Swecker, owners of a small farm in Iowa with a wind generator. The Sweckers sell surplus electric energy to Midland Power Cooperative and have been engaged in legal battles for more than a decade with the utility over the rate paid for their wind power.
[ read more … ]

Utilities push a solar pricing proposal they say is fairer for non-solar users

By Ivan Penn, Los Angeles Times • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:57:29

Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Gas & Electric are pushing back against a regulator proposal for new rules on compensating California homeowners and businesses for the solar power they produce. The three investor-owned utilities have united in an unusual counterproposal that would be less generous to solar-panel owners than the plan that the California Public Utilities Commission is set to vote on next week. [ read more … ]

Duty calls for Block Island grid crew

By ReNews • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:55:59

National Grid has selected Connecticut outfit McPhee Electric to build an onshore substation for Deepwater Wind’s 30MW Block Island offshore project in Rhode Island. Caldwell Marine and Environmental Crossings will handle horizontal directional drilling for submarine cable installation. The two companies are in the final stages of mobilization and expect to start drilling in the next week or so. [ read more … ]

Koch propagandist attacks wind tax break; is mum on fossil fuel subsidies

By Elliott Negin, The Hill • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:56:35

Gall? Nerve? Chutzpah? Call it what you like, but Christine Harbin’s two recent anti-wind columns in The Hill are prime examples of Koch-funded dishonesty—and hypocrisy. [ read more … ]

Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.

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	January 26, 2016
FERC emboldened by Supreme Court victory Robin Bravender, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:47:18 A landmark Supreme Court opinion issued yesterday underscored the government’s power to regulate an evolving electric grid. In a 6-2 opinion, the high court sided with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by reviving the agency’s contentious “demand-response” rule aimed at encouraging energy conservation. A majority of the justices found that FERC did indeed have the authority to issue a regulation requiring that power users be paid for committing to scale back electricity use at times of peak demand. [ read more … ] Climate Deal’s First Big Hurdle: The Draw of Cheap Oil By CLIFFORD KRAUSS and DIANE CARDWELL, New York Times • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:47:44 Barely a month after world leaders signed a sweeping agreement to reduce carbon emissions, the global commitment to renewable energy sources faces its first big test as the price of oil collapses. Buoyed by low gas prices, Americans are largely eschewing electric cars in favor of lower-mileage trucks and sport utility vehicles. Yet the Obama administration has shown no signs of backing off its requirement that automakers nearly double the fuel economy of their vehicles by 2025. [ read more … ] Transmitting Wind Power To Customers Is A Quixotic Challenge By Frank Morris, Morning Edition • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:48:18 Some wind resources are hundreds of miles from potential customers. Projects to build high voltage lines to carry that power to where it’s needed are regularly stymied by the regulatory environment. [ read more … ] Supreme Court rejects energy pricing case Robin Bravender, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:55:34 The Supreme Court yesterday refused to hear a case surrounding how much a utility is required to pay a family producing wind power. In a customary short order, the high court rejected an appeal from Gregory and Beverly Swecker, owners of a small farm in Iowa with a wind generator. The Sweckers sell surplus electric energy to Midland Power Cooperative and have been engaged in legal battles for more than a decade with the utility over the rate paid for their wind power. [ read more … ] Utilities push a solar pricing proposal they say is fairer for non-solar users By Ivan Penn, Los Angeles Times • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:57:29 Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Gas & Electric are pushing back against a regulator proposal for new rules on compensating California homeowners and businesses for the solar power they produce. The three investor-owned utilities have united in an unusual counterproposal that would be less generous to solar-panel owners than the plan that the California Public Utilities Commission is set to vote on next week. [ read more … ] Duty calls for Block Island grid crew By ReNews • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:55:59 National Grid has selected Connecticut outfit McPhee Electric to build an onshore substation for Deepwater Wind’s 30MW Block Island offshore project in Rhode Island. Caldwell Marine and Environmental Crossings will handle horizontal directional drilling for submarine cable installation. The two companies are in the final stages of mobilization and expect to start drilling in the next week or so. [ read more … ] Koch propagandist attacks wind tax break; is mum on fossil fuel subsidies By Elliott Negin, The Hill • • Posted 2016-01-26 06:56:35 Gall? Nerve? Chutzpah? Call it what you like, but Christine Harbin’s two recent anti-wind columns in The Hill are prime examples of Koch-funded dishonesty—and hypocrisy. [ read more … ] Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.
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