Commentary

  • Power Industry Should Wholeheartedly Support Electric Vehicles

    Electric vehicles (EVs) have the potential to realign the transportation sector and present an opportunity for the power industry to transform and reinvent itself in fundamental ways. But whether this

  • Power Struggle: Cannabis Growers Face High Energy Costs in New Jersey

    New Jersey is yet another state expanding public access to cannabis for medical purposes and is poised to legalize access for recreational use. This means energy service providers and public utilities will

  • What is ‘Resilience’, and Do We Need It?

    U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry last year petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to craft policies to provide for “resilience” in the nation’s generation resource mix. He wrote

  • Raising the Next Generation of Energy Leaders

    As the electric power industry moves forward with new technology, the workforce that is needed to design, build, and manage the next generation of systems will undergo an equal if not greater transformation

  • Has Germany Paved the Way for the World’s Energy Transition?

    Germany is often touted as a leader in the global energy transition. Energiewende has been part of the country’s public discourse since the 1970s, stemming from an anti-nuclear movement prevalent at the

  • How Will Interstate Natural Gas Pipeline Certification Change?

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on April 19 issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) to seek stakeholder input on how the agency should revise its 1999 Certificate Policy Statement regarding the review

  • Electric Vehicles—Subsidies for an Environmental Pretender

    On May 22, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the American Public Power Association (APPA), and two groups representing U.S. and foreign automakers sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  • Grid Reliability and Resilience Pricing: FERC’s Rulemaking and How Our Energy Markets Are Responding

    Kenneth W. Irvin and Christopher Polito1 Sidley Austin LLP – Washington, D.C. What is “resilience,” and do we need it? As anyone who has not been on Mars knows, last year, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to craft policies to provide for “resilience” in our generation resource […]

  • Hurricane Season is Here; Is Your Grid Prepared?

    When Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017, no one could predict the level of devastation those 155-mph sustained winds would deliver. In its wake, Maria plunged the entire island of Puerto Rico into darkness, and decimated its aging distribution, transmission and generation infrastructure. By all predictions, it was going to […]

  • The Power Grid’s Great Transition

    POWER has been reporting for many years on changes taking place in the power generation mix around the globe. Renewable energy, such as wind and solar generation, has been growing steadily in most parts of the

  • 5 Key Takeaways from FERC’s Recent Energy Storage Order

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC’s) recent Order 841, “Electric Storage Participation in Markets Operated by Regional Transmission Organizations [RTOs] and Independent System Operators

  • Why the EPA’s Proposed Coal Ash Rule Is Concerning

    Over the past decade, together with my students and colleagues at Duke University and other academic institutions, I have conducted scientific research and published 13 scientific articles on different aspects

  • DOE Announces New Efforts in Energy Sector Cybersecurity

    On May 14, 2018, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability released its Multiyear Plan for Energy Sector Cybersecurity (“Plan”). The Plan is significantly guided by DOE’s 2006 Roadmap to Secure Control Systems in the Energy Sector and 2011 Roadmap to Achieve Energy Delivery Systems Cybersecurity. Taken together with DOE’s […]

  • Have a Seat: Welcoming Women to the Energy Sector

    In addition to the record-breaking number of women running for office, we are also seeing an uptick in women getting involved within the energy sector—an industry long dominated by men. Although the energy sector still remains one of the least gender-diverse sectors, more and more women are creating green energy initiatives, founding renewable energy companies, […]

  • The Nuclear Waste Impasse Can Only Be Resolved by the Public

    The more I review the Yucca Mountain political boondoggle, the more I am convinced the stalemate will have to be resolved through a grassroots public campaign. At the outset of the Yucca startup, the

  • Net Metering and Time-Variant Rates Drive Solar Power and Energy Storage Growth [PODCAST]

    Nevada law has included net metering provisions for more than 20 years. Net metering is an arrangement that allows energy generated by a customer’s leased or purchased solar system to offset monthly power bills. It also permits excess energy supplied to the grid to earn credits, which are then automatically applied to future billing periods […]

  • Turning Hindsight into Foresight for U.S. Energy Infrastructure

    A transformation is underway in the energy sector where utility grid infrastructure is evolving to produce more energy from renewable sources and incorporate new advanced grid technologies. Technology concepts such as microgrids, and distributed and district energy help to localize our energy supply and allow us to generate, store, and consume energy in the places […]

  • The 4M Approach to a Connected Plant

    Technology is being incorporated into operations and maintenance schemes at an ever-increasing pace. New digital tools are helping optimize assets, improve performance, and reduce overall costs. Big Data Best

  • Market Barriers Eased for Energy Storage Resources

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) adopted a final rule on February 15 (Order No. 841) that facilitates the direct participation of electric storage resources in centralized markets operated by

  • Thrive Amid Industry Disruption With a Values-Based Strategy

    Jeff Foley Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Propeller With technological, regulatory and market shifts driving continued change across the global generation industry, a strong sense of purpose has never been more important. GE has one, with a values-based program targeted at increased employee compliance. Outside the industry, Zappos is another example: The online retailer is well […]

  • The Blockchain Energy Commodity Transaction Lifecycle

    Glenn Reitman, Mark Radcliffe, Deanna Reitman DLA Piper Introduction Blockchain technology (sometimes referred to as distributed ledger technology) is the technology behind cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ether (the cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain), and it is fast becoming a platform for innovation in peer-to-peer transactions.  In this article, we attempt to consider blockchain technology in […]

  • Being a Solar CEO: What It’s Taught Me About Workplace Energy

    Scott Cramer CEO, Go Solar Group As a solar company CEO, I’ve learned many unexpected lessons about a form of energy seemingly different yet related to solar energy – energy in the workplace. I know how to manage people’s electricity usage within the walls of their homes, helping them reduce power bills and establish energy […]

  • Coal Rebound Is Vital to Local Economies

    In President Trump’s State of the Union address, he said, “We have ended the war on American energy, and we have ended the war on beautiful, clean coal.” It’s safe to say that things have gotten better

  • How the Offshore Wind Energy Industry Can Overcome the Jones Act

    Europe’s decade-long economic and regulatory commitment to the offshore wind industry has paid off. With approximately 14 GW of power installed as of June 2017, the continent now boasts more than 90% of

  • Trump’s Broken Promises, and His War on Clean Energy

    Commentary The clean energy industry was hit hard by two decisions coming out of the Trump administration these past few weeks. First, a 30% tariff was imposed on imported solar panels. Then earlier this week, the Trump administration proposed plans to cut the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy office budgets by 65%, all while […]

  • Changing the Power Industry Culture

    The news has been filled with high-profile sexual harassment cases recently. Although more women seem to be coming forward lately to tell their stories and bring misconduct to light, it’s far from a new

  • What’s Next for the Clean Power Plan?

    “The Trump administration is listening to the people of Wyoming,” remarked Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. His comment referenced a

  • Pressing Forward with Vogtle, a Nuclear MVP

    Georgia wasn’t looking for an award or recognition when we set out to build new nuclear reactors in our state. Yet, we now find ourselves as the last team on the field as our commissioners unanimously voted

  • Steps for Solving Combined Cycle Project Delays

    A recent article in The Wall Street Journal heralded the following: “Power Plants Bloom Even as Electricity Prices Wilt.” Understandably, the WSJ editors are excited about the current spate of combined cycle construction projects. I’m also pleased about the growth in our sector (Figure 1). But I’m less sanguine about our ability to execute all […]

  • Commentary: Pressing Forward With Vogtle, a Nuclear MVP

    Georgia wasn’t looking for an award or recognition when we set out to build new nuclear reactors in our state. Yet we now find ourselves as the last team on the field as our commissioners unanimously voted to move forward with a new cost and schedule for the Plant Vogtle new nuclear units—keeping the project […]