Carlos M. Brown

As NERC's 2023 Long-Term Reliability Assessment highlights, the U.S. electric grid is nearing capacity due to rising demand, aging infrastructure, and the integration of renewable energy. At the same time, the global drive toward AI and its rapid adoption are adding further strain on power systems, as AI models require significant computational power, leading to increased energy consumption. However, emerging trends in low-energy, high-speed AI solutions could be a game changer. Innovations like energy-efficient hardware, neuromorphic computing, and edge AI are being developed globally to reduce the power footprint of AI systems. These advancements can help alleviate grid stress by making AI more sustainable, while still maintaining high-performance capabilities. Who are the top players in this space? Sustainability must be an overarching goal for business and policy. #AI #EnergyEfficiency #GridReliability #Sustainability #Innovation https://lnkd.in/eqZx6wMJ

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BREAKING NEWS: This week, Central Electric Power Cooperative and The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. filed a declaration in support of two separate lawsuits filed by the NRECA and a coalition of 23 state attorneys general, including S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson. The lawsuits challenge the legality of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new regulations on fossil fuel power plants. “South Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the nation. We urgently need more electricity, not less,” said Central CEO Rob Hochstetler. “These regulations make it harder for electric cooperatives to keep up, threatening our ability to keep the lights on for residents and businesses across our state.” “While we share the EPA’s goal of protecting the environment, we can’t support a plan that jeopardizes the reliability of South Carolina’s electric grid while driving up power bills,” said Mike Couick, CEO of the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina. “We need a realistic path forward.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/ewjttXNx.

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Will be very interesting to see if Manchin, Barrasso and Biden can get there on permitting reform. Summary of bill: https://lnkd.in/euwRRTZz Bill text: https://lnkd.in/e_hiumcr.

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Solar Power is poised to become the second-largest source of U.S. electricity generating capacity, according to a recent analysis by Solar Power World. This is despite ongoing challenges for solar development, including local opposition in many communities across Virginia and the nation, generating capacity. Key findings from Solar Power's analysis include: * Renewable Energy Surpasses 30% of Total Capacity: The mix of renewable energy sources now accounts for over 30% of total U.S. utility-scale electrical generating capacity. In the first seven months of 2024, renewables provided a quarter of the nation's electrical generation. * Solar Dominates New Capacity Additions: Solar has been the largest source of new generating capacity for eleven consecutive months (September 2023 - July 2024). In the first seven months of 2024, solar comprised 76.9% of all new generation capacity, with its additions 81.2% higher than during the same period in 2023. * Rapid Growth in Solar and Wind Capacity: The combined capacities of solar and wind now constitute 20.9% of the nation's total available installed utility-scale generating capacity. When including small-scale solar systems, this figure approaches 25%. Solar's Rising Share of Total Capacity: Solar now accounts for 9.1% of total available installed utility-scale generating capacity, surpassing hydropower (7.8%) and nuclear power (8.0%). * Projected Growth: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) forecasts "high probability" additions of 89,971 MW for solar between August 2024 and July 2027, nearly four times the projected additions for wind. * Future Projections: By August 1, 2027, solar is expected to account for 15% of the nation's installed utility-scale generating capacity, potentially surpassing both coal (13.2%) and wind (12.8%). * Small-Scale Solar Contribution: Small-scale solar (systems <1 MW) accounted for almost 30% of all solar generation and provided 2% of U.S. electricity supply in the first seven months of 2024. Steadily increasing solar energy production will be particularly important for Virginia to achieve its clean energy goals moving forward. The Virginia Clean Economy Act of 2020 (VCEA) mandates the Commonwealth’s two largest utilities, Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power, to transition to 100% renewable energy generation by 2045 and 2050, respectively. Many states have set similarly ambitious goals. In Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic, addressing challenges such as local opposition, grid integration, and energy storage will be essential if clean energy goals to be achieved. I've written about these local challenges extensively, with more to come. The industry's ability to overcome these hurdles, here and elsewhere, will influence the pace and extent of solar energy's inevitable ascent in the U.S. energy market moving forward. GreeneHurlocker Andy Brownstein Alexis Laundry Virginia Renewable Energy Alliance Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association #solarenergy #vcea

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I hold no brief for FirstEnergy but I agree that it's way past time for PJM, ISO-NE, NYISO and MISO to acknowledge that capacity markets do not and can not elicit meaningful amounts of new capacity. The entire structure is meaningless: it's based on the principle that a KW is a KW and should be priced on an anodyne basis no matter what the generation technology, the time needed for development, prevailing state and federal policies and, most importantly, that generation plants need to be financed over a period of at least 10-12 years while the market provide for 3 years at most. #electricutilities #renewableenergy #energymarkets

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In this year's Carbon Plan proceedings EDF put forward an expert witness, Bill McAleb, who outlined the holes in Duke Energy's plan to build new gas plants under the assumption that they will, someday, be able to fuel them with hydrogen. The the three main takeaways: 1.Lack of supply. There are currently no pipelines to safely supply hydrogen to Duke Energy facilities. If mixed with methane in existing pipelines, hydrogen can cause “embrittlement” in the joints of existing infrastructure. That means increased risk of dangerous leakage and equipment failures if we attempt to “blend” hydrogen into existing gas infrastructure. Hydrogen requires a dedicated new pipeline network and Duke Energy has not pointed to any plans for proposed hydrogen pipelines supplying the Carolinas. 2. Massive inefficiencies. The second problem with Duke’s plan is hydrogen’s lackluster efficiency. Critics have called using clean electricity to generate hydrogen, “a crime against thermodynamics.” If you use clean energy to create and then burn hydrogen, you spend 50 to 80 percent of the original clean energy in splitting hydrogen out of water and burning that hydrogen to spin a turbine. Simply sending that clean energy directly onto the grid or storing it in batteries is far more efficient and cheaper for ratepayers. 3. Costs. The third critical problem is that Duke’s plans leave us with no idea what hydrogen will actually cost, where it will come from and how we'll store it. In our filed testimony, EDF’s experts point out Duke’s lack of transparency on the cost of pipelines, turbine retrofits and storage. North Carolina has no geologic formations to store hydrogen economically over long time periods, which would, in theory, be the primary advantage of hydrogen over something like batteries. Above ground storage is problematic, too, as it’s both expensive and prone to leakage. https://lnkd.in/gxRKbXGt

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As energy policy evolves in the U.S. and the clean energy transition continues (and flourishes!), we will continue to see parallel federal, state, and local policies that will directly affect the new energy paradigm. Stay tuned! Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

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Duke Energy, North Carolina’s regulated monopoly utility, is planning to launch a new program for large energy customers, like big-box retailers, to purportedly support our state’s clean energy transition. The catch? The central option in the program fails to speed up carbon pollution reduction or the development of clean energy projects, like new solar power. A bipartisan state law requires Duke to reduce heat-trapping carbon pollution by at least 70% below 2005 levels by 2030. The program encourages large customers to pay the utility a premium to support clean energy projects that the utility is already required by law to procure. The program would confuse and mislead North Carolinians, who will expect participating businesses to make a difference in keeping our communities safer from the impacts of climate change. It also snubs companies, cities, and universities with strong climate action commitments, who have repeatedly emphasized the importance of establishing programs that allow participants to more meaningfully support the development of clean energy projects. On behalf of our partner SACE, and jointly with NCSEA, we’re asking the utilities commission to reconsider its approval of Duke’s disappointing program: https://lnkd.in/eEks8DdQ #CleanEnergy #NorthCarolina #ClimateChange #DukeEnergy

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Consider: if cutting #methane is the best and probably only way to prevent climate chaos in the near term as we decarbonize the energy system, how can the world not make the effort to develop a legally binding methane agreement?     The recent Shindell-led methane analysis makes it clear that we need a more muscular approach than the current methane pledges and COP promises.    A Buyers Club could get us started, where major gas purchasers impose a mandatory financial penalty on gas that doesn’t cut methane to near zero.   This could lay the foundation for a mandatory methane agreement modeled after the #MontrealProtocol, starting with the oil and gas sector. Frontiers in Science

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With all due respect to the smart folks (and I know several of them!) at the Virginia Department of Energy, I don't think that today's "high prices underscore the need for Virginia to invest in natural gas power..." Why? Because we've built a lot of gas (and coal) generation in recent years: Dominion's Bear Garden gas plant came online in 2011; then the utility added the Virginia City coal-fired power plant in 2012; the Warren County gas plant in 2014; the Brunswick gas plant in 2016; and the Greensville gas plant in 2018. That's 5,545 megawatts of new, fossil fuel-fired power in just 13 years. We obviously have some urgent work to do to understand what's driving the increase in prices in the PJM capacity auction. But just like building more lanes on Interstate 75 (already 15 lanes wide) won't solve Atlanta's traffic problems, building more gas does not strike me as the right response to the news out of PJM.

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The launch of the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank (VCEIB) by the Youngkin administration marks a significant step forward for clean energy progress in Virginia. As conservatives supporting a transition to cleaner energy, we see this as a practical approach that addresses both environmental concerns and economic growth. With $10 million in seed funding, the VCEIB is set to bridge financing gaps for innovative energy projects, ensuring Virginia's competitiveness in a rapidly changing energy landscape. While skepticism exists across the aisle regarding the administration's motivations, it's important to recognize that bold, decisive action is often necessary for effective governance. The focus on collaboration among state agencies—rather than competition—is a strategic move that can unlock federal resources more efficiently. The emphasis on innovation and adaptability positions the VCEIB to lead in clean energy solutions, aligning with our core values of economic responsibility and environmental stewardship. By embracing this opportunity, the VCEIB demonstrates that conservatives can be at the forefront of the clean energy transition. This initiative is more than just a financial commitment; it’s a path to a resilient energy future, benefiting both our economy and environment. Ultimately, supporting clean energy innovation fosters job creation, economic growth, and a sustainable future for Virginia. #virginiawantssolar #solar #energyrightus Read more on the VCEIB here https://bit.ly/3YgYPQY or visit our website at www.energyrightus.org for information on energy initiatives.

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In a Renewable + Law blog, attorneys Jessica Bayles & Meghan O'Brien summarize the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Order No. 1920, which mandates new regional transmission planning and cost allocation requirements. The order introduces a 20-year planning horizon, alternative technology evaluations, and more. Learn more here. https://ow.ly/j4OI50S14GR Subscribe to our Climate Policy, Renewable Energy, & Sustainability Blog here: https://ow.ly/jZI750S14GV #StoelRives #FederalEnergyRegulatoryCommission #FERC #TransmissionPlanning #Transmission #Lawyer #Attorney #Law

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According to Georgia Power, economic growth is driving a rapid change in Georgia's energy landscape that is leading to increased demand for electricity. This update will impact rates, renewable energy options, and the state's overall energy mix, and our resident expert, Kevin Kelly, a policy advisor at Southface Institute, has the details. Dive deeper for the full story: https://lnkd.in/gZ_2HtJM

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Did you know that offshore wind is not only important for Virginia because it will provide us with clean energy, but also because it will create hundreds of jobs and significant revenue for the Commonwealth? Learn more about the opportunity to come from #OffshoreWind: https://lnkd.in/d8tNxCsT

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The Energy Community has released a interesting new report titled "Addressing Energy Poverty in the Energy Community Contracting Parties," offering a comprehensive analysis of the current status of energy poverty across the region. #energifattigdom #energypoverty #energi #energiearmoede

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🌎 Environmental Update 🌿: Susan Glickman, VP for Policy & Partnerships at the CLEO Institute, highlights an ongoing issue with Duke Energy's 'asset securitization' charge on bills due to a past disaster at a nuclear reactor. Glickman emphasizes the long-term impact of new gas power plants on emissions.  Read complete article using the link in our bio. #CleoInstitute #CleanEnergy #ClimateAction"

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The June issue of our Sustainability and ESG Advisory Practice Update is here! In this issue, we cover: 🌱 President Biden Announces Increased Tariffs on China-Made Electric Vehicles, Batteries, and Solar Cells 🌱Treasury and IRS Release New Safe Harbor Election for Domestic Content Bonus Credits 🌱Workplace Violence Prevention Requirement to Become Effective for California Employers Starting in Early July 🌱White House Releases Policy Guidelines for Voluntary Carbon Markets Eleventh Circuit Blocks Fearless Fund Grant Contest Read it in full below:

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#unavoidableopportunity #climateresilience investment now. "Separately, the Department of Energy is trying to help utilities squeeze more capacity out of the existing grid. That includes “grid-enhancing technologies” such as sensors that allow energy companies to send more power through existing lines without overloading them and advanced controls that allow operators to ease congestion on the grid. It also includes replacing existing lines with advanced conductors, which can potentially double capacity along existing routes. The Energy Department is currently offering $3.9 billion in funding that could go toward these and other solutions."

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Great, really comprehensive article on the major rule out of FERC this week. 

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