Category: Knowledge Center America

Urgent Need to Accelerate Transmission Build-Out in US: Report

Urgent Need to Accelerate Transmission Build-Out in US: Report

August 23, 2024 | , ,

The report details the alarming slowdown in the construction of high-voltage transmission lines across the country. The report reveals a contrast between transmission spending and the dwindling expansion of new infrastructure, posing significant challenges to the nation’s energy future. It highlighted that construction of new high-voltage transmission in the US has slowed to a trickle over the past decade, with only 55 new miles (88.5 km) built in 2023. This is in contrast to the projected load growth that doubled in the last year, which requires expansion in transmission capacity. The US had only built 20 per cent as much new transmission in the 2020s as it did a decade ago in the first half of the 2010s.

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Untapped Potential Of Repurposed Energy in US: Report

Untapped Potential Of Repurposed Energy in US: Report

August 16, 2024 | , ,

Energy storage technologies and advanced geothermal energy are making significant progress as well, reducing the concerns associated with the variability of wind and solar energy. The enactment of the IIJA and IRA have already begun to steer hundreds of billions of dollars toward new and existing clean energy technologies, further reducing the cost of renewable energy projects and providing the foundation for a clean energy manufacturing renaissance in the United States. Because of these developments, more than 95% of new energy generation projects under development seeking to connect to regional electricity grids consist of wind, solar, and energy storage projects.

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GHG Reduction in Automotive Steel in US and EU: Report

GHG Reduction in Automotive Steel in US and EU: Report

August 16, 2024 | , , , ,

Addressing emissions associated with automotive steel manufacturing is thus essential for reducing emissions from both the steel and vehicle industries. This report “Technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from automotive steel in the United States and the European Union” by International Council on Clean Transportation examines the technologies and actions available to reduce the emissions associated with automotive steel manufacturing.

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Hydropower Supply Chain in US: Report

Hydropower Supply Chain in US: Report

August 9, 2024 | , , ,

This report “Hydropower Supply Chain Gap Analysis” by NREL summarizes WPTO’s efforts in the listed focus areas and complements the earlier work by further exploring the identified challenges and conducting a detailed gap analysis of the domestic hydropower supply chain. Specific, actionable recommendations are made to address gaps. The report summarizes recent legislation impacting hydropower deployment and/or its supply chain.

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AYPA Power secures $323 million for energy storage project in Idaho

AYPA Power secures $323 million for energy storage project in Idaho

August 7, 2024 | , ,

Aypa Power has got $323 million in financing for its Kuna project. The Kuna project is a 150 MW / 600 MWh facility situated in the City of Kuna just north of Boise. It will be Idaho’s largest battery energy storage project and will be online in mid-2025. The financing package includes a $233 million green loan, which consists of a construction and term loan, a tax equity bridging loan, and a letter of credit facility. Additionally, the project received $90 million in tax equity, bringing the total funding to $323 million.

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Status of SAF Production Industry in US: Report

Status of SAF Production Industry in US: Report

August 2, 2024 | , ,

The purpose of this study “Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) State-of-Industry Report: State of SAF Production Process” by NREL is to provide an assessment of the current state of the SAF production industry and identify challenges and hurdles that industry may face in delivering the 2030 goals. This assessment is for the potential feedstocks and conversion pathways expected to contribute to 2030 goals and will generally follow action areas in the SAF Grand Challenge: feedstocks, conversion technology, supply chain, and policy and valuation.

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Outlook for DEFR in New York: Report

Outlook for DEFR in New York: Report

July 26, 2024 | , ,

The NYISO seeks to improve the representation of this fleet segment in each of its successive studies, while understanding that characterization of emerging technology implementation pathways can introduce its own uncertainty into the model. The NYISO continues to recognize that there is a need for supply beyond renewables and storage resources that can provide dependability supply during the summer and winter peak periods and when the output of renewable resources is low. The Outlook “Appendix F: Dispatchable Emission-Free Resources” by the New York ISO has incorporated the DEFR concept into its evaluation of the Policy Case for further consideration.

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SAF Roadmap for Rocky Mountain Region: Report

SAF Roadmap for Rocky Mountain Region: Report

July 19, 2024 | , ,

This report “Fueling Up Sustainable Aviation” by RMI explores the production potential of SAF in the RMR with a focus on the availability of feedstock in the region as well as policy options to encourage SAF production and uptake. The report looks at the potential of available in-region feedstocks to meet an ambitious target for SAF supply based on the US SAF Grand Challenge, a collaborative effort launched in 2021 by the US Department of Energy (DOE), US Department of Transportation, and US Department of Agriculture, and options to fill the remaining gaps.

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Impact of Duties on US Solar Industry: Presentation

Impact of Duties on US Solar Industry: Presentation

July 12, 2024 | , , ,

The current health of the U.S. PV sector is exceptional, with a strong track record of installation volume growth across end-use segments and a fast-emerging domestic PV manufacturing supply chain. Growing U.S. PV installations support job creation in a variety of sectors, with installation, project development, and supporting roles accounting for almost 90% of all U.S. solar employment opportunities. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a crucial piece of legislation supporting the current health of the U.S. PV sector, with positive impacts on both the demand and supply sides of the sector.

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Distributed Green Ammonia Roadmap for Minnesota: Report

Distributed Green Ammonia Roadmap for Minnesota: Report

July 5, 2024 | , , ,

Minnesota is uniquely positioned to take advantage of DGA. The current centralized ammonia production system can provide farmers with low-cost fertilizer, but also exposes farmers to price volatility and supply chain disruptions. Localized, distributed ammonia production can complement the existing system to hedge against negative outcomes as well as reduce emissions from fertilizer production. 

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Lessons from Colorado’s flexible EV charging: Paper

Lessons from Colorado’s flexible EV charging: Paper

June 28, 2024 | , , ,

Vehicle charging flexibility has the potential to reduce Colorado’s electric infrastructure costs by $100 million to $300 million per year in 2035 and $200 million to $900 million in 2050. Residential-sector cost savings are so large that they could pay for all of the Level 2 charging infrastructure in that sector. Managed charging programs and electric rates are necessary for consumers to benefit from vehicle flexibility. Electric system costs will be reduced where customer programs and related data are integrated into utility planning and operations.

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New York’s 6 GW Storage Goal: Roadmap

New York’s 6 GW Storage Goal: Roadmap

June 21, 2024 | , ,

The New York State Department of Public Service (DPS) and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) have unveiled a report titled ‘New York’s 6 GW Energy Storage Roadmap: Policy Options for Continued Growth in Energy Storage.’ Energy storage is expected to play a crucial role by integrating large quantities of variable renewable energy, reducing curtailment and storing renewable generation. This roadmap aims to bolster energy storage capacity in the state, targeting 6 GW by 2030. The strategy outlined in the roadmap emphasises market reforms, innovative procurement mechanisms, and accelerated technology development to meet the expanded storage target.

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Puerto Rico’s Energy Transition Efforts: Report

Puerto Rico’s Energy Transition Efforts: Report

June 14, 2024 | , , ,

Puerto Rico residents and businesses have moved rapidly to install rooftop solar and storage in recent years to improve their resiliency in the face of an unreliable power system. These actions represent a bright spot in the transformation of Puerto Rico’s electrical system towards more renewable energy. This report “Solar at a Crossroads in Puerto Rico” by IEEFA  tracks the overall progress of Puerto Rico’s long-touted transition to renewable energy.

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Renewable Portfolio Standard in US States: Report

Renewable Portfolio Standard in US States: Report

June 7, 2024 | , ,

The majority of US states use a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to achieve clean energy targets. RPS programs typically set annual clean energy production levels, but they ignore the significant variations in greenhouse gas emissions intensity of the grid at different times of the day and at different locations. Newly available locational marginal emissions (LME) data, which are collected at thousands of physical locations and updated every five minutes, provide insights into where and when the electricity sector produces the most and least GHG emissions. 

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Voluntary Carbon Market Principles in US: Paper

Voluntary Carbon Market Principles in US: Paper

May 31, 2024 | , ,

This paper “Voluntary Carbon Markets Joint Policy Statement and Principles” provides observations on the current state of VCMs and their potential. It then outlines voluntary principles that U.S. market participants should embrace as they engage in these markets. These principles will also guide how the U.S. Government engages with VCMs. Much of the content speaks to the development and operation of carbon credit markets generally. 

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Hydrogen Strategy Lessons from US and Vietnam: Paper

Hydrogen Strategy Lessons from US and Vietnam: Paper

May 31, 2024 | , , , ,

Domestic policy and participation from foreign corporations, becomes increasingly critical for the hydrogen energy market in Vietnam. A hydrogen development roadmap is crucial to realise the future of hydrogen in Vietnam. Directing capital to hydrogen is key to enabling its growth in the United States. The United States has a clear vision for its domestic hydrogen economy, which could generate an estimated $140 billion per year in revenue by 2030.

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IRA’s Approach to Clean Electricity Tax Credits: Brief

IRA’s Approach to Clean Electricity Tax Credits: Brief

May 10, 2024 | , ,

With the enactment of sections 45Y and 48E, the IRA has brought a welcome stability to the tax code for clean electricity production and can be expected to provide a much more flexible and predictable economic environment for deploying clean generation for years to come. Given the tight timing for the transition to these tax credits in 2025 and the need for advance planning by developers, the Treasury will need to publish guidance in the very near term to make good on the promise of a stable investment environment.

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Status of US Voluntary Green Power Market: Report

Status of US Voluntary Green Power Market: Report

May 3, 2024 | , ,

Voluntary green power, for this report, refers to renewable energy procurement by retail electricity customers above what is otherwise provided by load-serving entities. In this year’s report “Status and Trends in the U.S. Voluntary Green Power Market: 2022 Data” by NREL there are two topics of interest that could affect future trends in the U.S. voluntary green power market. The first topic relates to the emergence of three strategies to match green power procurement to buyers’ electricity demand and the second addresses the implications of the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for the voluntary green power market. 

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