In an effort to enhance operations, ComED announced this week that it will test drone-based monitoring, deploying drones…
Jessica Eckdish
Vice President, Legislation & Federal Affairs
BlueGreen Alliance
Executive View
Investments in Transmissions and Grid Infrastructure Provide Excellent Opportunities to Work in a Clean Economy
Using the Climate READi Framework, utilities can react proactively to extreme weather events, reducing costs for repairs and preventing shutdowns for customers.
About:
Jessica Eckdish is the Vice President, Legislation & Federal Affairs with the BlueGreen Alliance, where she directs BGA’s federal legislative, policy, and partnerships efforts in Washington, D.C. This includes leading the organization’s work on climate, energy, and infrastructure issues. Read the full bio here.
Certrec Sentinel: According to the estimates of the latest Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory of the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), power plant owners and developers are planning to increase utility-scale battery storage capacity in the United States to around 30 gigawatts (GW) by the end of 2025. This means that the U.S. battery storage capacity will triple in the next few years.
How is the Biden-Harris administration working to ensure that our electricity grid is resilient and sustainable, particularly given estimates showing our electricity is increasingly coming from renewable energy, for example, solar and wind generation?
Jessica Eckdish: The world’s leading scientific organizations have been unambiguous that climate change is a dire and urgent threat, and the longer we delay, the stronger the action required. Over the last decade, we have witnessed the worsening impacts a changing climate has on our communities. To avoid the catastrophic consequences of climate change, we must ensure rapid greenhouse gas emissions reductions—based on the latest science and in line with our fair share—to put America on a pathway to reduce its emissions to net zero by 2050. Critical to achieving this goal is the build-out of transmission and other infrastructure necessary to make the shift to a net zero economy. Read Jessica’s complete interview here.
The future of energy in America and the future of our environment must both be clean. By advocating for and supporting clean energy policies and initiatives, we can all contribute to a more sustainable and prosperous future for ourselves and future generations. If folks want to stay informed and educated on just how we are supporting these efforts I invite everyone to check out the BlueGreen Alliance Resource Center. The Resource Center provides a wealth of information on policies, technologies, and best practices for transitioning to a clean energy future while creating quality jobs.
Expert View
NERC Mod-025 Tip
Evans Heacock
Director of NERC Compliance
“Mod-025 tests that the generator can function the way it is supposed to from a real power capacity and a VAR production capacity. Regulators want to make sure the generator can do what it is supposed to, if it is called upon during an event like the Northeastern Blackout…”
Dave's Compliance Capers
Work Smarter Not Harder
Certrec Market Research
Top Ten Solar Farms in the United States Ranked by Installed Capacity
In the last decade solar has experienced an average annual growth rate of 33 percent. Furthermore, solar has ranked first in new electric capacity additions for the last 9 years. The solar industry’s rising competitiveness against other technologies has allowed it to quickly increase its share of total U.S. electrical generation from just 0.1 percent in 2010 to over 4 percent. Currently, there are more than 130.9 gigawatts of solar capacity installed nationwide in the United States. To see Certrec’s market research on the largest U.S. solar farms, ranked by installed capacity, click here.
February Poll Insights
Last month, we asked our audience which renewable energy source they thought had the largest carbon footprint. Overall, 67 percent voted that solar had the largest carbon footprint, while 20 percent voted wind, and 13 percent voted hydro.
According to a study by the World Nuclear Association, biomass accounts for the largest carbon footprint across its life cycle. However, utility-scale solar energy accounts for the second largest amount of emission during its life-cycle. This means that 67 percent of voters were correct that solar has the largest carbon footprint when compared to wind and hydro.
Carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide emitted during a given period. While renewable energy is mostly non-polluting, a given energy source can have a varying range of carbon emissions during a particular stage of the energy source’s life-cycle. A life-cycle assessment of the various stages of a renewable energy source, such as the building, operating, and building back phases, can provide greater insights into an energy source’s carbon impact.
For market research suggestions, email Marketing@certrec.com.
Participate in Our March Market Research Polls
See the Results in Next Month's Newsletter
- Which renewable industry do you think will have the highest installed capacity in the U.S. by 2030?
Participate here.
February Industry Updates
ComED Taps Drones to Remotely Monitor Equipment Across Northern Illinois
EPC Consortium to Build 1.2gw Hydrogen-Ready CCGT Plant In Texas
A consortium of Mitsubishi Power, Sargent & Lundy and TIC – The Industrial Company – will provide Entergy with engineering, procurement…
FERC Reverses its Approval Of SPP's Capacity Accreditation Plan for Wind, Solar Resources
Citing a procedural flaw, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last week reversed an earlier decision approving the Southwest Power Pool’s…
Certrec News
Webinar: IBM Presents, How Robotics Can Increase Your Power Plant’s Resiliency and ROI
Digitizing Utilities — Recently, Certrec hosted a webinar with IBM’s Global Partner for Robotics Solutions, Kay Murphy. This webinar explained how IBM, working with Boston Dynamics’ Spot, is helping improve responsiveness, resilience, and reliability for utilities. Examples showcased in this webinar included how Spot captured photos and IR images to inspect hinges, clips, and switches and how Spot enhanced visuals with thermal image overlay.
Click here to watch the full webinar
Click here for more information on how robotics can improve operations at your power plant
Certrec Attends POWERGEN International 2023
Industry Gathering – From February 21 – 23, 2023, Certrec joined technology experts, engineers, and thought leaders in Orlando, Florida. POWERGEN International is the largest networking and business hub for electricity generators and solution providers engaged in power generation. At this event, attendees learned valuable lessons from current and historical projects, as well as cast a forward-thinking approach toward the opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead for the energy industry.
Certrec Attends Intersolar North America
Industry Gathering – From February 14 – 16, 2023, Certrec attended Intersolar’s energy and storage event in Long Beach, California. As the first major solar and storage event of the year in North America, Intersolar highlights the latest energy technologies, services, companies, and organizations striving to create positive impact on climate change and support our planet’s transition into a more sustainable energy future.
Certrec White Papers
The Importance of the NERC PRC-005 Standard: Challenges and Audit Tips
New White Paper – Understanding the NERC PRC – 005 standard is crucial in protecting and maintaining the reliability of the Bulk Electric System (BES) and any generation operator (GO or GOP) that has a NERC registry. This white paper discusses the importance and challenges of the PRC – 005 standard as well as provides exclusive audit tips. Stay ahead and download our white paper to understand what these standards are and how they can help you.
Click here to download the full white paper
The Business Value of NERC Compliance Program Management
New White Paper – NERC compliance program management is a highly specialized area of competence. It requires numerous standards to be followed and evidence to be tracked to prove correct regulatory adherence. This white paper explains the strategic value that NERC compliance program management can bring to your power plant.
Click here to download the full white paper
Upcoming Industry Events
- Carbon Capture Technology Expo
Jun. 28-29, 2023 — Houston, TX, at the NRG Center
Read more
Meet Certrec at These Events
- EAGE – Digital Conference
Mar. 20-22, 2023 — London, UK, at the ICC London ExCeL
Read more — Schedule in-person meeting - RE+ Texas
Apr. 5-6, 2023 — Austin, TX, at the JW Marriott Austin
Read more — Schedule in-person meeting - RSA Conference USA 2023
Apr. 24-27, 2023 — San Francisco, CA, at the Moscone Center
Read more — Schedule in-person meeting
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