David Braun

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A new report highlights recommendations of best practices PJM can take for long-term transmission planning: ✔️ PJM should continue to improve estimates of electrification within its footprint. ✔️ PJM must plan more proactively for retirements across the entire long-term planning horizon. ✔️ PJM should run economic capacity expansion models along with production cost modeling to ensure the optimal buildout of new generation and transmission while delivering the lowest system cost. ✔️ Developing new methodologies, best practices, or results should be done in clear communication with interested parties and allow ample opportunity for input. By 2040, PJM estimates energy demand will increase above the 2024 load forecast by approximately 8% for the expected scenario. See the full report: https://hubs.ly/Q02BBGBZ0 #PJM #Electricity #Energy

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UtilityDive has had a series of articles recently about the increases in load growth and how most utilities are unprepared (or refiling their plans) for this significant growth after decades of little to no growth. "State utility regulators grapple with load growth, reliability and permitting amid energy transition Utility regulators across the country face competing pressures as the energy transition gathers pace, including the need to balance state and corporate clean electricity targets with reliability, affordability and orderly infrastructure buildout, said four state utility commissioners on a May 8 panel at the Cleanpower Conference in Minneapolis. Even in states without legislative clean electricity mandates, anticipated load growth complicates efforts to process lengthy renewables backlogs amid local opposition and concerns around affordability and grid reliability, panelists said. “This industry tends to be slower-moving than others that get a lot of attention,” said Michigan Public Service Commission Commissioner Katherine Peretick. “We [as regulators] are going to need to move quickly and be adaptable.” See https://conta.cc/3K58OBg #solar #energy #solarenergy #renewables #renewableenergy #electricity #energystorage #ESS #distributedenergy #solarpower #batteries #EVC

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PJM issued a Hot Weather Alert with expected temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s over the next 10 days. To ensure grid reliability during this hot spell, the alert is in effect from June 17 through June 21, and may be extended based on updated forecasts. This alert prepares transmission and generation operators for significant increases in electricity demand. However, PJM Interconnection’s currently has the generation capacity and transmission capability to meet the expected demand on the system during the heat wave, but extended periods of extreme heat does have the potential to stress the electric system and cause reliability challenges. It's interesting to note that in comparison to 2023, on the solar side, the biggest projects include the 427 MW Fox Squirrel Solar Farm, 150 MW phase of the Fox Squirrel Solar Farm, which will have 577 MW of capacity once fully operational later this year, however, the 325 MW AEUG Union Solar Project in Union County, Ohio is expected to support the grid this summer. The 2023 Cumulative Capacity of the renewables in PJM was around 220,827 MW, and they plan to add over 10,000 MW in the following years wherein 95% of the projects are all renewable generation sources. Solar energy will definitely play a key role this summer.

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How do you know that your battery energy storage system is performing well - if you don't know what other batteries in ERCOT are doing? With Modo's ERCOT BESS Index Breakdown, you can view the revenues and operations of every grid-scale battery in Texas. These tools will enable your team to: ◾ Benchmark asset performance against the rest of the market. ◾ Understand the most successful operational monetization strategies. ◾ And inform decision-making, with insights focused on market operations. Curate the data, to view the insights that are most important and unique to you and your team - so you can focus on data-driven actions, not data aggregation. Revenues. Markets. Strategies. Cycles. Availability. Get to grips with the context needed to build up a wider understanding of how batteries are truly operated. Built for battery energy storage analysts. #BatteryEnergyStorage #BESSIndex #ERCOT

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Free SCE Webinar: Energy Storage Basics, June 28, 10am -12pm PT: https://buff.ly/3yRjzoo @SCE #ESS #energystorage #energy #renewableenergy #cleanenergy #infrastructure #utilities #electricity #greenbuilding #electrification #batteries #solar #buildings #decarbonization #EVs #free

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EIA Forecasts Surge in Solar Energy, Predicts Historic Shift in U.S. Electricity Generation The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) anticipates a significant uptick in electricity generation, projecting a 3% increase in 2024 followed by a 1% rise in 2025. Notably, renewable energy sources, particularly solar power, are expected to drive the majority of this growth. According to the EIA, solar, wind, and hydropower combined will contribute 22% to total U.S. generation in 2024, with a further increase to 24% in 2025. This marks a notable progression from the 21% contribution recorded in 2023. Specifically, the EIA forecasts a 41% surge in solar electricity generation in 2024 compared to the previous year. Wind generation […] Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/dSd3q8Mq #solarenergy #alternativeenergy #solarpv #pvsolar #photovoltaic #cleanenergy #cleantech #climatechange #middleeast #africa #india #asiapacific #asia #america #eia #northamerica #renewableenergy #solarenergy

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PJM & MISO face a growing interconnection backlog, with over 25 GW of solar and 9 GW of wind projects waiting for approvals Key actions being taken: -- PJM: Adopting a 'first-ready, first-served' approach to prioritize viable projects. -- MISO: Implementing a cluster study method to accelerate the process. -- Combined ~$14 billion investments are set to integrate roughly 10 GW of new capacity. ⚡ Meanwhile, ERCOT's 'Connect and Manage' approach simplifies grid integration, significantly reducing backlog clearance times. #RenewableEnergy #PJM #MISO #ERCOT #SolarPower #WindEnergy #GridConnection #EnergyReforms

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The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will finalize its regional transmission planning and cost allocation rule on 📅 May 13 📅 Check out this piece from Cody Lynch, director of renewable energy for Coalfield Development Corporation, on the importance of regional transmission lines to economic development in Appalachia. "Strategic transmission planning and investment is vital to supporting business development, reducing congestion on lines and connecting consumers to the cheapest and most reliable energy sources at any given time." ⤵ https://lnkd.in/encgTDcq

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Want to keep up with all the latest ERCOT battery energy storage insights? Modo Energy's ERCOT Briefing newsletter is completely free. Get in-depth insights delivered to your inbox - as soon as they drop. Keep an eye on all the latest operational revenue strategies and market movements. Stay ahead of your competitors, and understand how batteries are being operated in Texas. Sign up now. Link in comments.👇 #ERCOT #BatteryEnergyStorage

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Yet another bad sign in ERCOT (TX) of potential reliability problems ahead. Yesterday evening 4/16 on a beautiful spring day, power prices jumped to over $4,000/MWh on an 80 degree spring day when solar went from a peak of 14,000 MW to 0 MW and wind went from 23,000 MW in the morning to 5,000 MW in the evening with ERCOT asking for conservation of power throughout the day. So what saved the day? Same as usual natural gas and coal generation went from a combined 16,000 MW in the morning to 43,000 MW to offset the collapse of solar and wind. Said another way, solar and wind went from 50% of the generation for much of the day to 10% in just a few hours while natural gas and coal went from 40% early in the day to over 80% to make up the difference. Many continue to advocate adding intermittent solar and wind generation can replace reliable and dispatchable natural gas and coal generation. The grid will get more unreliable and wild price swing will be unacceptable for most customers. We can much better than this for all U.S. citizens and its economy that relies on reliable power in all hours, not just when the wind blows and the sun shines.

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Another 40 GW of solar and wind capacity coming to the U.S. power grid this year could generate ~10 GW of baseload-equivalent generation because of its intermittency. Will the wave of renewable installs be enough to flatten natural gas’ power gen gains this summer? Yes, likely, say analysts. However, one wrinkle is Canada, according to Wood Mackenzie. The northern neighbor has uncharacteristically flipped to a net importer of U.S. power (5 GW swing in April) and could provide uplift to U.S. generation this summer. Worth checking if Canada-bound electrons are in your model. Natural Gas Intelligence https://lnkd.in/e4iUpp-a

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Cleanleaf Energy Secures O&M Contracts for 350 MW Solar Projects in Georgia and Pennsylvania Cleanleaf Energy, previously known as Borrego O&M, has announced new agreements to provide operations and maintenance (O&M) services for utility-scale solar projects totaling 350 MW in Georgia and Pennsylvania. These projects, owned by Heelstone Renewable Energy, include four sites in Georgia and one in Pennsylvania. Heelstone Renewable Energy, established in 2012 with initial projects in North Carolina, expanded into California by 2016. In 2019, Heelstone received an investment from Ares Infrastructure and Power to support its utility-scale solar projects across the United States. In January 2024, Qualitas Energy acquired Heelstone, which had a portfolio of 20 GW of solar and […] Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/dft4yc6C #solarenergy #alternativeenergy #solarpv #pvsolar #photovoltaic #cleanenergy #cleantech #climatechange #middleeast #africa #india #asiapacific #asia #america #cleanleafenergy #northamerica #renewableenergy #solarprojects

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Interesting results from a Heatmap News poll earlier this month showing battery storage is the least popular source of zero-carbon power. That's unfortunate, given battery (and other) storage technologies' role in reaching 100% decarbonized electric grids. On the other hand, although battery storage may not be popular with average citizens, it's gaining popularity with corporate energy buyers. Check out our blog on why it's an attractive asset class for organizations seeking to lower electricity costs and carbon emissions: https://lnkd.in/dJwfqafV #energystorage #renewableenergy #sustainability

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