Wind Gets Endorsement From U.S. Utility Giant

Wind energy's watershed moment; U.S. cumulative wind and hydro energy capacity, 1900-2016

Amy Harder, May 25, 2017 (Axios)

“…[Xcel Energy CEO Ben Fowke said high penetrations of wind do not threaten the reliability of the grid and is “very comfortable” with getting over a third of his utility’s power from wind. He was answering] questions appeared aimed at preemptively rebutting an Energy Department study examining the reliability of the U.S. electric grid in a way that the administration has presented as favoring fossil fuels and nuclear power over intermittent sources like wind and solar…Xcel Energy is one of the more forward-thinking power companies…[and daily balances] wind with natural gas, hydropower and other sources of electricity. It has a goal to achieve 35% wind in its mix by 2021, [up from today’s] 17%. Coal still dominates its mix at 37%...” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet

New Incentives To Grow Battery Energy Storage GTM: Policy study focuses on energy storage incentives in Hawaii and Maryland

Danielle Ola, 22 May 2017 (Energy Storage News)

“…[California’s Self-Generation Incentive Programme (SGIP) will boost energy storage but] new bills from Hawaii and Maryland provide insights on how state storage incentives are moving beyond the Golden State…Hawaii is already an ideal market for solar-plus-storage projects; with its rural Island grid connectivity issues and high penetration of solar and equally high electricity rates. Therefore, there is definitely market demand for storage incentives…[Its proposed] incentives increase IRR between 110 basis points and 140 basis points with a net present value by almost US$1,000 for a typical residential customer…Secondly, Maryland’s SB 758 earmarks US$750,000 annually in tax credits for behind-the-meter energy storage systems, which could amount to 150 residential or 10 commercial systems (or a mix of both)…[It] would really establish Maryland’s energy storage market, with the state most well-known for its community solar efforts…” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet