Coal chief a biomass enthusiast at heart

Renewable Energy Cost Trends highlight IRENA data showing solar and wind undercut coal, as utility-scale projects drive lower levelized electricity costs worldwide, with the Middle East and UAE advancing mega solar parks.

Key Points

They track how solar and wind undercut new fossil fuels as utility-scale costs drop and investment accelerates.

✅ IRENA reports renewables cheapest for new installations

✅ Solar and wind LCOE fell sharply since 2010

✅ Middle East and UAE scale mega utility projects

Renewable energy is now the cheapest option for new electricity installation in most of the world, a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) on Tuesday said.

Renewable power projects have undercut traditional coal fuel plants, with solar and wind power costs in particular falling as record-breaking growth continues worldwide.

“Installing new renewables increasingly costs less than the cheapest fossil fuels. With or without the health and economic crisis, dirty coal plants were overdue to be consigned to the past, said Francesco La Camera, director-general of IRENA said in the report.

In 2019, renewables accounted for around 72 percent of all new capacity added worldwide, IRENA said, following a 2016 record year that highlighted the momentum, with lowering costs and technological improvements in solar and wind power helping this dynamic. For solar energy, IRENA notes that the cost for electricity from utility-scale plants fell by 82 percent in the decade between 2010 and 2019, as China's solar PV growth underscored in 2016.

“More than half of the renewable capacity added in 2019 achieved lower electricity costs than new coal, while new solar and wind projects are also undercutting the cheapest and least sustainable of existing coal-fired plants,” Camera added.

Costs for solar and wind power also fell year-on-year by 13 and 9 percent, respectively, with offshore wind costs showing steep declines as well. In 2019, more than half of all newly commissioned utility-scale renewable power plants provided electricity cheaper than the lowest cost of a new fossil fuel plant.

The Middle East

In mid-May, a report by UK-based law firm Ashurst suggested the Middle East is the second most popular region for renewable energy investment after North America, at a time when clean energy investment is outpacing fossil fuels.

The region is home to some of the largest renewable energy bets in the world, with Saudi wind expansion gathering pace. The UAE, for instance, is currently developing the Mohammed Bin Rashid Solar Park, the world’s largest concentrated solar power project in the world.

Around 26 percent of Middle East respondents in Ashurst’s survey said that they were presently investing in energy transition, marking the region as the most popular for current investment in renewables, while 11 percent added that they were considering investing.

In North America, the most popular region, 28 percent said that they were currently investing, with 11 percent stating they are considering investing.

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EV Charging Grid Readiness addresses how rising EV adoption, larger batteries, and fast charging affect electric utilities, using vehicle-to-grid, energy storage, mobile and temporary chargers, and smart charging to mitigate distribution stress.

Key Points

Planning and tech to manage EV load growth with V2G, storage and smart charging to avoid overloads on distribution grids.

✅ Lithium-ion costs may drop 60%, enabling new charger models

✅ Mobile and temporary chargers buffer local distribution peaks

✅ Smart charging and V2G defer transformer and feeder upgrades

The impacts of COVID-19 likely mean flat electric vehicle (EV) sales this year, but a trio of new reports say the long-term outlook is for strong growth — which means the electric grid and especially state power grids will need to respond.

As EV adoption grows, newer vehicles will put greater stress on the electric grid due to their larger batteries and capacity for faster charging, according to Rhombus Energy Solutions, while a DOE lab finds US electricity demand could rise 38% as EV adoption scales. A new white paper from the company predicts the cost of lithium-ion batteries will drop by 60% over the next decade, helping enable a new set of charging solutions.

Meanwhile, mobile and temporary EV charging will grow from 0.5% to 2% of the charging market by 2030, according to new Guidehouse research. The overall charging market is expected to reach reach almost $16 billion in revenues in 2020 and more than $60 billion by 2030. ​A third report finds long-range EVs are growing their share of the market as well, and charging them could cause stress to electric distribution systems. 

"One can expect that the number of EVs in fleets will grow very rapidly over the next ten years," according to Rhombus' report. But that means many fleet staging areas will have trouble securing sufficient charging capacity as electric truck fleets scale up.

"Given the amount of time it takes to add new megawatt-level power feeds in most cities (think years), fleet EVs will run into a significant 'power crisis' by 2030," according to Rhombus.

"Grid power availability will become a significant problem for fleets as they increase the number of electric vehicles they operate," Rhombus CEO Rick Sander said in a statement. "Integrating energy storage with vehicle-to-grid capable chargers and smart [energy management system] solutions as seen in California grid stability efforts is a quick and effective mitigation strategy for this issue."

Along with energy storage, Guidehouse says a new, more flexible approach to charger deployment enabled by grid coordination strategies will help meet demand. That means chargers deployed by a van or other mobile stations, and "temporary" chargers that can help fleets expand capacity. 

According to Guidehouse, the temporary units "are well positioned to de-risk large investments in stationary charging infrastructure" while also providing charge point networks and service providers "with new capabilities to flexibly supply predictable changes in EV transportation behaviors and demand surges."

"Mobile charging is a bit of a new area in the EV charging scene. It primarily leverages batteries to make chargers mobile, but it doesn't necessarily have to," Guidehouse Senior Research Analyst Scott Shepard told Utility Dive. 

"The biggest opportunity is with the temporary charging format," said Shepard. "The bigger units are meant to be located at a certain site for a period of time. Those units are interesting because they create a little more scale-ability for sites and a little risk mitigation when it comes to investing in a site."

"Utilities could use temporary chargers as a way to provide more resilient service, using these chargers in line with on-site generation," Shepard said.

Increasing rates of EV adoption, combined with advances in battery size and charging rates, "will impact electric utility distribution infrastructure at a higher rate than previously projected," according to new analysis from FleetCarma.

The charging company conducted a study of over 3,900 EVs, illustrating the rapid change in vehicle capabilities in just the last five years. According to FleetCarma, today's EVs use twice as much energy and draw it at twice the power level. The long-range EV has increased as a proportion of new electric vehicle sales from 14% in 2014 to 66% in 2019 in the United States, it found.

Long-range EVs "are very different from older electric vehicles: they are driven more, they consume more energy, they draw power at a higher level and they are less predictable," according to FleetCarma.

Guidehouse analysts say grid modernization efforts and energy storage can help smooth the impacts of charging larger vehicles. 

Mobile and temporary charging solutions can act as a "buffer" to the distribution grid, according to Guidehouse's report, allowing utilities to avoid or defer some transmission and distribution upgrade costs that could be required due to stress on the grid from newer vehicles.

"At a high level, there's enough power and energy to supply EVs with proper management in place," said Shepard. "And in a lot of different locations, those charging deployments will be built in a way that protects the grid. Public fast charging, large commercial sites, they're going to have the right infrastructure embedded."

"But for certain areas of the grid where there is low visibility, there is the potential for grid disruption and questions about whether the UK grid can cope with EV demand," said Shepard. "This has been on the mind of utilities but never realized: overwhelming residential transformers."

As EVs with higher charging and energy capacities are connected to the grid, Shepard said, "you are going to start to see some of those residential systems come under pressure, and probably see increased incidences of having to upgrade transformers." Some residential upgrades can be deferred through smarter charging programs, he added.

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New York Renewable Energy Contracts secure 23 projects totaling 2.3 GW, spanning offshore wind, solar, and battery storage under CLCPA goals, advancing 70% by 2030, a carbon-free 2040 grid, grid reliability, and green jobs.

Key Points

State agreements securing 23 wind, solar, and storage projects (2.3 GW) to meet CLCPA clean power targets.

✅ 2.3 GW across 23 wind, solar, and storage projects statewide

✅ Supports 70% renewables by 2030; carbon-free grid by 2040

✅ Drives emissions cuts, grid reliability, and green jobs

In a significant milestone for the state’s clean energy ambitions, New York has finalized contracts with 23 renewable energy projects, as part of large-scale energy projects underway in New York, totaling a combined capacity of 2.3 gigawatts (GW). This move is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to accelerate its transition to renewable energy, reduce carbon emissions, and meet the ambitious targets set under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which aims to achieve a carbon-free electricity grid by 2040.

A Strong Commitment to Renewable Energy

The 23 projects secured under these contracts represent a diverse range of renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, and battery storage. Together, these projects are expected to contribute significantly to New York’s energy grid, generating enough clean electricity to power millions of homes. The deal is a key component of New York’s broader strategy to achieve a 70% renewable energy share in the state’s electricity mix by 2030 and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050.

Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated the agreements as a major step forward in the state’s commitment to combating climate change while creating green jobs and economic opportunities. “New York is leading the nation in its clean energy goals, and these projects will help us meet our bold climate targets while delivering reliable and affordable energy to New Yorkers,” Hochul said in a statement.

The Details of the Contracts

The 23 projects span across various regions of the state, with an emphasis on areas that are well-suited for renewable energy development, such as upstate New York, which boasts vast open spaces ideal for large-scale solar and wind installations and the state is investigating sites for offshore wind projects along the coast. The contracts finalized by the state will ensure a steady supply of clean power from these renewable sources, helping to stabilize the grid and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

A significant portion of the new renewable capacity will come from offshore wind projects, which have become a cornerstone of New York’s renewable energy strategy. Offshore wind has the potential to provide large amounts of electricity, and the state recently greenlighted the country's biggest offshore wind farm to date, taking advantage of the state's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Several of the contracts finalized include offshore wind farm projects, which are expected to be operational within the next few years.

In addition to wind energy, solar power continues to be a critical component of the state’s renewable energy strategy. The state has already made substantial investments in solar energy, having achieved solar energy goals ahead of schedule recently, and these new contracts will further expand the state’s solar capacity. The inclusion of battery storage projects is another important element, as energy storage solutions are vital to ensuring that renewable energy can be effectively utilized, even when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.

Economic and Job Creation Benefits

The finalization of these 23 contracts will not only bring significant environmental benefits but also create thousands of jobs in the renewable energy sector. Construction, maintenance, and operational jobs will be generated throughout the life of the projects, benefiting communities across the state, including areas near Long Island's South Shore wind proposals that stand to gain from new investment. The investment in renewable energy is expected to support New York’s recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to the state’s clean energy economy and providing long-term economic stability.

The state's focus on clean energy also provides opportunities for local businesses, highlighted by the first Clean Energy Community designation in the state, as many of these projects will require services and materials from within New York State. Additionally, Governor Hochul’s administration has made efforts to ensure that disadvantaged communities and workers from underrepresented backgrounds will have access to job training and employment opportunities within the renewable energy sector.

The Path Forward: A Clean Energy Future

New York’s aggressive move toward renewable energy is indicative of the state’s commitment to addressing climate change and leading the nation in clean energy innovation. By locking in contracts for these renewable energy projects, the state is not only securing a cleaner future but also ensuring that the transition is fair and just for all communities, particularly those that have been historically impacted by pollution and environmental degradation.

While the finalized contracts mark a major achievement, the state’s work is far from over. The completion of these 23 projects is just one piece of the puzzle in New York’s broader strategy to decarbonize its energy system. To meet its ambitious targets under the CLCPA, New York will need to continue investing in renewable energy, energy storage, grid modernization, and energy efficiency programs.

As New York moves forward with its clean energy transition, and as BOEM receives wind power lease requests in the Northeast, the state will likely continue to explore new technologies and innovative solutions to meet the growing demand for renewable energy. The success of the 23 finalized contracts serves as a reminder of the state’s leadership in the clean energy space and its ongoing efforts to create a sustainable, low-carbon future for all New Yorkers.

New York’s decision to finalize contracts with 23 renewable energy projects totaling 2.3 gigawatts represents a bold step toward meeting the state’s clean energy and climate goals. These projects, which include a mix of wind, solar, and energy storage, will contribute significantly to reducing the state’s reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. With the additional benefits of job creation and economic growth, this move positions New York as a leader in the nation’s transition to renewable energy and a sustainable future.

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California Utility Spending Bill scrutinizes how ratepayer funds are used by utilities, targeting lobbying, advertising, wildfire prevention cost pass-throughs, and CPUC oversight to curb high electricity bills and increase accountability and transparency statewide.

Key Points

Legislation restricting utilities from using ratepayer money for lobbying and ads, with stronger CPUC oversight.

✅ Bans ratepayer-funded lobbying and political advertising

✅ Expands prohibited utility communications and influence spending

✅ Aims to curb bills, boost transparency, and CPUC accountability

California's legislators are about to vote on a bill that would impose stricter regulations on how utility companies spend the money they collect from ratepayers. This legislation directly responds to the growing discontent among Californians who are already grappling with high electricity bills, as Californians ask why electricity prices are soaring amid wildfire prevention efforts.

Consumer rights groups have been vehemently critical of how utilities have been allocating customer funds, amid growing calls for regulatory action from state officials. They allege that a substantial portion of this money is being funnelled into lobbying efforts and advertising campaigns that yield no direct benefits for the customers themselves.

The proposed bill would significantly broaden the definition of what constitutes prohibited advertising and political influence activities on the part of utility companies, separate from income-based fixed electricity charges proposals that affect rate design. This would effectively restrict the ways in which utilities can utilize customer funds for such purposes.

While consumer advocacy groups have favored the legislation, it has drawn opposition from utility companies and some labor unions, as lawmakers weigh overturning income-based utility charges in parallel debates. Opponents contend that it would hinder utilities' ability to communicate effectively with their customers and advocate for their interests. Additionally, they express concerns that the bill could result in job losses within the utility sector.

The vote on the bill is expected to take place on Monday. The outcome of the vote is uncertain, but it is sure to be a closely watched development for Californians struggling with the burden of high electricity bills, with many wondering about major changes to their electric bills in the near term.

California's Electricity Rates: A Burden for Residents

A recent report by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) revealed that the average Californian household spends a significantly higher amount on electricity compared to the national average. This disparity in electricity rates can be attributed to a number of factors, including the financial costs associated with wildfire prevention measures, investments in renewable energy infrastructure, and maintenance of aging electrical grids, even as the state considers revamping electricity rates to clean the grid.

Examples of Utility Company Spending that Raise Concerns

Consumer rights groups have specifically highlighted instances where utility companies have used customer money to fund lavish executive compensation packages, sponsor professional sports teams, and finance political campaigns. They argue that these expenditures do not provide any tangible benefits to ratepayers and should not be funded through customer bills.

The Need for Accountability and Prioritization

Proponents of the bill believe that the legislation is necessary to ensure that utility companies are held accountable for how they spend customer funds. They believe that the stricter regulations would compel utilities to prioritize investments that directly improve the quality and reliability of electricity services for Californians, alongside discussions of income-based flat-fee utility bills that could reshape rate structures.

The impending vote on the bill underscores the ongoing tension between the need for reliable electricity services and the desire to keep utility rates affordable for Californians. The outcome of the vote is likely to have a significant impact on how utility companies operate in the state and how much Californians pay for their electricity.

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Hydro One-Avista Merger outlines a utility acquisition shaped by Washington regulators, Colstrip coal plant depreciation, and plans for renewables, clean energy, and emissions cuts, while Montana reviews implications for jobs, ratepayers, and a 2027 closure.

Key Points

A utility deal setting Colstrip depreciation and renewables, without committing to an early coal plant closure.

✅ Washington sets 2027 depreciation for Colstrip units

✅ Montana reviews jobs, ratepayer impacts, community fund

✅ Avista seeks renewables; no binding shutdown commitment

The Washington power company Hydro One is buying will be ready to close its huge coal-fired generating station ahead of schedule, thanks to conditions put on the corporate merger by state regulators there.

Not that we actually plan to do that, the company is telling other regulators in Montana, where coal unit retirements are under debate, the huge coal-fired generating station in question employs hundreds of people. We’ll be in the coal business for a good long time yet.

Hydro One, in which the Ontario government now owns a big minority stake, is still working on its purchase of Avista, a private power utility based in Spokane. The $6.7-billion deal, which Hydro One announced in July, includes a 15 per cent share in two of the four generating units in a coal plant in Colstrip, Montana, one of the biggest in the western United States. Avista gets most of its electricity from hydro dams and gas but uses the Colstrip plant when demand for power is high and water levels at its dams are low.

#google#

Colstrip’s a town of fewer than 2,500 people whose industries are the power plant and the open-pit mines that feed it about 10 million tonnes of coal a year. Two of Colstrip’s generators, older ones Avista doesn’t have any stake in, are closing in 2022. The other two will be all that keep the town in business.

In Washington, they don’t like the coal plant and its pollution. In Montana, the future of Colstrip is a much bigger concern. The companies have to satisfy regulators in both places that letting Hydro One buy Avista is in the public interest.

Ontario proudly closed the last of our coal plants in 2014 and outlawed new ones as environmental menaces, and Alberta's coal phase-out is now slated to finish by 2023. When Hydro One said it was buying Avista, which makes about $100 million in profit a year, Premier Kathleen Wynne said she hoped Ontario’s “value system” would spread to Avista’s operations.

The settlement is “an important step towards bringing together two historic companies,” Hydro One’s chief executive Mayo Schmidt said in announcing it.

The deal has approval from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission staff but is subject to a vote by the group’s three commissioners. It doesn’t commit Avista to closing anything at Colstrip or selling its share. But Avista and Hydro One will budget as if the Colstrip coal burners will close in 2027, instead of running into the 2040s as their owners had once planned, a timeline that echoes debates over the San Juan Generating Station in New Mexico.

In accounting terms, they’ll depreciate the value of their share of the plant to zero over the next nine years, reflecting what they say is the end of the plant’s “useful life.” Another of Colstrip’s owners, Puget Sound Energy, has previously agreed with Washington regulators that it’ll budget for a Colstrip closure in 2027 as well.

Avista and Hydro One will look for sources of 50 megawatts of renewable electricity, including independent power projects where feasible, in the next four years and another 90 megawatts to supplement Avista’s supply once the Colstrip plant eventually closes, they promise in Washington. They’ll put $3 million into a “community transition fund” for Colstrip.

The money will come from the companies’ profits and cash, the agreement says. “Hydro One will not seek cost recovery for such funds from ratepayers in Ontario,” it says specifically.

“Ontario has always been a global leader in the transition away from dirty coal power and towards clean energy,” said Doug Howell, an anti-coal campaigner with the Sierra Club, which is a party to the agreement. “This settlement continues that tradition, paving the way for the closure of the largest single source of climate pollution in the American West by 2027, if not earlier.”

Montanans aren’t as thrilled. That state has its own public services commission, doing its own examination of the corporate merger, which has asked Hydro One and Avista to explain in detail why they want to write off the value of the Colstrip burners early. The City of Colstrip has filed a petition saying it wants in on Montana hearings because “the potential closure of (Avista’s units) would be devastating to our community.”

Don’t get too worked up, an Avista vice-president urged the Montana commission just before Easter.

“Just because an asset is depreciated does not mean that one would otherwise remove that asset from service if the asset is still performing as intended,” Jason Thackston testified in a session that dealt only with what the deal with Washington state would mean to Colstrip. We’re talking strictly about an accounting manoeuvre, not an operational commitment.

Six joint owners will have to agree to close the Colstrip generators and there’s “no other tacit understanding or unstated agreement” to do that, he said.

Besides Washington and Montana, state regulators in Idaho, including those overseeing the Idaho Power settlement process, Alaska and Oregon and multiple federal authorities have to sign off on the deal before it can happen. Hydro One hopes it’ll be done in the second half of this year.

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Energy Poverty in Extreme Heat exposes vulnerable households to heatwaves, utility shutoffs, and unreliable grid infrastructure, straining public health. Community nonprofits, cooling centers, and policy reform aim to improve electricity access, resilience, and affordable energy.

Key Points

Without reliable, affordable power in heatwaves, health risks rise and cooling, food storage, and daily needs suffer.

✅ Risks: heat illness, dehydration, and indoor temperatures above 90F

✅ Causes: utility shutoffs, aging grid, unpaid bills, remote areas

✅ Relief: cooling centers, aid programs, weatherization, bill credits

In a particular pocket of America, approximately 13,000 families endure the dual challenges of sweltering heat and living without electricity, and the broader risk of summer shut-offs highlights how widespread these pressures have become across the country. This article examines the factors contributing to their plight, the impact of living without electricity during hot weather, and efforts to alleviate these hardships.

Challenges Faced by Families

For these 13,000 families, daily life is significantly impacted by the absence of electricity, especially during the scorching summer months. Without access to cooling systems such as air conditioners or fans, residents are exposed to dangerously high temperatures, which can lead to heat-related illnesses and discomfort, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and individuals with health conditions, where electricity's role in public health became especially evident.

Causes of Electricity Shortages

The reasons behind the electricity shortages vary. In some cases, it may be due to economic challenges that prevent families from paying utility bills, resulting in disconnections. Other factors include outdated or unreliable electrical infrastructure in underserved communities, as reflected in a recent grid vulnerability report that underscores systemic risks, where maintenance and upgrades are often insufficient to meet growing demand.

Impact of Extreme Heat

During heatwaves, the lack of electricity exacerbates health risks and quality of life issues for affected families, aligning with reports of more frequent outages across the U.S. Furthermore, the absence of refrigeration and cooking facilities can compromise food safety and nutritional intake, further impacting household well-being.

Community Support and Resilience

Despite these challenges, communities and organizations often rally to support families living without electricity. Local nonprofits, community centers, and government agencies provide assistance such as distributing fans, organizing cooling centers, and delivering essentials like bottled water and non-perishable food items during heatwaves to alleviate immediate hardships and improve summer blackout preparedness in vulnerable neighborhoods.

Long-term Solutions

Addressing electricity access issues requires comprehensive, long-term solutions. These may include policy reforms to ensure equitable access to affordable energy, investments in upgrading infrastructure in underserved areas, and expanding financial assistance programs to help families maintain uninterrupted electricity service, in recognition that climate change risks increasingly stress the grid.

Advocacy and Awareness

Advocacy efforts play a crucial role in raising awareness about the challenges faced by families living without electricity and advocating for sustainable solutions. By highlighting these issues, community leaders, activists, and policymakers can work together to drive policy changes, secure funding for infrastructure improvements, and promote energy efficiency initiatives, drawing lessons from Canada's harsh-weather grid exposures that illustrate regional vulnerabilities.

Building Resilience

Building resilience in vulnerable communities involves not only improving access to reliable electricity but also enhancing preparedness for extreme weather events. This includes developing emergency response plans, educating residents about heat safety measures, and fostering community partnerships to support those in need during crises.

Conclusion

As temperatures rise and climate impacts intensify, addressing the plight of families living without electricity becomes increasingly urgent. By prioritizing equitable access to energy, investing in resilient infrastructure, and fostering community resilience, stakeholders can work towards ensuring that all families have access to essential services, even during the hottest months of the year. Collaborative efforts between government, nonprofit organizations, and community members are essential in creating sustainable solutions that improve quality of life and promote health and well-being for all residents.

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