Good Monday morning!
In the news today and from the weekend…
Grid:
- Utility Dive reports that FERC commissioners tell senators of major grid reliability challenges, with some blaming markets. Power plants are retiring faster than they’re being replaced, according to FERC Commissioner Mark Christie. “The arithmetic doesn’t work,” he said.
- Utility Dive reports that a public-private initiative that launched in Minnesota to co-locate transmission and communications infrastructure along public rights-of-way will expand its mission nationally.
EPA:
- Bloomberg reports that the Environmental Protection Agency this week is reportedly expected to release a proposal to limit emissions from coal and natural gas power plants, and the anticipated plan will likely rely on states and plant owners installing carbon-capture systems at their facilities despite delays for similar projects. Environmentalists say the limited deployment of carbon-capture technology shows a lack of policy support, as critics say the systems are still too expensive and have not yet been “adequately demonstrated,” a legal threshold that the EPA must consider in setting the new standards.
Permitting:
- Reuters reports that the White House will support Senator Joe Manchin’s bill introduced last week to speed energy project permits, because it would help clean power companies use vast incentives in President Joe Biden’s climate law, adviser John Podesta said.
Renewables:
- CNBC reports that Amazon has emerged as the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the world, though building new projects will confront challenges with interconnecting to the grid.