Category Archives: grid modernization

CPES / CBIA What’s the Deal? 21st Century Energy Conference Attracts Stakeholders from Across Connecticut and New England

CPES and CBIA

 

 

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On October 5, 2016, the Connecticut Power and Energy Society (CPES) and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) hosted their annual business energy conference to discuss the state’s upcoming Comprehensive Energy Strategy, technologies that are changing the way we use energy, and the politics behind energy policy in the state.

Keynote Address

dsc05915smKatie Dykes, Deputy Commissioner for Energy of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), delivered opening remarks, highlighting the work Connecticut has done to advance the objectives of electric restructuring and to prepare a comprehensive energy strategy for the state. Dykes explained that one of the primary objectives of electric restructuring, in addition to shifting investment risk away from electric ratepayers and onto company shareholders, was to maintain a commitment to fuel diversity, including the development of clean energy resources. She noted that since 2011, Connecticut has launched five competitive Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for grid-scale renewable energy sources, resulting in the procurement of more than 465 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy. Dykes signaled a continued need to decarbonize the electric grid in order to meet the state’s long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals contained in the 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). The GWSA calls for an 80% reduction in GHG emissions below 2001 levels by 2050. Dykes touched on the role of existing generation in the state, particularly nuclear, in maintaining fuel diversity and meeting the state’s GHG reduction goals. This issue, she said, will be taken up in the 2016 Comprehensive Energy Strategy, scheduled for release in draft form later this year. A copy of her presentation can be found here.

The Draft Comprehensive Energy Strategy and Economic Competitiveness: What’s at Stake?

dsc05973smEric Johnson, Director of External Affairs for ISO New England, moderated the first panel of the day on Connecticut’s upcoming Comprehensive Energy Strategy and what it means for the state’s economic competitiveness. Panelists included Carl Gustin, Consultant with the New England Coalition for Affordable Energy; Marc Montalvo, President of Daymark Energy Advisors; and Heather Hunt, Executive Director of the New England States Committee on Electricity (NESCOE). Carl Gustin focused his remarks on the affordability of energy and the concerns he has surrounding price volatility and regional competitiveness. Gustin stressed the need for additional energy infrastructure in the region, including natural gas pipeline capacity, in order to avoid billions of dollars of added energy costs by 2020. Marc Montalvo discussed analysis his organization is completing to quantify the impacts of not building cost-effective energy infrastructure in the region, including impacts on employment and gross domestic product. Heather Hunt touched on the Integrating Markets and Public Policy (IMAPP) Initiative, an effort the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) has launched to identify how state laws that promote clean energy can be incorporated into the region’s wholesale electricity markets. This effort, she explained, is in the beginning stages; any changes to the wholesale electricity markets will take several years to implement.

Using Technology to Meet Your Energy Needs

dsc05981smSandi Hennequin, Vice President of U.S. Public Affairs for Emera Energy, moderated the second panel of the day on new trends and technologies for managing electricity use. Panelists included Mackey Dykes, Vice President of Commercial and Industrial Programs for the Connecticut Green Bank; Tim Maurer, Director of Energy Information Services for Artis Energy Solutions; and Bill Kenworthy, Director of Products for Direct Energy Business. Mackey Dykes discussed the sophisticated financing mechanisms employed by the Connecticut Green Bank to promote commercial and residential energy-efficiency and renewable energy projects in the state. Tim Maurer focused on the importance of using data analytics and interoperability to find energy savings for business customers, especially in a high-cost region like New England. Bill Kenworthy discussed the use of technology to monitor energy consumption so that companies can understand exactly where their energy use is coming from and how to create savings.

Energy and the Headlines

dsc06014smBrad Kane, Editor for the Worcester Business Journal, moderated the final panel of the day, featuring perspectives from various media outlets in Connecticut. Panelists included Mark Pazniokas, Capitol Bureau Chief for the Connecticut Mirror; Max Reiss, State Reporter for NBC Connecticut; and Steve Kotchko, News Director for the Connecticut Radio Network. The panelists discussed state politics and dynamics at play within the state legislature. They stressed that the General Assembly is a part-time legislature, and, oftentimes, legislators do not have the background or resources to understand all of the ramifications of a particular bill. They also noted that pressures unrelated to energy, like closing a budget deficit, can drive the legislative process during session.

Direct Energy’s Innovation to Inspiration Mobile Exhibit

direct-energy-truckDuring breaks, conference attendees visited Direct Energy’s one-of-a-kind Innovation to Inspiration mobile exhibit, which featured innovative devices and appliances for managing energy use in your home or business. For more information, visit: https://www.directenergy.com/innovation-to-inspiration/.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Connecticut Green Bank, Dominion, Pullman & Comley, HQUSQ, Robinson + Cole

 

CPES Policy Committee Update: September 15, 2016

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by a team recently formed with support from CPES, known as the New Energy Professionals. If you are interested in learning more about the New Energy Professionals, the Policy Committee, or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we would welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Paul Brady, CPES Executive Director, via email: pbrady@ctpower.org.

This week’s features:

  • ISO NE’s Hybrid Grid
  • National Grid’s smart grid pilot in MA
  • Looking Ahead to the Next Legislative Session – Schedules and Key Links

 

Regional and Industry Developments

ISO New England Publishes Summary of Its Efforts to Prepare for the ‘Hybrid Grid’

This week, ISO New England published Getting Ready for the Hybrid Grid, a two-page summary of the ISO’s efforts to facilitate New England’s transition to a smarter, greener grid. The handout describes how the ISO is breaking new ground in the areas of forecasting and dispatch of renewable resources and other new technologies; high-speed cloud computing for analyzing vast, complex data; and protecting against cyber threats.

For more information, visit the ISO Newswire.

 

VIDEO: National Grid seeks to extend smart grid pilot in Massachusetts

Massachusetts Electric Co. and National Grid, in an Aug. 30 filing submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, said that it is seeking to extend its Smart Energy Solutions Program until Dec. 31, 2018.

The company noted that it is currently conducting a two-year smart grid pilot under the Green Communities Act, Section 85 of Chapter 169 of the Acts of 2008, and the DPU’s August 2012 order, which approved the company’s pilot proposal, with certain modifications.

The pilot’s smart pricing, bill protection and demand response capabilities went into effect for participating customers on Jan. 1, 2015, the company said, noting that the pilot is scheduled to end on Dec. 31.

http://www.elp.com/articles/2016/09/national-grid-seeks-to-extend-smart-grid-pilot-in-massachusetts.html

 

Legislative Affairs

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

The 2016 Connecticut regular session ended on May 4, 2016.  The 2017 Connecticut regular session begins January 4, 2017.

Information about the Energy and Technology Committee, including committee meetings and public hearings, is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/.

 

MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATION:

The 2015-2016 Massachusetts formal session ended on July 31, 2016.  The 2017-2018 Massachusetts session begins January 4, 2017.

Information about the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, including hearings and bills in committee, is available at: https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint/J37

CPES Policy Committee Update: May 24, 2016

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by a team recently formed with support from CPES, known as the New Energy Professionals. If you are interested in learning more about the New Energy Professionals, the Policy Committee, or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we would welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Paul Brady, CPES Executive Director, via email: pbrady@ctpower.org.

This week’s features:

  • PURA Releases a Draft Report on Distribution System Reliability
  • Public Act Numbers Issued to Final Legislation
  • RESA Highlights Savings and Value-Added Products on MA Retail Energy Shopping Website

 

CONNECTICUT POLICY/REGULATORY UPDATE:  CT Public Utilities Regulatory Authority

PURA Releases a Draft Report on Distribution System Reliability

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) released its draft report to the legislature regarding distribution system reliability for calendar year 2015. The draft report is available at the following link. Connecticut General Statutes section 16-245y(a) requires each electric distribution company (EDC) to report reliability data to PURA for the prior 12 months.  PURA is then required to report the data for each EDC to the General Assembly. PURA conducted its review of EDC reliability data for 2015 in Docket No. 16-04-21, PURA 2016 Annual Report to the General Assembly on Electric Distribution Company System Reliability. A final report is expected June 1st.                                                                                         

 

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Information about the Energy and Technology Committee, including committee meetings and public hearings, is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/.

The 2016 regular session ended on May 4, 2016.  The following bill that passed both chambers during the regular session and that may be of interest to you received a public act number:

  • H.B. No. 5496:  AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN VIRTUAL NET METERING FACILITIES.  PUBLIC ACT 16-134.
  • H.B. No. 5510:  AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTRIC AND FUEL CELL ELECTRIC VEHICLES.  PUBLIC ACT 16-135.

 

Regional and Industry Developments

Retail Energy Supply Association Highlights Savings and Value-Added Products on MA Department of Public Utilities Retail Energy Shopping Website

The Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA) explained that it found nearly 30 competitive retail energy suppliers in Massachusetts actively posting more than 200 different product offerings “at prices highly competitive with default rates offered by the state’s utility companies.”  In addition, value-added product offerings include green electricity products, energy-savings smart thermostats, HVAC warranty plans, reward points, gift cards, and more.  http://www.energychoicematters.com/stories/20160519g.html

CPES Policy Committee Update: April 1, 2016

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by a team recently formed with support from CPES, known as the New Energy Professionals. If you are interested in learning more about the New Energy Professionals, the Policy Committee, or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we would welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Paul Brady, CPES Executive Director, via email: pbrady@ctpower.org.

 

This week’s features:

  • PURA reopens Virtual Net Metering docket and cancels upcoming Competitive Supplier Working Group meeting
  • U.S. Dept. of Energy to host upcoming meetings in the region on the Quadrennial Energy Review and Grid Modernization
  • New York utilities look to MIT to design pricing strategy for distributed energy

 

Connecticut Policy/Regulatory Update:

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (“PURA”) has reopened Docket No. 13-08-14, PURA Development of the Administrative Process and Program Specifications for Virtual Net Metering, to review the required one year time period from the date of acceptance into the VMN queue to obtain commercial operation and to modify the application requirements for agricultural hosts to require proof of state agricultural status. PURA has designated the reopened proceeding Docket No. 13‑08‑14RE03.  The proceeding can be found here.

Also, the Competitive Supplier Working Group meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 5, 2016 has been cancelled.  The cancelation notice can be found at http://www.dpuc.state.ct.us/dockcurr.nsf/All/3FF6DFE34E5C5D6085257F870067F0F9?OpenDocument

 

Regional and Industry Developments

 Department of Energy Sets Outreach Meetings for Quadrennial Energy Review

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will hold a number of stakeholder meetings in the coming months as outreach continues for the second installment of the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER). DOE will host a meeting in Boston, Massachusetts on April 15, 2016 to discuss issues impacting the electric grid in New England, New York, and much of the region covered by the PJM Interconnection. The 2016 version of the QER is focused on the issues impacting the nation’s electric system from bulk power generation to end use.

In the days preceding the April 15 meeting, DOE will host a Grid Modernization Northeast Region workshop on April 13-14, 2016. DOE notes that the workshop is designed to seek “stakeholder input and feedback on the Department’s grid-related research and demonstration strategy, and will provide stakeholders an opportunity to inform the Department on the grid-related technical challenges of emerging regional and national policy issues.” Registration and additional information on the workshop can be found here.

 

N.Y. utilities seek new pricing plan for distributed energy

The local utility of the future will be home to more rooftop solar, smart grid technologies and independent energy service providers. But it will need something else, experts say — entirely new ways of pricing customer-supplied electricity supplies and conservation measures. The owner of several upstate New York utilities has asked Massachusetts Institute of Technology experts to design such a pricing strategy to help them meet the requirements of the state’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) utility restructuring policy.

The MIT Energy Initiative, collaborating with a leading Spanish research institute, is designing a computer model of a representative local electric utility distribution network to simulate how consumers’ solar units, battery storage and other distributed energy systems would affect the costs of running the network. That would lead, in turn, to a new system for pricing power as distributed electricity services expand.  Across the United States, utilities, regulators and customer groups are at odds over how distributed energy suppliers, and companies that aggregate power demand and efficiency services, should be paid for what they provide and for their use of the grid.

http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060034855

 

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

Information about the Energy and Technology Committee, including committee meetings and public hearings, is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/.

The deadline to report bills out of the Energy and Technology Committee has passed.  Within the past week there have been no significant actions to the bills previously reported out of the committee that may be of interest to you.