Category Archives: virtual net metering

CPES Policy Committee Update: May 10, 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:

  • Utilities Announce New Residential Rates
  • 2016 Legislative Session Wrap-Up
  • ISO NE Issues Regional Overview

 

CONNECTICUT POLICY/REGULATORY UPDATE:  CT Public Utilities Regulatory Authority

New Residential Generation Rates Announced for July 1st

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) has approved revised generation rates for Eversource and United Illuminating (UI) standard service customers. Based on the results of competitive auctions held earlier this year, effective July 1, 2016, Eversource’s residential generation rate will decrease from 9.555 cents per kWh to 6.606 cents per kWh. UI’s residential generation rate will decrease from 10.7358 cents per kWh to 8.0224 cents per kWh. The new standard service rates represent an approximately 20% and 12% reduction, respectively, when compared to rates last year. The PURA Dockets associated with the new rates are available at the following links: Eversource, UI.

 

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.  During the session, both the Senate and House of Representatives passed the following bills that may be of interest to you:

  • S.B. No. 272:  AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF MICROGRID GRANTS AND LOANS FOR CERTAIN DISTRIBUTED ENERGY GENERATION PROJECTS.
  • S.B. No. 334:  AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO CERTAIN ENERGY PURCHASING POOL AND LIFE-CYCLE COST ANALYSES STATUTES.
  • S.B. No. 366:  AN ACT CONCERNING ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONNECTICUT GREEN BANK, THE PRIORITY OF THE BENEFIT ASSESSMENTS LIEN UNDER THE GREEN BANK’S COMMERCIAL SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PROGRAM AND THE GREEN BANK’S SOLAR HOME RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDIT PROGRAM.
  • S.B. No. 394:  AN ACT CONCERNING AUTHORIZATIONS RELATING TO VIRTUAL NET METERING FOR CERTAIN ZERO OR LOW EMISSION GENERATION PROJECTS.
  • H.B. No. 5242:  AN ACT CONCERNING AGRICULTURAL VIRTUAL NET METERING.
  • H.B. No. 5427:  AN ACT CONCERNING THE SHARED CLEAN ENERGY FACILITY PILOT PROGRAM.
  • H.B. No. 5496:  AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN VIRTUAL NET METERING FACILITIES.
  • H.B. No. 5510:  AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTRIC AND FUEL CELL ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

 

Regional and Industry Developments

ISO New England Releases Overview of the Wholesale Electricity Markets

Now available on the ISO New England website is an overview of the region’s wholesale electricity markets, which were built on several key principles, including competition, efficiency, and transparency. These markets are securing reliable electricity at competitive prices and helping usher in a cleaner, greener grid. To access this overview, please click here .

CPES Policy Committee Update: May 3, 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:

  • A Wealth of Competitive Products on EnergizeCT
  • MicroGrids, Net Metering and Green Bank subject of legislation that is on the move
  • New England gas pipeline expansion status

 

CONNECTICUT POLICY/REGULATORY UPDATE:  CT Public Utilities Regulatory Authority

Connecticut Energy Shopping Site Shows Opportunities for Savings; Majority Of Competitive Suppliers Provide Green Power, Value-Added Products

Under the auspices of the Public Utility Regulatory Authority, the State of Connecticut has established EnergizeCT, a robust, well-designed and consumer-friendly electricity shopping website that routinely posts competitive generation supply products offered by licensed retail electricity suppliers, the Retail Energy Supply Association said yesterday in announcing a review of the savings and value-added services available to customers

RESA’s review of EnergizeCT shows more than two dozen competitive retail energy suppliers actively posting 212 different product offerings at prices highly competitive with default rates offered by the state’s utility companies.

The review shows there are a significant number of competitive pricing plans with terms of service that vary from six to 12 months that offer Connecticut electricity consumers the opportunity to beat the current Standard Service rates by 20 percent, 25 percent and in some cases over 30 percent, RESA said

“A wealth of competitive electricity products offer Connecticut consumers the opportunity to realize savings on their bill,” observed Marc Hanks, RESA’s New England chairman. “But there are also a wide range of value-added product offerings, the most prominent among them being ‘green’ energy products that offer consumers an opportunity to buy electricity that meets their environmental preferences.”

http://www.energychoicematters.com/stories/20160428f.html

 

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.

On April 27, 2016, the Senate passed the following bills that may be of interest to you:

  • S.B. No. 272: Senate passed as amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A. (AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF MICROGRID GRANTS AND LOANS FOR CERTAIN DISTRIBUTED ENERGY GENERATION PROJECTS).
  • S.B. No. 366: Senate passed as amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A. (AN ACT CONCERNING ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONNECTICUT GREEN BANK, THE PRIORITY OF THE BENEFIT ASSESSMENTS LIEN UNDER THE GREEN BANK’S COMMERCIAL SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PROGRAM AND THE GREEN BANK’S SOLAR HOME RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDIT PROGRAM).

On April 28, 2016, the Senate passed the following bill that may be of interest to you:

  • S.B. No. 394: Senate passed as amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A. (AN ACT CONCERNING AUTHORIZATIONS RELATING TO VIRTUAL NET METERING FOR CERTAIN ZERO OR LOW EMISSION GENERATION PROJECTS).

On April 29, 2016, the Senate passed the following bill that may be of interest to you:

  • S.B. No. 344: Senate passed as amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A.  (AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY OF THE ADEQUACY OF ENERGY SUPPLIES IN THE STATE).

 

Regional and Industry Developments

Maine Public Hearings on Pipeline Expansion

State utility regulators will begin public hearings Thursday on a three-year-old plan to expand pipeline capacity and potentially lower energy costs by committing ratepayers to spend up to $75 million annually on natural gas purchases.  But after three years of study, it’s still unclear how much money – if any – utility customers would save by helping to increase the supply of natural gas, which is used to generate half of New England’s electric power.

http://www.pressherald.com/2016/04/27/hearings-begin-thursday-on-plan-to-expand-natural-gas-pipeline-capacity/

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.

 

CPES Policy Committee Update: March 29, 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:

  • DEEP posts its presentation from the March 24 bidders’ conference on RFP for small renewables, demand response, and energy storage
  • E&T Committee holds informational forum on the adequacy of energy supplies including nuclear power in the state
  • ISO-NE submits report to FERC on price formation in the region’s wholesale electricity markets

 

Connecticut Policy/Regulatory Update: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) Bureau of Energy Technology Policy has posted its presentation from the March 24, 2016 Bidders’ Conference. During the Bidders’ Conference, DEEP clarified issues regarding requirements for energy storage, eligibility and land use requirements, and the evaluation process. The presentation is available here.

 

Connecticut Legislative Update: Energy & Technology Committee

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

On Thursday, March 24, 2016, the Energy & Technology Committee held an informational forum on the adequacy of energy supplies including nuclear power in the state.  The forum included presentations from:

  1. Former U.S. Senator Evan Bayh – Co-Chair, Nuclear Matters
  2. Katie Scharf Dykes – Deputy Commissioner for Energy, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
  3. Daniel G. Stoddard – Senior Vice President, Nuclear Operations, Dominion; Daniel A. Weekley – Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Dominion
  4. James Daly – Vice President, Energy Supply, Eversource Energy
  5. Alan Trotta – Director, Wholesale Power Contracts, Avangrid
  6. Arthur H. House – Chairman, Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority
  7. Elin S. Katz – Consumer Counsel, Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel

In the appendix below, please see a list of bills that may be of interest to our members.

 

Regional and Industry Developments

ISO New England Submits Report to FERC on Price Formation

Earlier this month, ISO New England filed its responses to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) questions on price formation in the region’s wholesale electricity markets. The ISO report includes detailed answers to the complex issues raised by FERC and highlights the significant strides made regionally to achieve pricing that accurately and transparently signals the costs of operating New England’s power system. Public comments on the report will be accepted through April 6, 2016.

For more information, see the following ISO Newswire article: ISO-NE report on market price formation highlights complexity of issue, regional improvements.

 

Appendix

On March 22, 2016, the following bills were reported out of the Energy & Technology Committee:

  • S.B. No. 334 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING MINOR REVISIONS TO THE ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY RELATED STATUTES’, to (1) allow an electric distribution company to recover costs associated with the shared clean energy facilities pilot program, (2) make changes regarding contracting in connection with the purchasing pool for electricity, (3) make changes to the requirements for energy performance standards and life-cycle cost analyses, (4) remove the federal weatherization program from the purview of the Department of Social Services, and (5) make other conforming and technical changes. REF. ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY.
  • S.B. No. 345 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY OF THE DIVERSITY OF ENERGY SOURCES IN THE STATE’, to require the chairperson of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to conduct a study pertaining to energy sources. REF. ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY.
  • S.B. No. 366 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONNECTICUT GREEN BANK, THE PRIORITY OF THE BENEFIT ASSESSMENTS LIEN UNDER THE GREEN BANK’S COMMERCIAL SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PROGRAM AND THE GREEN BANK’S SOLAR HOME RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDIT PROGRAM’, to (1) remove the Connecticut Green Bank from Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated, (2) give the Connecticut Green Bank additional powers, (3) make changes regarding the priority of the benefit assessments lien under the Connecticut Green Bank’s commercial sustainable energy program, (4) make changes to the solar home renewable energy credit program, and (5) make other technical and conforming changes. REF. ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY.
  • S.B. No. 394 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING VIRTUAL NET METERING AND CERTAIN ZERO OR LOW EMISSION GENERATION PROJECTS’, to make changes to the state’s virtual net metering program concerning certain zero or low emission generation projects. REF. ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY.
  • H.B. No. 5496 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING BIOMASS FACILITIES’, to allow an administrator of certain biomass facilities to request a modification to the electricity purchase agreement to allow utilization of additional sustainable biomass fuel. REF. ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY.
  • H.B. No. 5504 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING NOTICE AND PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS FOR PROJECTS CONSIDERED AND APPROVED BY THE SITING COUNCIL’, to require a public information session if a certified facility has not commenced construction three years from the date of the issuance of the certificate and to require reissuance of the notice of application if a certified facility has not completed construction three years from the date of the issuance of the certificate. REF. ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY.
  • H.B. No. 5509 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY.  ‘AN ACT CONCERNING STAFFING LEVELS FOR ELECTRIC SERVICE LINEWORKERS’, to establish minimum staffing levels of electric service lineworkers for electric distribution companies. REF. ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY.
  • H.B. No. 5510 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTRIC, ZERO EMISSION AND FUEL CELL ELECTRIC VEHICLES’, to prepare electric distribution companies, municipalities, public and private merchants and electrical contractors for the presence and operation of electric, zero-emission and fuel cell vehicles in the state, to make changes regarding parking of hydrogen fuel vehicles under grade level and to make changes regarding labeling of vehicles that carry pressurized gas as fuel. REF. ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY.

 

CPES Policy Committee Update: March 22, 2016

CPES Policy Committee Update: March 22

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:

  • DEEP to hold bidders conference March 24 on RFP for small renewables, demand response and energy storage
  • E&T Committee continues to report out bills, and plans March 24 forum on energy supplies in the state
  • ISO-NE paper on energy storage identifies opportunities in wholesale electricity markets

Connecticut Policy/Regulatory Update:

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) will hold a Bidders’ Conference on the Public Act 15-107 Section 1(b) Request for Proposals (RFP) for all potential bidders on Thursday, March 24, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., in the Gina McCarthy Auditorium, at DEEP’s Hartford office, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, Connecticut. Prospective attendees must register by 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, by emailing DEEP.EnergyBureau@ct.gov.  The Public Act 15-107 Section 1(b) RFP solicits bids from small Class I resources, small Class III resources, passive demand response, and energy storage systems.

 

Connecticut Legislative Update: Energy & Technology Committee

Information about E&T, including committee meetings and public hearings, is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/.

The E&T Committee is holding a meeting on Tuesday, March 22 and an informational forum on “A Study of the Adequacy of Energy Supplies including Nuclear Power in the State” on Thursday, March 24.

In the appendix below, please see a list of bills that may be of interest to our members.

 

Regional and Industry Developments

ISO New England Releases Energy Storage Document

Interest in energy storage technologies is growing in New England, and project developers, policymakers, and others are examining how these technologies can participate in the region’s wholesale electricity markets. Given this interest, ISO New England developed a paper to explain the characteristics and requirements of the various wholesale markets in which storage devices can compete today.

This paper outlines the opportunities available to energy storage technologies to be compensated in the wholesale electricity markets for providing services needed for a reliable, efficient, and competitive power system.

 

Appendix

On March 17, 2016, the following bills that may be of interest to you were reported out of the Energy and Technology Committee:

 S.B. No. 103 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROCUREMENT MANAGER OF THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY AND MINOR REVISIONS TO ENERGY-RELATED STATUTES’, to transfer the responsibilities of the PURA procurement manager to other employees of the agency and make other minor revisions to energy-related statutes.

  • S.B. No. 272 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF MICROGRID GRANTS AND LOANS FOR CERTAIN DISTRIBUTED ENERGY GENERATION’, to allow the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to provide microgrid grants and loans for additional types of costs associated with such microgrids. 
  • S.B. No. 334 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING MINOR REVISIONS TO THE ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY RELATED STATUTES’, to (1) allow an electric distribution company to recover costs associated with the shared clean energy facilities pilot program, (2) make changes regarding contracting in connection with the purchasing pool for electricity, (3) make changes to the requirements for energy performance standards and life-cycle cost analyses, (4) remove the federal weatherization program from the purview of the Department of Social Services, and (5) make other conforming and technical changes. 
  • H.B. No. 5242 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING AGRICULTURAL VIRTUAL NET METERING’, to allow agricultural customers to lease or enter into long-term contracts for an agricultural virtual net metering facility. 
  • H.B. No. 5309 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING FACILITATION OF THE MUNICIPAL RESIDENTIAL SOLAR APPLICATION PROCESS’, to require the Green Bank to approve a standardized solar photovoltaic system permit application form for use by municipalities. 
  • H.B. No. 5310 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING LOCATION OF SITING COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARINGS’, to require the Connecticut Siting Council to hold a public hearing in the municipality in which a proposed facility is to be located if the proposed facility will be located only in that municipality. 
  • H.B. No. 5427 (RAISED) ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY . ‘AN ACT CONCERNING THE SHARED CLEAN ENERGY FACILITY PILOT PROGRAM’, to make changes to the shared clean energy facility pilot program regarding utilities’ cost recovery, tariff mechanisms, and other technical changes.