Focus
DOE to conduct environmental reviews for three proposed hydrogen hubs
Fuel Cell Works – December 19
The Department of Energy has announced plans to prepare environmental reviews for three proposed hydrogen hubs in Appalachia, California, and the Pacific Northwest as part of the Biden administration’s initiative to establish a national clean hydrogen network. The California Hydrogen Hub is proposed to consist of a suite of demonstration projects involving clean hydrogen production, transportation, and end uses located within California.
News
FERC floats ‘ride-through’ reliability standards for wind, solar, and batteries
Utility Dive – December 20
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is seeking comments on proposed “ride-through” reliability standards for inverter-based resources, called IBRs, such as wind, solar, and battery systems. FERC is proposing to approve two North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) reliability standards dealing with the ability of IBRs to ride through frequency and voltage excursions like faults on the transmission system instead of tripping offline, according to FERC.
Arizona Corporation Commission reaffirms monthly APS fee for homeowners with solar panels
Arizona Republic – December 17
The Arizona Corporation Commission has voted to reaffirm a controversial charge levied on some customers with rooftop solar panels. The utility-regulating panel voted 3-1 last Tuesday, finding that the grid-access charge doesn’t unlawfully discriminate against residential solar customers. Rather, the commission, citing what it termed substantial evidence, called the charges “just, reasonable and in the public interest.”
PUCN approves NV Energy plans to add more solar power and battery storage
KOLO-TV – December 12
The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) approved an NV Energy plan to add more than 1,000 MW of solar power and 1,000 MW of battery storage in Nevada. Around 400 MW of natural-gas peaking units will also be added as part of this plan, which NV Energy says will be used during times of peak summer loads.
Projects
California ports partnership pushes offshore wind plans forward
Courthouse News Service – December 18
The California State Lands Commission and the Ports of Long Beach and Humboldt have formed a partnership to build infrastructure for floating, offshore wind turbines as part of the state’s transition to renewable energy. The ports will be the staging and integration sites where the floating platforms and massive turbines — as high as the Eiffel Tower — will be assembled before they are towed to the particularly windy swaths of Pacific Ocean in Northern and Central California that the federal government auctioned off to offshore wind developers in late 2022.
Tribes sue after massive wind farm in Washington gets green light
High Country News – December 20
In late October, Governor Jay Inslee approved a proposal for the Horse Heaven Hills project, a clean energy development in central Washington. Now, the Confederated Bands and Tribes of the Yakama Nation are appealing the decision in court, alleging that the decision-making process sidestepped state law and failed to mitigate potential damage to the tribe’s treaty-protected natural and cultural resources. The project includes three solar arrays and more than 200 wind turbines and would ultimately be able to generate roughly 1,150 MW of electricity.
Biden administration approves eleventh U.S. offshore wind project
The Maritime Executive – December 20
The Department of the Interior has approved what will become the eleventh large-scale offshore wind farm off the coastal United States. The project known as SouthCoast Wind will generate 2.4 GW of offshore wind energy for Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
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