GHG Emissions, Distributed Generation, Sourcing Renewables, Wind  -  June 13, 2020

Weekend reads: Expanding RE in West Africa; Using zero-carbon hydrogen to clean up transportation

It's the weekend! Kick back and catch up with these must-read articles from around the web.

DC to investigate distributed resource ownership issues as part of grid modernization effort (Utility Dive) The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia announced on Monday it will issue a notice of inquiry to investigate potential rules for distributed energy resources (DERs), including issues related to the ownership and classification of energy storage and its operation in wholesale markets, behind-the-meter energy storage control, solar PV ownership, and other resources including demand response.

Zero-carbon hydrogen could be cost-competitive in transport sector by 2030 (S&P Global) Zero-carbon hydrogen fuel could realistically be produced at scale at a plant-gate cost of just $2-$3/kg by 2030, making the fuel an economically viable alternative for the transportation sector and industrial end-users, according to a recent study published by the University of California, Irvine. The research, sponsored by the California Energy Commission, provides a roadmap for rapid development of the renewable hydrogen production capacity needed to help the state meet an aggressive target to fully decarbonize the its economy by 2050.

New York Approves Largest Wind Farm Ever, But Not Everyone Is Happy About It (CleanTechnica) What is happening in the state of New York regarding the addition of more renewable energy assets is a microcosm for what is going on in many other parts of the US and around the world. Everybody supports the idea of renewable energy, but not everyone wants it in their community. This week, the New York State Siting Board approved the $454 million Alle-Catt wind farm project which will generate 340 megawatts of electricity — enough to power 134,000 homes — from 116 turbines spread over 30,000 acres of private lands located in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Wyoming counties. The owner and developer of the project is Invenergy, an energy company based in Chicago.

How West Africa can expand power supply and meet renewable climate goals (Quartz) Not too long ago, when the idea of solar and wind energy was still hotly debated, critics used to point out the limitations of these energy sources: the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow. But nowadays many countries’ electricity grids are strongly supplied by renewable energy. The challenge in creating flexible, reliable and affordable energy supply systems with renewables lies in the very different circumstances across countries and regions. Planning and expanding renewable power must consider countries’ local resources and their existing and planned infrastructure. This becomes even more interesting for countries trying to grow their grids and expand their renewables at the same time – like many in sub-Saharan Africa.

Falling Clean Energy Costs Can Provide Opportunity to Boost Climate Action in COVID-19 Recovery Packages (BloombergNEF) As COVID-19 hits the fossil fuel industry, a new report shows that renewable energy is more cost-effective than ever – providing an opportunity to prioritize clean energy in economic recovery packages and bring the world closer to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement. Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2020 — from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre and BloombergNEF (BNEF), available at www.fs-unep-centre.org — analyzes 2019 investment trends, and clean energy commitments made by countries and corporations for the next decade.

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