Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is facing backlash for its proposal to label microgrids “optional” in certain California fire zones, a label that critics say would nearly double the cost of developing microgrids and result in fewer coming online. The proposal emerged within a proceeding before the California Public Utilities Commission … [Read more...]
PG&E Faces Backlash Over “Optional” Label for Microgrids in Certain California Fire Zones
District of Columbia Considers New Regulated Entity: The Microgrid Operator
A report released late last week for the nation’s capital calls for a new regulated entity known as a microgrid operator, part of the city’s far-reaching effort to modernize its electric grid. The 433-page report came out of a multi-year effort launched in June 2015 by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia. The effort was … [Read more...]
Pennsylvania Tackles a Big One: Who Pays for Utility Microgrids?
Pennsylvania is the now the center of a pivotal, national industry debate over who pays for utility microgrids, with the introduction of legislation into the General Assembly that gives utilities a path to recover costs. HB 1412 allows utilities to recover costs within customer rates for microgrids and energy storage projects. Rep. Stephen … [Read more...]
Should New York Be Wary of Utility Monopolies in Distributed Energy?
Should New York let utilities both manage and compete in the distributed energy market the state is planning? That's one of the big questions the industry is debating in New York's “Reforming the Energy Vision,” or REV. The Department of Public Service last week confirmed its intent to let utilities act as the distributed grid operator in a … [Read more...]