Shave, Shift, Shimmy: How Demand Response Can Unlock Value on the Electric Grid

July 23, 2018 in Carbon Management, Energy Systems Author: Matt Prorok

 

A row of electrical metersEarlier this month I attended the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s (MISO) Board meeting “hot topic” discussion on resource adequacy representing the Environmental/Other Sector 

My comment on the topic was quoted by RTO Insider in their coverage of the meeting, where I discussed how distributed energy sources can unlock value for the system by “shaving loads, shifting loads, and shimmying loads.” This quote, which pertains specifically to demand response (DR) as a form of distributed energy resource, generated questions about what these terms mean and why they matter for the region. It is worth spending some time talking about these values and how they can help MISO and its members.  Continue reading »

Carbon Capture Deployment Initiatives Announced to Spur Infrastructure

June 19, 2018 in Carbon Management, News & Press Author: Brad Crabtree

JACKSON HOLE (WY) – A new effort to promote broad-scale deployment of infrastructure for carbon capture, CO2 pipelines, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), other forms of geologic storage, and beneficial utilization of CO2 in the Northern Plains/Rockies and Midwest regions was announced by Wyoming Governor Matt Mead and Montana Governor Steve Bullock today as part of CO2NNECT 2018. Continue reading »

State and Federal Leaders to Discuss Energy and Environmental Developments in the PJM Region

April 27, 2018 in Carbon Management, Energy Systems Author: Doug Scott

Utilities and regulators face an increasingly complex task when responding to the changing power generation mix. They must consider the impact of market rules, legislation, reliability, resilience, cost and environmental issues, just to name a few.

With that in mind, it’s vital to gather the key players, stakeholders, and thought leaders in this sector to discuss issues and generate solutions. That’s the purpose of the “Energy and Environmental Developments in the PJM Region,” event taking place in Washington, D.C. on May 2, 2018. Continue reading »

It’s Time for Long-Term Planning for North Dakota’s Legacy Fund

March 19, 2018 in Carbon Management Author: Patrice Lahlum

the North Dakota Capitol buildingA handful of North Dakota state legislators recently put forth a proposal to tap into the principal of the state’s constitutionally-established Legacy Fund to establish a loan program for infrastructure projects.  The plan is expected to come before the 2019 State Legislature and will likely be one of many ideas and proposals that surface in the coming months which aim to utilize either the earnings or a portion of the principal of the Fund. Continue reading »

Before & After: How the FUTURE Act Reformed the 45Q Carbon Capture and Storage Tax Credit

March 5, 2018 in Carbon Management Author: Jennifer Christensen

As part of a larger budget bill earlier this year, Congress passed legislation to expand and reform a key tax credit called 45Q for deployment of carbon capture and storage projects in the United States. The legislation, introduced in 2017 as the FUTURE Act, received broad bipartisan support in Congress and was supported by state leaders and by an unprecedented coalition called the Carbon Capture Coalition. Continue reading »