Top Story: Electrifying Transportation Reduces Greenhouse ... · innovation across the electric...
Transcript of Top Story: Electrifying Transportation Reduces Greenhouse ... · innovation across the electric...
SEPTEMBER 2015
In This IssueTop Story: Electrifying Transportation Reduces Greenhouse Gases and Improves Air Quality
Renewables: Utilities Help U.S. Solar Market Shine in 2015
Company Spotlight: DTE Energy Introduces Michigan’s Largest Operating Solar Array
Workforce: Careers in Energy Week Begins October 12
Industry in Action: September Is National Preparedness Month
What We’re Reading: Pat VincentCollawn on Powering the Future
Building a Global Energy Interconnection
An American Industry Leader
In the News: Building a Skilled Workforce for the Future
Inside EEI: New Vice President Strengthens Link Between U.S. and International Programs
On Twitter: EEI President Named CEO of the Year
Top Story: Electrifying Transportation Reduces Greenhouse Gases and Improves AirQuality
Broadbased deployment of electric transportation technologies, paired withan increasingly clean power system, is the best pathway to a sustainabletransportation sector with lowercarbon emissions, according to findings of anew study released by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and theNatural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Electrictransportation technologies include passenger cars, trucks, and a host ofnonroad vehicles such as forklifts, lawn and garden equipment, and airportground support vehicles. “Environmental Assessment of a Full Electric Transportation Portfolio” alsofinds that widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) could reducegreenhouse gas emissions by 550 million metric tons annually in 2050—equivalent to removing 100 million passenger cars from the road.
The report benefits from realworld market data gathered from the great progress made in electric transportation to date,documenting what we know about how drivers use their vehicles and how the capabilities of technology have advanced.
“Electric utilities are leading by example on transportation electrification,” said EEI President Tom Kuhn. “Last year, EEIannounced its fleet electrification initiative to expand the adoption of plugin EVs in utility fleets. To date, this initiative hasexceeded the anticipated $50 million annual industry commitment, and will total more than $90 million in 2015, adding800 new plugin EVs and 740 new charging ports.
In June, EEI also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Energy creating a partnership aimedat accelerating the deployment of plugin EVs and charging infrastructure.
Access the full study here.
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Renewables: Utilities Help U.S. Solar Market Shine in 2015 The U.S. installed 1,393 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaics (PV) in thesecond quarter of 2015, surpassing a recordbreaking 20 gigawatts (GW) oftotal operational solar PV capacity, according to GTM Research and theSolar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The utility PV market continuesto be the bedrock of new installation growth. According to the “Q2 2015 U.S. Solar Market Insight Report,” 729 MW oflargescale utility solar PV came online in the second quarter of 2015,representing 52 percent of the nation’s quarterly total. In addition, more than5 GW of utilityscale development is currently under construction.
“In the second half of this year through 2016, growth will reach new heightsas a higher share of what comes online stems from projects procured purelybased on centralized solar’s cost competitiveness,” said Shayle Kann,
senior vice president at GTM Research.
The residential solar market also set a record in the second quarter. With 473 MW installed, the segment grew 70percent yearoveryear. Ten states each installed more than 10 MW during the quarter, compared to only four states thatinstalled that much residential solar in 2013. The nonresidential market finished the quarter down 33 percent from the same period last year. However, the ongoinggrowth of community solar across the U.S., improving market dynamics in several states, and continued financialinnovation suggest stronger growth in the second half of 2015 and beyond. GTM Research and SEIA forecast that PV installations will reach 7.7 GW in 2015, up 24 percent over 2014. Growth willoccur in all segments, but will be most rapid in the residential market. For more information, visit www.seia.org/smi.
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Company Spotlight: DTE Energy Introduces Michigan’s Largest Operating SolarArray
Detroitbased DTE Energy has opened Michigan’s largest solar powerfacility, a 1.1megawatt (MW) project on the grounds of the Domino’sFarms office complex in Ann Arbor Township. It consists of more than 4,000 panels, which if laid end to end, could coverthe University of Michigan’s football field and beyond. The installationgenerates enough electricity to power nearly 200 homes. DTE plans tooperate and maintain it for 20 years. “DTE is the state’s largest investor in solar and wind. The renewable projectswe own or contract with represent $2 billion in renewableenergy infrastructure,” said David Harwood, DTE Energy’s director ofrenewable energy. “The Domino’s Farms solar array is part of a broader,longterm plan to move us to a cleaner, more diversified energy portfolio,
with significant investments in natural gas and renewable energy.” The project is part of SolarCurrents, a pilot program launched in 2009. DTE has installed 11 MW of solar energy across23 sites in the Detroit area and in the Thumb region of Michigan. DTE’s goal by the end of this year is to provide 15 MW
of power through its utilityowned solar photovoltaic facilities and 7 MW from customerowned projects. DTE also has a 1MW solar array project with Ford Motor Company at the automaker’s world headquarters in Dearborn.
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Workforce: Careers in Energy Week Begins October 12The Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) and its memberscreated Careers in Energy Week to increase public awareness aboutscience, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and the hightech, highskilled careers available in the energy industry. Careers in EnergyWeek offers a great opportunity for energy companies to sponsor specialevents nationwide—where schools, families, and businesses can learnmore about the innovative energy workforce. CEWD has made available numerous materials on its website to promoteCareers in Energy Week, which begins October 12, including logos, postersand brochures, and a social media guide. Visit www.cewd.org for moreinformation and to download.
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Industry in Action: September Is National Preparedness Month September is National Preparedness Month, and the Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA) is encouraging all Americans to make a planfor communication and action in the event of an emergency. The website,www.ready.gov/september, offers videos, toolkits, and social mediaengagement resources to make participation easy. EEI has a number of resources to amplify these efforts and to help familiesand communities prepare for disasters such as floods, wildfires, hurricanes,and power outages. EEI also provides a checklist for putting together anemergency power outage kit. National Preparedness Month culminates with FEMA’s day of action toincrease preparedness and resilience, National PrepareAthon Day, onSeptember 30.
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What We’re Reading: Pat VincentCollawn on Powering the FutureThe increasing velocity of change is driving an unprecedented wave ofinnovation across the electric utility industry, according to PNM ResourcesChairman, President, and CEO Pat VincentCollawn. “Seemingly overnight, companies comfortable with predictable businessmodels anchored in capitalintensive assets are reinventing themselves,becoming more agile and adaptable than ever. This rapid evolution ischallenging—regulatory and business environments often lag behind theseemingly overnight advances in technology. However, looking around theindustry, you will discover that more than just simply surviving, many utilitiesare thriving, driving advances that will allow them to meet changingcustomer needs. “We are finding creative solutions to new challenges, such as integrating
new energy resources into the grid, helping to support the fledgling EV industry, and collaborating across industries andstate lines to develop transmission opportunities that could open new markets.
“It is an exciting time to be part of this amazing industry. Electricity powered our past, making possible the incrediblegrowth and success of not only the United States but countries around the world. It is now powering the next wave ofinnovation that will enable us to build a bright future, powering our devices and our dreams, leading to an improvedquality of life for all.” Read more from VincentCollawn on how utilities are powering the future.
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Building a Global Energy InterconnectionThe next few decades will be critical for building a global energy networkthat makes clean energy the dominant source of power and effectivelysecures energy supply while addressing climate change, according to StateGrid Corporation of China Chairman Liu Zhenya. Liu’s new book, “Global Energy Interconnection,” looks at the strategicissues related to the world’s energy development, including the reality andchallenges of building a global energy interconnection, clean replacement,supply and demand, innovation and technology, and research anddevelopment. The global energy interconnection is a global resource allocation platformbackboned by ultrahigh voltage grids and smart grids that deliver cleanenergy as the dominant source of power. It provides a systematic solution to
worldwide sustainable energy development. Liu emphasized that building a global energy interconnection by 2050 is an unprecedented project that requires theconsideration of international politics, economics, diplomacy, national defense, and climate change. All countries andrelevant parties should encourage cooperation and reach consensus to overcome challenges on the project, Liu said. At the book launch on September 14, EEI President Tom Kuhn moderated a panel of industry experts who discussed thepower of global energy interconnection to address the challenges of climate change. Assistant UN SecretaryGeneralJanos Pasztor, IHS Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin, Climate Parliament Secretary General Nicholas Dunlop, and UNGlobal Compact Founder and Special Policy Advisor Georg Kell were among the esteemed guest speakers. Pictured: State Grid Corporation of China Chairman Liu Zhenya and EEI President Tom Kuhn at the “Internet toInterconnection – Global Energy Interconnection” seminar and book launch on September 14.
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An American Industry LeaderAmerican Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to morethan 5.3 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owningnearly 32,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation's largest electricitytransmission system, a more than 40,000mile network that includes more 765kilovolt extrahigh voltagetransmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. Learn more at aep.com. (Back to top)
In the News: Building a Skilled Workforce for the FutureEEI is a winner of the American Society of Association Executives’ (ASAE's)2015 Power of A Awards, which recognize associations that makeexemplary commitments to creating a stronger America and world. ASAE'sPower of A Awards highlight the association community’s valuablecontributions to society on local, national, and global levels. EEI received an elite Summit Award, the Power of A Awards’ highest honor,
for creating a partnership among utilities, their associations, contractors, andunions focusing on the need to build an energy workforce for the futurethrough the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD). “The need for a highly skilled energy workforce, coupled with trained andqualified persons looking for employment, creates a winwin,” said EEIPresident Tom Kuhn. “Through a range of initiatives, CEWD is focused ondeveloping solutions and approaches to identify a talented, innovativeworkforce in an industry that is stable and growing.”
CEWD was formed as a nonprofit consortium of electric, natural gas, andnuclear utilities and their associations—EEI, the American Gas Association,American Public Power Association, Nuclear Energy Institute, and NationalRural Electric Cooperative Association. CEWD teams with secondary and
postsecondary educational institutions, federal agencies, organized labor, and other workforce stakeholders to createworkable solutions and approaches to address the need for qualified, diverse workers. CEWD’s “Troops to Energy Jobs” initiative connects our nation's military veterans to rewarding energy careers. With theirextensive military training and experience, many veterans already have the skills and knowledge required for energycareers. CEWD makes it easier for veterans to translate their skills and training, accelerating the time it takes them toearn required credentials or degrees. CEWD’s “Get Into Energy/Get Into STEM” program increases career awareness and opens career pathways for studentswho are interested in STEM education and need the skills and training to get these jobs. “Students who come from the STEM fields are going to be incredibly important to our workforce needs in the future,” saidGeisha Williams, CEWD chair and president, PG&E Electric. “The utility of today is not the utility of yesterday. It’s a whole new game. That’s why it’s so important that we build askilled workforce for the future,” added Tom Graham, former CEWD chair and vice president, Pepco Holdings Inc. For more information, visit www.cewd.org. (Back to top)
Inside EEI: New Vice President Strengthens Link Between U.S. and InternationalPrograms
Lawrence E. Jones joined EEI as vice president, international programs, onSeptember 9. Prior to joining EEI, Lawrence spent 15 years with Alstom GridInc., most recently as vice president, utility innovation & infrastructureresilience, where he assisted utilities worldwide with formulating strategiesfor deploying new technology solutions. While at Alstom, Jones also servedas vice president, policy, regulatory affairs & industry relations.
“Lawrence’s tremendous experience working with utilities throughout theworld on innovative technology solutions to better serve customers will be agreat asset to EEI and our member companies,” said EEI President TomKuhn. “We look forward to Lawrence’s valuable insight and leadership aswe work to enhance EEI’s international programs.”
Jones is a member of numerous U.S. and international industry advisorycommittees, and serves as cochair of the 21st Century Power Partnership Leadership Forum, as a member on the U.S.Department of Commerce’s Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee, and as a member of the U.S.National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Smart Grid Advisory Committee.
“I am excited about the tremendous opportunity to lead EEI’s international programs,” said Jones. “I look forward toworking with my new EEI colleagues and to engaging with utilities throughout the world.”
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On Twitter: EEI President Named CEO of the Year
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