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Posted on behalf of Stoel Rives partner Cherise Oram.

The National Hydropower Association (NHA) recently published a new interactive map resource showcasing the vibrant contribution of hydropower in the American energy economy. Titled the Hydro Supply Chain Snapshot, the map showcases nearly 2,000 companies involved in the non-federal hydropower supply chain, including project…

At the National Hydropower Association conference in Washington, D.C. earlier this week, Department of Energy ("DOE") Secretary Steven Chu and Department of the Interior ("DOI") Secretary Ken Salazar announced a $26.6 million grant program to advance the development, testing, validation, modeling, and interconnection of advanced conventional hydropower systems.  The agencies’ news came at the same time that the…

Last week, the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation ("Reclamation") issued a draft report titled "Hydropower Resource Assessment at Existing Reclamation Facilities" (the "Resource Assessment") for public comment.  The Resource Assessment provides information on 530 exiting Reclamation sites and makes a preliminary determination about whether or not hydropower development at each facility would…

Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Sam Brownback (R-KS), with Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tom Udall (D-NM), Mark Udall (D-CO) and others joining, announced today that they will introduce a stand-alone Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) bill.  The bill will require sellers of electricity to obtain the following milestones in adding renewable energy resources or energy efficiency:

2012-2013 – 3%

2014-2015 – 6%

2017-2018 – 9%

2019-2020 – 12%

2021 – 2039 -15%

Renewable resources that can be used toward compliance will include wind, solar, ocean, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, incremental hydropower, hydrokinetic, new hydropower at existing dams, and waste-to-energy.  For utilities that are unable to meet their RES targets, the bill proposes to charge a compliance payment at a rate of 2.1 cents per kilowatt hour, with such amounts then being used for renewable energy development or to offset consumers’ bills.

A first step, yes.  But a small one.

Follow the link to learn more:…

Continue Reading A National Renewable Energy Standard Bill Surfaces in DC

On August 25, 2010, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") and the State of Colorado signed a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") which could lead to simplified procedures and regulations for authorizing small-scale hydropower development in Colorado.  Although traditional hydropower has not seen significant new development in recent years, interest in small, low-impact projects is on the…

Just a friendly reminder that the deadline to submit comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) on electric storage technologies is just around the corner. In its Request for Comments Regarding Rates, Accounting and Financial Reporting for New Electric Storage Technologies, FERC’s Office of Energy Policy and Innovation seeks comments on the following issues: …

Last week, Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), introduced legislation that would add grid-connected energy storage property to the list of technologies eligible for the federal investment tax credit (the "ITC").  Under the Storage Technology for Renewable and Green Energy Act of 2010 (the "STORAGE 2010 Act"), eligible energy…

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory ("NREL") recently announced the release of the "Western Wind and Solar Integration Study"  (the "WWSIS"), which investigated the operational impact of up to 35% energy penetration of wind, photovoltaic, and concentrating solar power on the power system operated by the WestConnect group of utilities in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming.  The WestConnect group includes the following:  Arizona Public Service, El Paso Electric Co., NV Energy, Public Service of New Mexico, Salt River Project, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Cooperative, Tucson Electric Power, Western Area Power Administration, and Xcel Energy.

The WWSIS was prepared by GE Energy and conducted over two and a half years by a team or researchers in wind power, solar power, and utility operations.   The WWSIS was designed to answer questions that utilities, Public Utility Commissions, developers, and regional planning organizations had about renewable energy use in the West, such as:

  • What is the operating impact of up to 35% renewable energy penetration and how can this be accommodated?
  • How does geographic diversity help to mitigate variability?
  • How do local resources compare to remote, higher quality resources delivered by long distance transmission?
  • Can balancing area cooperation mitigate variability?
  • How should reserve requirements be modified to account for the variability in wind and solar?
  • What is the benefit of integrating wind and solar forecasting into grid operations?
  • How can hydro generation help with integration of renewables?

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Continue Reading Release of the “Western Wind and Solar Integration Study”