Thomas Ortman’s Post

Moving California's homes and other buildings off of health- and climate-harming gas heating will require a transition to electric heat pumps. The state recently pressed some legislative and regulatory levers to speed that process. These building decarbonization wins reflect recommendations that SPUR made in recent reports and presented to the California Public Utilities Commission and California Energy Commission. https://lnkd.in/gPm39zXr

"Utilities could save around $20 billion over the next two decades in gas pipeline replacement costs by electrifying groups of buildings where technically feasible in California rather than replacing the aging gas pipelines that serve those buildings.... The small city of Albany, California, is looking into electrifying an entire city block and decommissioning the gas pipeline that serves the area" Low-income homeowners are unlikely to afford the upfront cost for a heat pump, and renters lack the authority to install one, meaning this demographic will inevitably bear the burden of paying off gas pipeline replacement costs, which typically come in at $3 million per mile. However, by introducing large-scale heat pumps and promoting widespread electrification, this will undoubtedly contribute to the exponential load growth expected over the next decade, and is worth watching in CAISO's near future.

A good follow up to the previous post on the Washington Post article about the loss of rural land. Scroll down to the portion about the energy demand and stated lack of it to keep up with the DC growth in Virginia. I think we have to build power plants/microgrids on these DC sites to keep up with the demand in my opinion.

This topic needs to go on Europe’s policy agenda: - plan for shutting down Europes gas distribution grids, - give utilities the right to do so (quite often they are obliged to connect everybody that applies for a connection==> this obligation must be removed from law!!!), and - offer affected customers all electric solutions! ==> dramatically reduce the use of fossil gas in buildings, ==> do not leave customers alone with going electric ==> avoid that the least powerful customers, that remain in lack of options, have to pay for the sunk costs of an increasingly underutilized pipeline network Charles Esser Sonya Twohig Eva Hennig Dr Richard Lowes Uta Weiß Matthias BUCK Ursula von der Leyen For sure a topic for the next commission. Niels Ladefoged Ditte J. Mechthild Wörsdörfer

𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬, 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐩, 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨 “Colorado released the Microgrid Roadmap, which is a significant step forward for resiliency in Colorado. The Polis Administration is showing tremendous leadership nationally in identifying specific barriers to microgrids that provide resiliency to people when they are most in need. Their suggestion that the State Public Utilities Commission take up known microgrid barriers under existing proceedings shows Colorado understands how critical speed is to keep the lights at our most vital local resources,” said Jeff Morris, Chair of the Microgrid Resources Coalition. Click the link below to learn more about the #Microgrid Roadmap and the Colorado Energy Office government funded grant programs to help eligible utilities prevent fires and protect the grid from wildfires and extreme weather. #Colorado #Energy #MicrogridResources #Resilience #Reliability

California lawmakers are mulling a bill that would give gas utilities permission to launch up to 30 "zonal electrification" projects — helping entire neighborhoods switch to electric heating and appliances to avoid expensive gas pipeline replacements. It's an idea that's gaining traction in other states, and could be the best way to align the work of gas utilities with the battle against climate change: https://lnkd.in/g5rnyv8K

Wisconsin is headed for the power-grid superhighway. The question is how many of the $3.8 billion in projects will be built by Pewaukee-based American Transmission.

Governor Janet Mills has announced $6.6 million in grant awards to six Maine utilities and technology providers to deploy electrical grid resilience projects in Maine communities. The awards, selected through the Maine Grid Resilience Program with funds awarded to the state under the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants, will improve the resilience of Maine’s electrical grid to better withstand extreme storms while enhancing clean energy deployment and job opportunities. The funds will be administered by the Maine Governor's Energy Office and come as communities in Maine recover and rebuild after extreme storms this past winter and spring. Read the announcement here: https://loom.ly/s_2iuro #Maine #GridResilience #Energy #Maine #MaineWontWait #CleanEnergy #MaineEnergy #Resilience #Grid #Climatesolutions #resilienceplanning #resilience #heatpump #sustainability #Climateresilience #environment #infrastructure #jobs #instaenergy #labor #economic #communitydevelopment #explore #future

The Noble County Plan Commission voted to send an "unfavorable" recommendation back to Noble County Commissioners last night in response to the Commissioners' proposal on December 16th, 2024, by a 2-1 vote, to consider a one (1) year moratorium regarding the Commercial Solar Overlay District, during which no project applications would be accepted. 80% of those who commented did so against a moratorium. One of the more compelling comments came from Stephane Frijia, President and CEO for Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, who cited the report shared below, published at the end of '24. In it, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), which covers most of the Midwest, is said to be at NERC’s highest risk rating of “high,” where “shortfalls may occur at normal peak conditions,” rather than just “elevated” risk. PJM Interconnection, which serves Northeast Indiana, is said to be at an "elevated risk," where "conditions that are plausible but more extreme than normal seasonal peaks are likely to cause shortfall in area reserves." Learn more and get involved in the conversations that will drive Noble County's energy infrastructure landscape. Visit https://bit.ly/4gEqbr3.

Via Utility Dive: " 30 neighborhood decarbonization pilots allowed under bill passed in California: If the governor signs it, the legislation will let natural gas utilities planning to replace old gas pipelines decarbonize pilot areas instead, potentially via electrification or installing thermal energy networks. " #Energy #Utility #Utilities