North America News

Latest news and developments from North America region

• Hunt Energy Network announces new energy storage venture

  March 25, 2021
  The Hunt Energy Network (HEN)—a distributed energy resource (DER) developer and operator in Texas—has recently announced a new energy storage venture in collaboration with Manulife Investment Management, that will actively participate in the energy storage space within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) zone.

• FERC seeks input on electric reliability issues from climate change, extreme weather events

  March 24, 2021
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has invited public comment by April 15, 2021 on its recently opened proceeding, which will examine how grid operators prepare for and respond to extreme weather events, including, but not limited to droughts, extreme cold, wildfires, hurricanes, and prolonged heat waves.

• White House announces offshore wind initiatives to address climate change

  March 23, 2021
  Recent announcements by the Biden Administration on March 29, 2021 are being recognised as a massive effort to bolster offshore wind energy projects in US.

• Storage advocates urge FERC to reject MISO’s Order 841 compliance extension request

  March 23, 2021
  Recently, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) has made a request to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to delay, by nearly three years, its plans for eliminating barriers to electric storage resources' participation in its wholesale power markets.

• NYPSC grants permit for transmission line associated with offshore wind project

  March 22, 2021
  The New York Public Service Commission (NYPSC) has recently granted a permit for a transmission line to connect the planned Deepwater Offshore Wind Energy Center (South Fork Wind Farm) to Long Island.

• New US Senate Bill incentivises power grid strengthening

  March 19, 2021
  As an aftermath of the catastrophic power grid failure that occurred in Texas in mid-February 2021, two US Senators have introduced the Disaster Safe Power Grid Act of 2021.

• Texas PUC outlines key focus areas guiding response to blackout

  March 18, 2021
  In a recent open meeting, held on March 12, 2021, the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) has outlined eight key focus areas that are guiding its work, in response to the mid-February power grid failure that occurred in the state.

• GridLiance West announces plans for USD1.5 billion transmission project

  March 18, 2021
  GridLiance West LLC—a subsidiary of GridLiance GP LLC—has proposed a USD1.5 billion transmission project called Silverado Renewables Connection, that could eventually allow California to access about 6,000 MW of additional renewable energy (RE) capacity.

• Wärtsilä to supply energy storage systems for two projects in Texas, US

  March 18, 2021
  Finnish energy solutions provider Wärtsilä has secured an order from Able Grid Energy Solutions to supply and maintain energy storage systems for two projects in southern Texas, US.

• MISO unveils first look at possible long-range transmission projects

  March 17, 2021
  The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) has recently unveiled the first look at possible long-range transmission projects; releasing an indicative map of solutions meant to provide stakeholders with an idea about project needs that might be pursued later this year.

• Entergy Mississippi completes USD31 million reliability project in Jackson city

  March 17, 2021
  Entergy Mississippi Incorporation, a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, has recently completed a USD31 million reliability project in Jackson city, Mississippi.

• US government designates USD24.5 million to research clean power sources

  March 15, 2021
  The US government has recently designated about USD24.5 million to subsidise research by manufacturers on clean power sources and battery technology to help create a climate-friendly electricity grid.

• 345 kV New York Energy Solution project works commence [free access]

  March 11, 2021
  Construction work has started on the 54.5-mile (87.7-km) New York Energy Solution project, which stretches from Rensselaer County to Dutchess County in the New York state, to bring more high-powered energy into the Hudson Valley.

• Lawmakers plan bills in response to Texas blackout, experts skeptical

  March 10, 2021
  A Texas House Speaker recently announced seven priority bills, in response to the catastrophic power grid failure that occurred in Texas in mid-February 2021.

• US DoE launches design, construction of grid energy storage research facility

  March 9, 2021
  The US Department of Energy (DoE) has recently launched the design and construction of a USD75 million facility—Grid Storage Launchpad (GSL), located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington.

• Tesla unit eyes battery energy storage in Texas

  March 8, 2021
  The Gambit Energy Storage LLC—a subsidiary of Tesla—will be developing a 100 MW lithium-ion battery energy storage facility, south of Houston, Texas by June 2021.

• VEIR debuts new approach to electricity transmission for grid transformation

  March 4, 2021
  VEIR—a Boston-based company—has developed a new approach to using High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) for electricity transmission, under which it has recently debuted a new architecture for high-voltage, superconducting transmission lines to transform the grid.

• US deploys record-high 2,156 MWh new storage solutions in fourth quarter of 2020

  March 4, 2021
  According to the US Energy Storage Monitor Report by Wood Mackenzie—a UK-based research and consultancy group, and US Energy Storage Association (ESA)—a national trade association backed by various storage-related government departments, the US brought 2,156 MWh of new energy storage systems online in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2020, a new record for storage with an increase of 182 per cent over the third quarter (Q3).

• Construction commences on Marcy to New Scotland Upgrade project

  March 3, 2021
  Construction of transmission lines in the Mohawk Valley and Capital Region (also known as Capital District), New York has begun under the USD854 million, 345 kV Marcy to New Scotland Upgrade project.

• Xcel Energy backs USD1.7 billion transmission project, supporting Colorado’s clean energy plan

  March 2, 2021
  The investor-owned energy utility, Xcel Energy, recently announced plans to launch the USD1.7 billion Colorado Power Pathway transmission project.