April 22
National Grid Outlines Vision to Eliminate Fossil Fuels
Top consumer smart energy news hand-selected and brought to you by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.
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National Grid released its plans this week to fully eliminate fossil fuels from its gas and electric systems by 2050. National Gridʻs Clean Energy Vision: A fossil-free future for cleanly heating homes and businesses targets a hybrid approach that would replace fossil fuels from gas networks with renewable natural gas (RNG) and green hydrogen. It also calls for maximizing energy efficiency and helping customers electrify their heat.
Jackie Sargent, General Manager of Texas public power utility Austin Energy, has been selected as the 2022 ETS Thought Leader of the Year, Zpryme announced on April 12. Zpryme is a research-based firm in Austin, Texas, with services focused on energy and technology. ETS refers to the Energy Thought Summit, Zpyrme’s signature annual event that brings energy and industry thought leaders together to share ideas and work to solve some of today’s most pressing energy problems.
Electric vehicle sales soared in 2021, nearly doubling 2020 sales numbers. With over 20 new EV models expected to hit showroom floors in 2022, analysts predict another surge of EV sales this year. To better understand the impact of the EV boom, improve resilience and address emerging grid needs, Opinion Dynamics recently completed a study to investigate and determine the load reduction potential of EV Automated Demand Response (ADR) technologies.
Seeking to promote a more random, equitable expansion of solar power, Duke Energy Florida announced a new community effort known as Clean Energy Connection this week, inviting residential, small-and-medium businesses and low-income customers to sign up. As part of the program, Duke Energy customers will be able to subscribe with no obligations to install or maintain their own solar equipment.
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Industry News
Maryland is aiming to have a carbon-neutral economy by 2045 under its Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, enacted earlier this month. The law also requires an unprecedented 60-percent reduction in economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, a significant increase from the state's earlier 40-percent reduction target below 2006 levels. The law provides funding and oversight to help reduce pollution in overburdened communities.
U.S. auto dealerships don’t have a strong track record when it comes to promoting electric vehicles. But with automakers now shifting to EVs in a major way, they won’t have much choice but to take on the task of supporting an increasingly electric-powered fleet before long. One big challenge is the cost and complexity of installing and operating the chargers to keep EVs ready to drive off the lot.
A new survey, released April 21, looks at the attitudes and behaviors of consumers in Great Britain after two years of lockdown living; the result suggest that people are open to the benefits of more flexible living, including in the ways they use energy. Of those surveyed by Smart Energy GB, 70 percent said the pandemic had impacted the way they work and live. Around two-thirds agreed that flexible working has led to a better work-life balance.
Exelon reported historically strong electric service reliability in 2021 across its six utilities. The performance resulted from the company’s strategic investments in energy grid resiliency and modernization, coupled with a commitment to operational excellence and affordability. Among the highlights of the reliability report, Atlantic City Electric customers experienced the lowest frequency of electric outages ever.
