April 25
Ameren Illinois to Help Communities Electrify
Top consumer smart energy news hand-selected and brought to you by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.
Member News
Some 42 communities in central and southern Illinois are set to receive technical assistance from Ameren Illinois to aid in the development of a comprehensive transportation electrification plan. This is being made possible by the Community Engagement & Consultation Program (CEC), which is made possible through Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act of 2021 (CEJA).
The Dos Palos Clean Power project in Merced County, one of California’s first community solar projects, is now online. A joint project from California community choice aggregator Peninsula Clean Energy and Renewable America, Dos Palos will generate 3 MW of solar power as part of the CCA’s Green Access Program, which provides income-qualified customers with a 20-percent reduction to their electric bills.
This week, CLEAResult released its 2024 Sustainability Report, detailing the significant impact of the company’s demand side management programs and services across the United States and Canada. The report contains comprehensive insights into CLEAResult’s climate impact, including the company’s own greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across all scopes.
Avangrid has expanded an existing power purchase agreement (PPA) with Texas-based CPS Energy, a leading provider of electric and natural gas services. Specifically, Avangrid has added another 159.2 MW of capacity from its Peñascal power generation project. This will double CPS Energy’s offtake from Avangrid, rising from 160.8 MW to 320 MW. The additional energy capacity was connected on April 1 and will help power approximately 40,000 more homes.
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Industry News
Aubrey Gunnels, CEO of 3V Infrastructure, understands the risks involved in installing and owning EV chargers in thousands of apartment building garages and condominium parking lots. She also sees the opportunity. Just look at the statistics. By 2030, EVs are expected to make up close to half of all new U.S. car sales.
Total energy consumption in the United States will decline through 2040 before beginning to increase again, the EIA said in its Annual Energy Outlook. Efficiency, and the report’s methodology, both play a role in the decline. The report also indicates significant growth in the production of renewable electricity through 2050, alongside a decline in coal generation.
New York consumers now may tap into an additional $30 million to help save on buying or leasing new EVs through the state’s Drive Clean Rebate program, which provides point-of-sale rebates for more than 60 new EVs. Additionally, incentives for EV chargers through the Charge Ready NY 2.0 program have been updated to expand consumer access to charging at multi-family buildings and workplaces, including hotels.
Californians face steep upfront costs if they want to install solar panels to produce clean power and batteries to back up their homes in outages. A new state program will cover those costs for low-income homeowners, but they still have to pay up to tens of thousands of dollars initially and then wait months for the rebate to come through.
