August 19
Duke Energy Launches Bi-Directional Charging Pilot with Ford
Top consumer smart energy news hand-selected and brought to you by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.
Member News
As utilities across the world seek reliable solutions to keep the lights on for customers amid an ever-changing grid, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology powered by bi-directional EV charging might just be the answer they need. Duke Energy Florida said on August 16 that it is working on a research and development pilot using Ford F-150 Lightning electric trucks as a grid resource.
Twenty-one percent of American consumers fall into the Green Pioneers segment, a “sweet spot” of utility customers who highly value technology and environmental values, according to a report from the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC). For over a decade, SECC has studied consumer attitudes and behaviors around energy.
Toledo Edison said it is wrapping up smart grid upgrades in Lucas County, Ohio. The upgrades are expected to help prevent or minimize the length of electric power service disruptions, particularly during severe weather. Upgrades began in 2020 under the company’s initial three-year portfolio of electric grid modernization work and is on track to be completed this summer.
A request to transfer millions from Con Edison’s collected and unspent funds – along with future authorized electric energy efficiency budgets – into its Clean Heat program was approved last week by the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC). The Clean Heat Program is a New York State-run program that all major utilities participate in, promoting electrification of space and water heating.
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Industry News
Maine weatherization contractors are scrambling to hire and expand as state incentives and soaring oil prices cause a surge in demand for their services. Contractors registered with Efficiency Maine, the major administrator of efficiency programs in the state, are on pace to insulate twice as many houses this year as last.
The California Energy Commission recently adopted a report establishing offshore wind goals, bringing the state one step closer to developing its coastal resources. Preliminary findings of the report set planning goals of 2,000 to 5,000 MW of offshore wind by 2030 and 25,000 MW by 2045. The report is the first of four that the CEC has been directed to produce by AB 525 by no later than June 30, 2023.
When it comes to provisions for electric vehicles, the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits for passenger EVs – and the confusion over whether the law’s domestic-production and battery-sourcing requirements will bar most EVs from being eligible – have gotten the lion’s share of media attention.
Illinois is one of five states where the U.S. Department of Energy is piloting a program to expand community solar for low-income households by leveraging an existing federal low-income heating and cooling assistance program. Solar programs aimed at low-income customers have often struggled because of bureaucratic and pragmatic barriers, including verifying income qualifications.
