December 2
FirstEnergy’s Smart Grid Growing in Pennsylvania
Top consumer smart energy news hand-selected and brought to you by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.
Member News
Penn Power, a FirstEnergy electric company in western Pennsylvania, continues to expand its smart grid to reinforce the local power system and help prevent lengthy service disruptions, especially during severe weather. The company said on November 18 that work includes installation of new, automated equipment and technology in distribution substations and along neighborhood power lines serving more than 20,000 customers.
Based on new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and an announcement from the Citizens Utility Board, bills for customers of ComEd are currently among the five lowest in the country and lower on average than those in 49 out of 50 states. The company quickly seized on that revelation, touting its place in the rankings, which have already been historically good.
About 27.5 percent of U.S. households qualify to participate in low-income energy efficiency programs, yet they benefit from just 13 percent of electric and gas utility efficiency spending, according to a report published recently by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Despite the disparity, ACEEE says utility spending on income-qualified customers is on the rise.
Between global decarbonization efforts, the increased adoption of DERs, such as solar PV, and the Inflation Reduction Act, utilities are challenged more than ever to adapt the way in which they do business. Whether through legislative changes to national electric infrastructure or through the pressures of tech disruption, utilities must rise to meet an evolving electric need.
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Industry News
Figuring out what a used EV is worth means figuring out the health of its most expensive component – its battery. But today, the battery inside a used EV is something of a black box. Manufacturing defects, driving behaviors, charging patterns and weather conditions can all significantly impact the health of an EV battery over time.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently announced a five-year, $1 billion transportation electrification program to prioritize investment to bolster EV adoption. As a result, the state will form a central policy-driven funding structure for utility transportation electrification efforts.
As federal money from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law begins to flow, growing numbers of transit agency orders for electric buses are challenging bus manufacturers to deliver these vehicles amid continued supply chain disruptions. The Federal Transit Administration announced that about $1.6 billion in grants has been made available to transit agencies, territories and states.
Tropical Storm Irene caused widespread devastation when it roared into Vermont in the summer of 2011. And few communities fared worse than the remote mountain town of Rochester. Tucked between the two main ranges of the Green Mountains, Rochester was cut off in every direction for days after flood waters destroyed access roads and other infrastructure.
