June 7
Electric Lawn Equipment Could Be Electrification Gateway
Top consumer smart energy news hand-selected and brought to you by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.
Member News
The best way to get people to electrify everything might be getting them to electrify something – anything at all. That’s because those who have already dipped their toes into home electrification are more likely to dive into additional projects, according to a new survey that could help shape electrification programs around the country. The survey, released on Wednesday by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), gathered responses from 1,801 homeowners and renters.
As part of its EVs2Scale2030 initiative, EPRI announced an expansion of its eRoadMAP tool, providing load hosting capacity, or power capacity, for 10 large utilities in five states, with plans to expand nationwide. This information is meant to help fleet operators, logistics providers and charging site developers identify available capacity that is more likely to accommodate electric vehicle (EV) charging sites.
Through the launch of the new Market Development Initiative (MDI), ComEd hopes to provide individuals with the training and resources to help them compete for job opportunities in the energy-efficiency industry, and simultaneously grow that industry throughout Illinois. A recent study by the company predicted the transition to clean energy could create more than 150,000 additional jobs in-state by 2050.
San Antonio, Texas public power utility CPS Energy announced the extension and expansion of a previous 15-year power purchase agreement that will more than double its share from the Avangrid’s Peñascal wind farm in Kenedy County, Texas. The revised PPA will increase the utility’s wind offtake from Peñascal from 77 megawatts to 161 MW. Nearly 40 percent of the total power generated at the Peñascal wind farm is now provided to CPS Energy.
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Industry News
During a power outage or in the evening hours, a home battery can have your back. Working along with solar panels on the roof, batteries can store excess clean power for when you need it. But that flexibility doesn’t come cheap. Installing a typical battery that stores 10 to 13 kilowatt-hours (kWh) costs $10,000 to $15,000, according to the clean energy marketplace EnergySage. Contractors report that the number one reason people decide not to buy home batteries is because they’re too expensive.
An ongoing billing snafu in northern Illinois has some solar companies bracing for turbulence. When the problem is remedied, community solar subscribers will see a backlog of credits on their utility bills, but also accumulated charges for participating in the project. It’s the kind of surprise that can sour customers on community solar and cause them to unsubscribe from a project.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that New York is the first state in the nation to launch its Home Energy Rebates program, created by the Inflation Reduction Act. New York’s program is meant to allow more low-and-middle income families to adopt efficiency and clean energy upgrades. New York’s launch is part of a larger nationwide initiative to provide $8.8 billion in federal funding for states, territories, and tribes to lower energy costs and increase efficiency in American homes.
Wyoming, the nation’s leading coal-producing state, has begun the initial permitting for the construction of its largest utility-scale solar farm, by far. The state’s Industrial Siting Council approved a permit for developer Enbridge in early May to build and operate the Cowboy Solar project, which will be built on private land in Laramie County, in the state’s southeast corner, beginning in March 2025.
