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Alltricity Network Member Information
RMEL's trusted network is now accessible on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. These are forums intended for RMEL members only. Working side-by-side in a cooperative manner, RMEL members band together for the common goal of bettering the industry and improving service for utility customers. For more than 100 years, these key principles have proven successful, and more importantly, are tried and true methods for building strong business relationships.

 

RMEL Champions is a prestigious group of RMEL supporters with access to useful and beneficial promotional opportunities. Thank you 2021 RMEL Champions!

Visit https://bit.ly/2QtVZrJ to view the full article online.

Industry Information
  
Eastern Interconnection grid operators and planners including Southern Co., Duke Energy and the PJM Interconnection called for more transmission and coordination to help meet renewable energy goals in a white paper released Tuesday.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/southern-duke-grid-planners-transmission-renewables-FERC/607831/ to view the full article online.

Global energy storage deployments will nearly triple in 2021 compared to last year, reaching 12 GW/28 GWh this year, according to a new report from Wood Mackenzie.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/global-energy-storage-set-to-nearly-triple-in-2021-wood-mackenzie-forecast/607905/ to view the full article online.

 
  
The Lower Colorado River Authority has completed a more than 12-year project to upgrade the floodgates at Buchanan Dam to maintain continued reliable and safe operations at the dam.

Visit https://www.hydroreview.com/dams-and-civil-structures/lcra-completes-51-million-project-to-upgrade-buchanan-dam-floodgates/ to view the full article online.

The demand for electric vehicles has never been higher. Government leaders see the elimination of internal combustion vehicles as a crucial step to reduce global emissions and slow the effects of climate change.

Visit https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/storage/battery-recyclings-big-chance/ to view the full article online.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $45 million in funding for 12 projects to advance point-source carbon capture and storage technologies that can capture at least 95% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from natural gas power and industrial facilities that produce commodities like cement and steel. 

Visit https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-invests-45-million-decarbonize-natural-gas-power-and-industrial-sectors-using-carbon to view the full article online.

  
After more than three years of rigorous review and analysis, the Bonneville Power Administration has decided to join the Western Energy Imbalance Market in March 2022. 

Visit https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/t-d/56/923406/bpa-on-path-to-join-western-energy-imbalance-market-in-march-2022.html to view the full article online.

This week on the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast, guest Kevin Hernandez, Partner of Grid Edge Community of Practice at ScottMadden, shared what he's seeing as trends in the electric vehicle space as the utility stakeholders continue to brace for the massive changes that will be necessary. 

Visit https://energycentral.com/news/preparing-utility-sector-evs-scottmaddens-kevin-hernandez-shares-critical-advice-energy-central to view the full article online.

The market data provided here are republished, with permission, from data collected by the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and are updated biweekly.

Visit https://www.eia.gov/electricity/wholesale/ to view the full article online.

 
  
A new trial in Australia is tackling the regulatory aspect of DER marketplaces hoping to answer the question: How does a utility earn a return on customer-sited assets?

Visit https://www.power-grid.com/der-grid-edge/grid-hardening-through-der-could-soon-be-a-viable-profitable-solution-for-utilities/ to view the full article online.

Some say the power generation mix of the future will be nearly all renewable energies and battery storage, exclusive above all other resources. Fossil fuels like coal and natural gas are living on borrowed time, they say.

Visit https://www.power-eng.com/gas/gas-fired-role-in-net-zero-future-front-and-center-in-octobers-powergen-series/ to view the full article online.

Freshly emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Chesapeake Energy today announced a deal to acquire publicly traded Vine Energy for $2.2 billion, or $15 per share.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2021/08/11/a-decade-after-aubrey-mcclendon-caught-the-tiger-by-the-tail---chespeake-energy-returns-to-haynesville-shale-with-big-acquisition/?sh=6ad01fe85c93 to view the full article online.

European electricity producers are snapping up coal cargoes as a shortage of natural gas forces utilities to burn the dirtiest of fossil fuels.

Visit https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-24/starved-of-gas-european-electricity-producers-snap-up-coal?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm to view the full article online.

 
Member Announcements
Austin Energy is seeing unprecedented demand among its customers for whole house generators and solar panels with batteries designed to act as backup power sources during electrical outages. 

Visit https://austinenergy.com/ae/about/news/news-releases/2021/unprecedented-demand-for-backup-power-options to view the full article online.


APS CEO Jeff Guldner recently participated in an insightful 1-on-1 podcast. During the 23-minute Q&A with iHeartMedia’s William Harfosh, Guldner discussed our Clean Energy Commitment, electric vehicles, climate change, our reliability compared to the recent situation in Texas, and economic development in Arizona.

Visit https://www.aps.com/en/About/Our-Company/Newsroom/Articles/Podcast-explores-how-clean-energy-shift-will-impact-Arizona to view the full article online.

Basin Electric announced today the cooperative is partnering with ALLETE of Duluth, Minn., and Dairyland Power Cooperative of La Crosse, Wisconsin, to develop new natural gas-based generation.

Visit https://www.basinelectric.com/News-Center/news-releases/Basin-Electric-partners-with-Dairyland-Power-Cooperative-and-ALLETE-to-add-new-natural-gas-generation to view the full article online.

 
Representatives of Nebraska Public Power District, The City of York and Solar Developer GRNE will hold an official groundbreaking event for the York Community Solar project located at 1214 Road 15 (York landfill), north of York.

Visit https://www.nppd.com/press-releases/nppd-partners-on-groundbreaking-ceremony-in-york-for-new-community-solar-project to view the full article online.

  
The Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors promoted Troy Via to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer and Vice President -- Utility Operations, effective Oct. 31. 

Visit https://www.oppd.com/news-resources/news-releases/2021/september/oppd-board-promotes-vice-president-to-chief-operating-officer/ to view the full article online.

Several electric providers that serve millions of customers in the Western United States announced plans today to evaluate regional market solutions together. 

Visit https://www.pacificorp.com/about/newsroom/news-releases/power-providers-explore-western-market-options.html to view the full article online.

On the heels of announcing signed agreements for three new solar power plants in Arizona, SRP announced its largest standalone solar power plant to soon be under development northwest of Flagstaff, Arizona. 

Visit https://media.srpnet.com/srp-signs-contract-for-its-largest-solar-power-plant-in-arizona/ to view the full article online.

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association would continue to meet its carbon dioxide reduction and clean energy goals as identified in its Responsible Energy Plan and supported in a supplemental Electric Resource Plan (ERP) filing made today with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

Visit https://tristate.coop/tri-state-advances-clean-energy-emissions-reductions-goals-supplemental-electric-resource-plan to view the full article online.

  
Recently, two solar salesmen came to my home in Brighton offering to convince me of the value of adding solar. Their main sales pitch was a false narrative that United Power rates were slated to increase “dramatically” over the next several years due to our ongoing conversations with our power supplier, Tri-State G&T, about a contract modification. 

Visit https://www.unitedpower.com/septoct-message-mark-gabriel to view the full article online.

  

At Tucson Electric Power, we believe our differences make us stronger. Diversity, equity and inclusion are a core part of our company culture. Here are some of the key ways we champion an inclusive, diverse environment and work to make meaningful progress both inside our company and throughout our community.

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/three-ways-were-working-to-advance-diversity-equity-inclusion/ to view the full article online.

As WAPA's Human Performance Improvement/Just Culture Program gains traction, Human Performance Program Manager Krystall Valencia is interested in better educating employees on how the program benefits them.

Visit https://www.wapa.gov/newsroom/NewsFeatures/2021/Pages/human-performance-enhances-safety-culture.aspx to view the full article online.


Xcel Energy has started work on an $8.4 million electric substation on Northeast 24th Avenue near Whitaker Road that will open more opportunities for business growth and job creation in northeast Amarillo.

Visit https://co.my.xcelenergy.com/s/about/newsroom/press-release/xcel-energy-center-port-substation-to-power-growth-20Y2R000000bliJUAQ to view the full article online.

White Paper
Researchers have identified a key mechanism responsible for the lower efficiencies of organic solar cells and shown a way that this hurdle might be overcome.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210929112803.htm to view the full article online.