SolarWinds hack may well have affected utilities; VW retooling main plant to make EVs; CATL to put $5 b into Indonesian battery plant; GE upgrading 12 Haliade platform to 14 MW for UK offshore; Bloomberg says battery prices lower yet again, closing on $100/kWh; IHS Markit sees $1.3 trillion going to clean energy 2020 to 2025.

1) As effects of most significant US cyber intrusion to date become apparent, it's likely utilities may have been affected. That will take time to determine

2) VW converting its Wolfsburg plant for highly automated production of EVs, BUT dealerships trailing. Few support the product

3) Contemporary Amperex Technologies to invest $5 billion in Indonesian battery factory. The country has 25% of known nickel deposits

4) GE upscaled offshore wind Haliade platform to 14 MW for the UK Dogger Bank C project.

5) Bloomberg New Energy Finance's 2020 battery price survey's out. Li-ion battery pack prices fell 89% in real terms over ten years to about $137 per kWh. W/ $100 price point in 3 yrs, EVs soon compete with internal combustion engines.

6) IHS Markit sees global investment of $1.3 trillion in clean energy over 5 years. PV leads at $700 bn. Offshore wind at $170 billion. Onshore wind slows to $320 bn.

Developer Terra-Gen, EPC Mortenson with huge solar & storage project in CA, w/1,118 MW solar & 2,165 MWh storage; Ørsted & Amazon ink 250 MW, 10-year offshore wind PPA; Germany sets new offshore wind targets - 20 GW by 2030, 40 GW by 2040; New York pension fund ditches hydrocarbon investments; HQ announces large H2 project; Google/Sidewalk & OhmConnect to develop 550 MW VPP; CEC to support H2 fueling station roll-out; 180 Caddy dealers opt out of EVs

1) Terra-Gen to roll out solar & storage project w/1,118 MW solar & 2,165 MWh storage, built by EPC Mortensen.

2) Ørsted & Amazon ink 250 MW, 10-year PPA for 900 MW German offshore wind project, biggest offshore wind deal in Europe.

3) Germany signs offshore wind law targeting 20 GW by 2030 & 40 GW by 2040.

4) NY State $226 billion pension fund to shift from fossil fuel stocks by 2025.

5) HQ to build 90 MW electrolyzer facility, converting hydropower into H2 supplying 11,100 metric tons of H2 & 88,000 metric tons of O annually to a recycling plant.

6) Google-backed Sidewalk & OhmConnect announce $100 million 550 MW virtual power plant networking CA homes.

7) CEC approves up to $115 million for 100+ H2 fueling stations by 2027.

8) 150 of GM's 880 Caddy dealers opt out of supporting EVs

U.S. Storage posts record quarter; Blackrock unveils climate risk tool; GE pushes Cypress wind platform to 6 MW; FERC about to get two new commissioners; Denmark says no to hydrocarbons; VW EV drivers on grand Deutschland tour; Ambri liquid metal battery gets a new lease on life.

1) The US storage industry crushes numbers for Q3, w/476 MW/764 MWh installed. Resi hits 52 MW/119 MWh.

2) BlackRock rolls out "Aladdin" to evaluate climate change risk on investment portfolios.

3) GE pushes 5.3 MW Cyprus Onshore Wind Platform 6 MW, engineered for up-tower repairs and predictive maintenance. Output to increase by about 11%.

4) Two new FERC commissioners nominated: Democrat Allison Clemens and Republican Mark Christie. Full Senate must approve.

5) Denmark says 'farvel' to oil and gas, cancels latest hydrocarbon licensing round, and parliament says no more oil and gas production by 2050.

6) In Germany, two drivers take a VW ID.3 EV 17K miles on extended gander, charging at 652 fast-charging stations and at 865 VW dealerships.

7) Liquid metal battery co Ambri, does Monte Python "I'm not dead yet" routine, w/TerraScale announcing a deal w/Ambri for 500 MWh to serve a huge datacenter complexion Reno, NV. 1st part is 250 MWh by 2021.

GM tells Cadillac dealers play EV ball or we'll buy you out; Japan makes move into offshore wind; South Korea's Doosan heading in same direction, adding some H2 to mix; Modular nuclear reactor company NuScale faces uphill climb

1) GM, having significantly upped EV investment ante, tells Cadillac dealers to get on board w/ supporting electric Caddy or take a buy-out, up to $500K. Dealers have been poor to date at supporting EVs; this may change that.

2) Japan opens 1st tender for fixed-bottom offshore wind, with 10 GW target by 2030.

3) South Korea's Doosan Heavy Industries signs MOU w/ Korea South-East Power Co to develop 2 GW offshore wind, including floating wind. Doosan also jumping into green H2 w/ production, storage, & utilization demo project using 3 MW of wind power energy, to generate 600 kg of H2 per day.

4) Small modular nuclear reactors may hold promise, but near turn news not so good: NuScale price tag up to $6.1 bn, and some members of the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems - potential project off-takers - have jumped ship, w/others re-evaluating after change in project ownership and financing. On more positive note, NuScale increasing reactor capacity from 720 MW to 924 MW, by changing operating mode.

Three of UK's largest energy cos to build offshore wind super-highway to bring Scottish wind to UK; Maine & California looking at floating wind; CA PUC eyeing accelerated V2G; GM announces increased EV investment & better batteries; Invenergy to build 1,310 MW solar in TX (largest in U.S.)

1) Three of UK's largest energy companies planning on 270-mile, 2 GW, HVDC offshore wind transmission super-highway to bring Scottish wind to UK

2) Maine Governor Mills announces floating offshore wind pilot, w/up to a dozen floating turbines connected to the grid in Southern ME

3) California State Land Commission receives two applications for floating offshore wind

4) California PUC opens rulemaking in response to bill requiring PUC to adopt V2G integration strategies by 2030.

5) GM announces updates in its Ultium battery chemistry & platform engineering to increase the range of top EVs to 450 miles, will also roll out 30 EVs by 2025, with some costing < $30,000, & increasing EV spending by > 33%, to $27 bn.

6) Invenergy building 1,310 MW solar project in TX, largest in U.S. PPAs w/ATT, McDonalds, Google, Honda, Google, Home Depot, and Texas cities.

Australian mining giant Fortescue announces plan to develop 235 GW(!) of renewables & hydrogen; Talen Energy ditches 3.6 GW of PJM coal, moves towards solar; DOE releases hydrogen plan; and MISO w/57 GW of solar in queue

1) Fortescue - 4th largest iron mining company on planet, announces plan for 235 gigawatts of renewables & hydrogen. No timeline, but commitment to spend Australian $1 billion through 2023. Plan is to attract billions in financing for projects it IDs. Fortescue has 40 executives working on plan; already visited 23 countries, w/ 24 to go. It aims for net zero on or before 2040.

2) Talen Energy Group strikes deal w/Sierra Club to retire 3.6 gigawatts of PJM power plants in PA & MD, & build 1 GW of solar plants, starting w/100 megawatts adjacent to Montour coal plant late 2021.

3) DOE releases hydrogen program plan, w/aim to coordinate R&D & development activities across agencies "to advance the affordable production, transport, storage, and use of hydrogen across the different sectors of the economy."

4) PV Magazine reports that MISO has 57 GW of utility scale solar in the queue. Typically roughly 20% in the queue gets built. MISO trails ERCOT's 75 GW solar queue, but it's a big step forward.

Eos Energy signs a deal with developer Hecate for about 1,000 MWh of zinc battery energy storage; Chatterjee out of FERC Chair; Dominion continues shift towards sustainability; Engie nixes $7bn US LNG deal;

1) Eos Energy signs w/Hecate for 1,000 MWh of battery projects in New Mexico, Colorado, & Texas. The Eos zinc product has 5,000 cycles of longer duration (up to 12 hrs).

2)The current administration replaces FERC Chairman, Neil Chatterjee, with more conservative James Danly, likely because of Chatterjee stance on Order 2222 and carbon.

3) Dominion Energy quits natgas pipeline biz for good, and intensifies focus on offshore wind, part of "an unwavering path towards net zero energy."

4) Engie pulls the plug on $7 billion LNG import contract, citing concerns with US regs related to CH4.

5) 10% of all vehicles sold in Europe last quarter had a plug in them (about 275,000 total, w/ 50% plug-in hybrids and 50% pure electrics).

6) Don't steal a Tesla and esp. not in Australia from a victim w/attitude and sense of play.

Energy storage is proliferating across the electric grid at a rapid pace, on both sides of the meter. Storage can provide value in numerous applications and use cases are growing quickly, especially as more renewable generation enters the grid.

This four-hour course will help you understand the critical elements related to energy storage – with a focus on batteries - including the technologies, business models and regulatory issues. It will discuss how storage is critical to the future evolution of the grid, and how batteries interact with wholesale markets, distribution utilities, and end users.

Who Should Attend

The same energy professionals who have attended storage workshops at conferences across the country:

Utility employees, staff of renewables companies, investors, public advocates, regulatory staff, lawyers – in short, everybody in the electric energy industry who wishes they understood more about the potential for energy storage across the electric grid.

Blue Bird buses go V2G; France solicits H2 projects; Tesla & Octopus create special offer and VPP; large energy companies w/ huge CCS project in N Sea; RI solicits add'l 600 MW offshore wind

1) Bluebird buses fully V2G, allowing communities to use e-buses as emergency backup power sources;

2) France solicits H2 projects that will push the envelope;

3) UK homeowners w/Tesla Powerwall, solar and EVs can partner w/Octopus & Tesla in VPP and get preferential rate; 4)BP, Eni, Equinor, National Grid, Shell, & Total form Northern Endurance Partnership to develop offshore carbon transport and storage in large N. Sea reservoir, w/potential to cut total UK industrial carbon output by 50%;

5) Rhode Island issues a 600 MW offshore wind solicitation;

6) Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia to form New Smart Power Alliance to coordinate 6.8 GW of offshore wind

29% of Australian homes w/rooftop solar; Australia govt approves massive 26 GW renewables project involving H2 ; Abu Dhabi also talking H2; solar panel giant Jinko moves into storage game; SK Innovations advances fast-charge battery to extend EV range; LG Chem to triple cylindrical cell prod'n & increase form factor 5x; Tesla w/2 mn mile battery; NextEra sees solid state w/in three years & 50 H2 projects pipeline.

1) 29% of Aussi homes have solar; generated 71% of energy in grid on 9/13.
2) Aussi govt says yes to $36 bn, 2,500 mi² Asian Renewable Energy Hub w/ 26 GW of wind & solar projects to generate green H2.
3) Abu Dhabi's 2 GW PV plant (@ 1.35 cents/kWh) eyeing manufacture of green H2.
4) Jinko moving into batteries w/ LiFP offerings behind the meter & utility scale.
5) SK Innovation developing new cells that need two 10-minute charges to get 500 miles of EV range.
6) LG Chem plans to triple cylindrical cell prod'n, & develop larger cylindrical cells to increase energy density by 5x & power 6x, similar Tesla.
7) Tesla scientist Jeff Dahn presents test results for 10,000+ cycle battery w/ 2 mn miles for EVs.
8) NextEra says next 2-3 yrs will see solid-state batteries, & it has pipeline of 50 potential green H2 projects

The FERC proposes policy statement that it has jurisdiction over markets to incorporate state-determined carbon prices; MHI Vestas promises an offshore turbine well beyond its current 10 MW platform; Port of Rotterdam announces success w/microgrid; and Ohio turbine to convert to burn hydrogen

1) The FERC says it has jurisdiction over market rules to incorporate state-determined carbon prices in wholesale markets. Chairman Chatterjee "Carbon pricing has emerged as an important market-based tool that has wide support from across sectors." Comments due in 30 days.
2) MHI Vestas to upgrade its 10 MW offshore wind platform. They've been getting kicked around by GE and Siemens Gamesa and recently had a contract expire with Vineyard Wind, that was not renewed. Time to go bigger, much bigger.
3) Port of Rotterdam announces microgrid project demonstrated first high-frequency decentralized energy market. Using blockchain participants both reduced electricity costs 11% and increased the amount of renewables by 14% over 1st 2 mos.
4) Partners New Fortress Energy and GE announce they intend to take a 485 MW gas-fired CCT and use it to burn hydrogen, starting small and ramping to 100% green hydrogen by 2030.

Prelim report investigating California's controlled load shed ID's multiple factors; September EV sales in Germany & Norway encouraging;

1) CA report IDs causes of load sheds, including: most heat in 35 years; LDCs under-forecasting; gen plant forced outages; lower than anticipated imports; and some poor planning;

2) Germany sold 21,000 EVs in Sept, - 15% mkt share, and Norway sold 9,500 - 61.5% mkt share;

3) Vestas increased its EnVentus onshore wind platform from 5.6 MW to 6 MW w/ 3% more energy output;

4) Generac buying Enbala Power Networks, jumping into Virtual Power Plant game;

5) Pres. Trump to increase panel import tariffs from 15% to 18% in 2021. P. Navarro recently touted the success of program on $8.5 billion worth of imports to date. Over $2 bn has been paid by Americans to increase price of panels, resulting in a decline in the amount of solar projects, which would have created far more jobs;

6) A new study suggests large-scale solar proj's underperforming by about 6.3% relative to forecasts. 

Vistra announces more coal closures and a move to renewables; LONGi bringing 12 GWs of annual manufacturing online to produce 540 watt bi-facial modules; Dominion/Orsted commission 12 MW Virginia offshore wind project; FERC holds hearings on carbon pricing

1) Vistra to retire 6,800 MW of coal plants in IL & OH, bringing total of existing or planned retirements to 16,000 MW change in leadership in 2016. It also announces portfolio of nearly 1,000 MW of solar, storage, and solar+storage, mostly in ERCOT.

2) Major cell/module maker LONGi achieves volume production - 12 GW - for 540 w bifacial Hi-MO5 series module @ 21% conversion efficiency. Back side offers another 15% additional total energy gain. Put into context, 2019 U.S. solar was 13.3 GW.

3) Dominion Energy/Orsted commissions 12MW offshore wind facility "Coastal Virginia," w/2x6 SG turbines. First offshore project in federal waters. Next up for Dominion, its 2.6 GW offshore wind facility in 2024.

4) FERC holds carbon pricing conference in an effort to find common ground between state policies & wholesale markets. Agreement among many that carbon pricing an efficient approach but a long way to go.

Tesla's Battery Day promises big advances; Daimler Benz announces solid state battery; CA PUC updates Rule 21 for DER Interconnections; China pledges net zero by 2026

1) Musk and team lay out manifesto for cutting battery prices by 50%, down to about $50 per kWh, focusing on multiple targets from the battery architecture, use of solid electrolyte, redesign of plant, and sourcing of raw materials. Tesla plans to scale from 100 GWh to 3,000 GWh or 3 TWh.

2) Daimler Benz announces a solid-state battery for its articulated bus, the eCitaro G.

3) California's PUC updates rule 21, governing the connection of DERs (hosting capacity) to the grid, incorporating data on actual grid conditions at interconnection points, and special rules for batteries.

4) China pledges carbon neutrality by 2060. It's currently responsible for 28% of global greenhouse gas emissions. China now has a net zero pledge and the US does not.

Battery Fire in the UK; FERC Clears the Way for DERS in Wholesale Markets; PA RGGI Fight Heats Up; and Google Takes Next Bold Step in Supplying Portfolio w/Clean Energy 24*7

1) Ørsted's 20 MW battery complex in Liverpool caught fire last week. Not much news out yet, but facility developed by now-defunct NEC had LG Chem batteries, (as did APS McMicken facility w/thermal runaway and explosion last yr).

2) FERC order 2222 sets path for DERs to broadly offer services in the wholesale markets. Commissioner Neil Chatterjee cited studies of between 65 and 380 GW of distributed energy resources coming online by 2025. A huge amount of information and coordination between ISOs & utilities will be required, & much stronger cybersec as well.

3) PA battle over joining RGGI heats up (both Houses oppose).

4) Google's making waves again, to carbon neutralize its entire energy ecosystem, and to match clean supply w/consumption hour for hour, setting a new bar for the industry and those with carbon goals.

FERC rejects NYISO plan to integrate in-state renewables; PG&E shuts power to 170,000 in fire season; Italy's top bank goes negative on coal; Greece follows suit, and so does S. Korea; Nissan hits 1/2 million Leafs; Nikola in a heap of trouble

1) FERC rejects NYISO's proposed changes to capacity market in order to integrate renewables necessary for 70% clean energy goals by 2030. Echoes of PJM's MOPR just begging for state-level insurrection;

2) In Calipocalypse, PG&E began preemptive power shut-offs 9/7 and restored on 9/10, affecting nearly 172,000;

3) Italy's top bank UniCredit limits exposure to coal investments, going to zero by 2028;

4) Greece to spend nearly $6 billion to facilitate shutting of coal plants by 2028. Replacements to include 2.3 GW of solar;

5) S. Korea to close 30 coal power plants by 2034, w/10 by 2022, and rest by 2034. They'll triple solar & wind and bump EVs from 110,000 to 1.3 million;

6) Nissan's 500,000th LEAF rolled off UK production line last week;

7)Nikola & GM announced strategic partnership w/Nikola to use GMs Ultium battery system and Hydrotec fuel cell technology. Two days later, massive fraud allegations threaten entire deal.

Mitsubishi wins order for 3 hydrogen-compatible turbines; NextEra to deploy 700 MW of batteries in CA; EOS w/orders for 1,500 MWh of zinc-based storage in CA and TX; 18% of Europe's July car sales were electric; KIA's 1st 800 volt-capable EV out next year; Total and Macquarie partner on 2 GW of floating wind;

1) Mitsubishi won order for nearly 3,300 MW of hydrogen-compatible turbines for 3 projects in New York, Ohio, & Virginia.
2) NextEra will deploy 700 MW of batteries in CA, w/ additional 2,000 MW in pipeline.
3) EOS announced orders for over 1.5 GWh of long-duration zinc-based battery projects in TX and CA.
4) 18% of July car sales Europe were electric.
5) KIA's first EV that can take 800 V charging coming out next year.
6) Total and Macquarie signed a 50/50 partnership to develop 2 GW of floating offshore wind projects in S. Korea.
7) Fossil-free Steel just got a major step closer with Swedish steel company SSAB, state utility Vattenfall, & mining company LKAB, announcing pilot plan to use clean electricity & hydrogen to make fossil-free sponge iron.

GE looking at 120 meter offshore blades; Portugal nails another record price for solar; Kia looking at 800 volt charging capability; SoCalEd to build out EV charging network: California outage report expected in next few weeks

1) GE and Dutch government working on a rotor test rig that will allow development of offshore blades up to 120 meters;

2) Portugal's recent 670 MW solar tender w/ record-setting bid of $13.16/MWh. Last year's best Portuguese number was $17.40.

3) Kia will introduce 800 volt charging unit, but will focus on European sales in next few years, eventually w/ 20% of total vehicle sales in US to be electric by 2026.

4) Southern California Edison receives approval for $436 million infrastructure charging effort for 38,000 EV chargers over the coming four years, w/make-ready elements up to the charging station.

5) Renewables initially blamed for California blackouts a week and a half ago, but CAISO and the PUC have pushed back. The PUC intends to release an analysis in the next few weeks. It needs to be both fast and thorough report, a difficult challenge.

Painting one blade black reduces wind turbine bird deaths; Neoen w/massive wind/solar/battery project in Australia; battery manufacturer SK innovations shooting for nearly cobalt - free batteries; Capital Dynamics teaming w/Tenaska on 2GW of batteries in CA; 28 double-decker buses doing V2G in UK

1) Norwegian researchers: paint one blade black & birds avoid wind blades, w/deaths down 72%;

2) French developer Neoen files application for $3 bn wind, solar, & storage project in S. Australia w/ 1,200 MW of wind, 600 MW of solar, & 900 MW/1800 MWh of batteries - some transmission required;

3) Korean manufacturer, SK Innovations, plans to cut cobalt content in battery down to 5% by 2023, & to 0.5% by 2030.

4) Capital Dynamics joins w/ Tenaska to develop nine battery storage systems in CA, totaling 2,000 MW. Meanwhile, Avista announced two weeks ago permitting for 1,500 MW and 6,000 MWh of storage in Moss Landing area, near CA's Bay area.

5) 28 electric double-decker buses are being tied together in one of largest vehicle to grid projects in world, to deliver 1 MW of capacity into UK grid. V2G will pop in coming years. There's too much money & too many GWh of storage rolling around on wheels for it not to happen.

Google w/ $5.75 bn in sustainable bonds; Maine floating wind project getting geared up; BP to spend $5bn on sustainable energy; Global coal gen sees first decline ever; Your EV can pay for your parking

1) Google offered $5.75 billion of sustainable bonds - vastly oversubscribed - focused on clean energy, and smart buildings.

2) Mitsubishi and German developer RWE Renewables teaming up w/ the U of Maine's Aqua Ventus to build a 10-12 MW floating wind project off Maine. Floating wind should scale very rapidly.

3) BP plans to cut oil and gas production, invest $5 billion into clean energy by 2030, as part of a major strategic shift. It projects demand in fossil fuels to decline by up to 75% by 2050, if world is to meet global climate goal of 1.5 degrees celsius.

4) ExxonMobil confirmed low energy prices related to COVID have wiped 20% of its projects off the balance sheet. Low COVID demand is merely a dress rehearsal for the future climate constrained world we're about to move into.

5) Bloomberg reported for 1st time in history, coal fire gen capacity declined in 1st half of year as coronavirus cut demand.

6) Nissan announced program w/Nissan LEAF drivers paying for parking with power from car.