Renault joins Veolia & Solvay in battery recycling effort; Audi to stop R&D on combustion engines; Texas wind farms lose billions in Feb freeze; CA agencies warn renewable investments vastly insufficient to meet 2045 goals; IRENA warns on similar issue globally, w/$131 tn needed to meet 2050 1.5 degree target; SPP hits new renewable mark; VW lays out EV manifesto w/battery cost reduction of 50% & 6 gigafactories

1) Renault Group teams up w/waste & recycling co Veolia & chemical group Solvay, to recycle li-ion batteries.

2) Audi ceases investments in new internal combustion engines; Mercedes as well.

3) Dozens of Texas wind farms lose billions of dollars in February freeze, owing to contract structures obligating deliveries.

4) CA agencies: state behind in necessary investments for decarbonized grid by 2045. Meanwhile, state IOUs push back against net metering.

5) IRENA cites enormous gap to close if world to stay at 1.5°C target by 2050. Investment must increase to estimated $131 trillion by 2050 to avert catastrophic climate change.

6) SPP sets new renewables record (wind) at 81.39% on 3/14.

7) VW's Power Day highlights plan for six 40 GWh battery factories in Europe, w/battery cost cutting goal of 50%.

GM plans evolution to lithium metal batteries; DOE to focus on battery technology research; offshore Vineyard Wind project moves through federal environmental review; VW to increase emphasis on recycling battery materials; Salzgitter AG to create wind-to-hydrogen steel plant

1) GM President Mark Reuss indicates company will evolve battery tech to lithium metal.

2) DOE will devote billions of dollars to new EV and battery R&D through its Loan Program Office, a strategic move to claw back some dominance from China.

3) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management completes analysis of 800-MW Vineyard Wind Project off Massachusetts.

4) VW increases focus on recycling used batteries, initiating a pilot battery recycling program in Salzgitter, Germany.

5) Salzgitter AG, one of Europe's largest steel producers, announces wind-to-hydrogen steel plant, w/30-MW wind farm & two Siemens 1.25-MW electrolyzers. Goal is to eliminate carbon in iron ore smelting and reduce CO2 emissions by around 95% by 2050.

Xcel files plan to build $1.7bn, 560 mile line to coordinate w/3 utilities to bring CO renewables to load centers; six SE US utilities to collaborate in build-out of EV charging network; Texas actors squabble as ratepayers suffer; Highview power advances liquid air long-duration storage.

1) Xcel Energy files a plan w/regulators $1.7 billion 560-mile transmission project to move renewable energy to load, will collaborate w/3 other utilities.

2) FERC Chair Richard Click says U.S. won't reach GHG goals w/o high-voltage transmission lines to integrate more renewables.

3) AEP, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Entergy, Southern Co, & TVA create Electric Highway Coalition to develop network of EV fast chargers across SE U.S.

4) Texas actors point fingers, w/gas & utility operators disagreeing on root causes. W/o intelligent & combined oversight, don't expect improvements soon.

5) ERCOT is in a bind, and $2.5 billion short-paid. Moody's downgrades and notes current protocols dictate uplift payments will be recouped in 80 years (not a typo).

6) Frozen air storage company Highview Power claims a dozen firm projects in pipeline, at roughly 400 MW and 4 GWh. Another 60 projects possible. Let's hope some are in Texas.

Montgomery County, MD to lease 326 bi-directional e-buses; Hydrogen Council reports 228 H2 projects in pipeline, w/value > $300 billion; FERC gives prelim approval to 2.2 GW, $3.6 billion Navajo Energy Storage pumped-hydro project; NY's Port of Albany eyeing $200 mn facility to manufacture offshore wind towers; Dragos reports growing number of state-sponsored cyber actors, w/increased focus on utilities; USPS awards Oshkosh 10-yr contract for electric delivery vehicles

1) Montgomery County votes to lease 326 e-buses that will be bi-directional.

2) Hydrogen Council counts 228 H2 projects in pipeline, worth $300 bn, w/concentration in Europe.

3)FERC issues permit for 2.2 GW, $3.6 billion Navajo Energy Storage pumped-hydro project, w/transmission from now-defunct Navajo coal plant, w/10 hours of supply to markets in AZ, CA, & NV. Water to come from Lake Powell.

4) NY Port of Albany looking at $200 mn factory for offshore wind towers, w/ up to 150 manuf'd annually over anticipated 30-year period.

5)Cybersecurity firm Dragos sees increase in new threat groups, w/growing focus on power sector.

6) USPS awards Oshkosh Defense contract to delivery betw 50,000 & 165,000 electric delivery vehicles over 10 yrs.

Norway's TECO 2030 planning on fuel cell gigafactory for ship propulsion; Vestas investing in a wooden wind tower company to decarbonize supply chain; Ford going all in on EVs in Europe, with completely all-electric lineup by 2030; geothermal company Eavor gets a $40 million investment from BP, Chevron others to advance its novel geothermal loop technology.

1) Norwegian company TECO 2030 to build a fuel cell 'giga factory' to serve ships, with 1.2 GW of output per year. A 3x400-kW maritime fuel cell set-up will be deployed in vessels.

2) Vestas investing in a wooden wind tower company Modvion to decarbonize its supply chain. Modvion makes laminated veneer lumber towers that are assembled modular fashion on site, claiming ability to reach 120 meters.

3) Ford fully committed to EVs in Europe, with all passenger vehicles in Europe to be all-electric by 2030. Company will spend $1 billion of to convert Cologne, Germany plant into first European EV facility.

4) Geothermal company Eavor gets $40 million investment from BP, Chevron, others for horizontally drilled, miles-long, deep geothermal loops. This tech requires no pumps and creates dispatchable electricity supply.

ERCOT struggles w/cold, resorts to rotating outages; Australia eyeing 1.2 GW battery; UK awards 8 GW of offshore wind; MA considering RFP for 1,600 MW offshore wind; Vestas announces 15 MW turbine; GE wins $6.7 mn DOE grant for printing of 3D blades; Australia adds 2.6 GW of rooftop PV; US ITC votes to ban battery maker SK Innovation from US mkt, leaving Ford & VW scrambling; Shell says peak oil behind it

1) Temps plummeted & wholesale prices hit $9,000/MWh as ERCOT system struggled, leaving millions w/o power. All types of assets failed, including wind, gas, coal, & perhaps nukes

2) Australian developer secures 30-year lease for 1.2 GW battery in New South Wales, but it's competing w/govt's planned 1 GW gas facility

3) UK awards 8 GW offshore wind to RWE, BP, EnBW, Total, Grupo COBRA 7 Flotation Energy

4) Massachusetts drafting RFP for up to 1,600 MW offshore wind

5) Vestus introduces 15.0 MW offshore turbine

6) GE scores $6.7 million DOE award for research, design, & manufacture 3D-printed wind blades

7) Australian rooftop solar up 18% in 2020, w/334,000 installs & 2.6 GW

8) US ITC votes to ban electric battery supplier SK Innovation from the US. Bad news for Ford and VW

9) Shell confirms peak oil in 2019

Ford announces major new commitment to EVs and autonomous driving; U.S. e-bus fleet starts to grow; Vineyard Wind permitting back on track; Denmark greenlights artificial offshore wind island; South Korea targets world's largest offshore wind project; China with modular wind tower at 170 meters; and German researchers create hydrogen storage paste.

1) Ford to increase EV investments from $11.5 billion to $22 billion w/ add'l $7 billion for autonomous vehicles.

2) U.S. now has 1,000 full-size electric transit buses, w/ another 1,775 on order, led by CA.

3) US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to resume review for 800 MW Vineyard Wind 1 project, after Vineyard swaps out 9.5 MW Vestas machines for 13 MW GEs turbines.

4) Denmark moves forward w/artificial island energy hub, 50 miles off shore: Phase one w/ about 3,000 MW, & full buildout of 10,000 MW.

5) S. Korea planning on $43.2 billion 8.2 GW offshore wind complex.

6) Spanish infrastructure company Esteyco completing a telescoping wind tower in China's Henan province, w/170 meter hub height.

7) Fraunhofer researchers in Dresden, Germany have developed a hydrogen storage paste they claim offers high energy densities with applicability for vehicles.

(There is an audio glitch at 1:05 but is only lasts 10 seconds - Sorry)

Saudi Arabia aims to lead in hydrogen exports; GM aspires to produce only electrics by 2035; EV sales notch record gains in 2020; So do global corporate PPAs; BlackRock continues to push on carbon

1) Saudi Arabia plans to be the biggest exporter of hydrogen on earth, starting w/blue hydrogen & moving to green. First blue H2 cargo went to Japan in 9/20.

2) GM announces "aspirational plans" to phase out production of internal combustion vehicles by 2035 and to be carbon neutral by 2040.

3) The IEA's preliminary numbers: 2020 global EV sales soared to over 3 million, w/market share of over 4%, & cumulative 10 million EVs to date. ICE sales fell by 14-15%.

4) BNEF: corporations notched record 23.7 GW of green PPAs in 2020, up 18%, w/130 different cos in mix. U.S. purchases down from 14.1 GW to 11.9 GW, but MENA countries crushed it, going from 2.6 GW to 7.2 GW.

5) BlackRock (almost $8 tn worth of assets under management) CEO Larry Fink comments the reallocation of assets in the sustainable space happening faster than anticipated, w/$228 bn invested in 1st 11 months of 2020, up 90% YOY. Warns, "There's no company whose business model won't be profoundly affected by the transition to a net zero economy."

Vattenfall converting site of 1,600 MW coal plant to H2 hub; Thyssen Krupp nails big electrolyzer contract in Quebec; Nel forecasts huge cut in electrolyzer costs; Biden Administration to revise social cost of carbon to guide policy decisions; 2020 sees half trillion dollars in cleantech investments; UAE to make green aluminum from solar power

1) Vattenfall to convert 1,600 MW German coal plant near Hamburg, Germany into hydrogen hub, w/100 MW of electrolyzers.

2) ThyssenKrupp secures HQ order for 88 MW H2 plant, ready by late 2023.

3) Norwegian electrolyzer company Nel plans to cut the costs of electrolyzers by 75% in new 2 GW facility. Assuming cost of renewables at $20 per MWh, Nel projects green H2 at $1.50/kg by 2025, on par with gray H2.

4) Biden Administration tells federal agencies to review and update "social cost" of carbon, as part of decision-making process.

5) Bloomberg New Energy Finance reports 2020 clean energy tech investments hit a record $501 billion, w/$300 billion in renewables and $140 billion in EVs and infrastructure.

6) The UAE will produce aluminum using solar energy, w/560 GWh of solar to yield 40,000 tons of aluminum, & scope for significant expansion.

Massachusetts Climate Bill vetoed by Gov Baker; Equinor to test open sea floating solar; Total & Engie team up on French hydrogen project; Equinor scores huge offshore wind deal in NY; Kauai goes for more solar plus pumped hydro, boosting total renewable supply to 80%

1) Mass Gov Baker vetoes Legislature's climate bill.

2) Equinor to test an open ocean floating solar tech in the North Sea.

3) Total & Engie commit to French H2 project w/40 MW electrolyzer and 100 MW of PV too produce 5 tons of green hydrogen daily.

4) Equinor scores big in NY offshore wind deal(s) at 2.5 GW.

5) Kauai signs w/AES to develop a 35 MW PV system joined with 240 MWh of pumped hydro-energy storage, boosting island share of renewables to over 80% (from 55% by the end of 2019).

NIO announces ET7 sedan w/new 150 KWh solid state battery w/625 miles range; German crushes Dec EV sales; Orsted et al. announce grant for offshore wind/H2 in N. Sea; DOE Sunshot Initiative 10 yrs on; MA goes all in on climate, offshore wind, and EVs

1) NIO Day in China: NIO announces sedan w/solid state battery at 625 miles of range by 2022, & amped up battery swap program (1.5 mn swaps to date).

2) Germany nails 43,000+ EV sales in Dec, 660% over prior Dec. In 2020 194,000 EVs sold (13.5% of all new cars)

3) Ørsted, Siemens Gamesa, ITM Power, & Element Energy garner €5 million funding to pilot combined wind turbine and electrolyzer system on offshore platform.

4) Ten years on, US DOE SunShot Initiative did pretty well, Aimed at cutting installed solar costs by 2020 to $1/W for utility-scale PV, $1.25/W for com'l rooftop, and $1.50/W for resi rooftop, they hit the utility numbers. Commercial resi was in mid-$2 range, and resi around $3, held back by economies of scale but also permitting, interconnection, and inspection costs.

5) MA passes climate legislation calling for 2050 net zero emissions, and setting 5-year targets. Offshore wind goal now at 5,600 MW & all new cars sold must be electric by 2025.

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.