Industry Wide Collaboration to Drive Solar Costs Down Through Efficient Data Exchange By: Gatsheena Beauplan  The Orange ButtonSM initiative has launched! As part of the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot initiative, the Orange Button initiative is designed to standardize data across the solar project lifecycle, enhance data quality, and make solar transactions more efficient.  By creating solar data standards, open marketplaces, and tools for accessing data by the private sector, Orange Button aims to improve market transparency…

The Public Utilities Commission of California (CPUC) recently introduced a draft regulatory incentive proposal addressing issues regarding the utilities’ business models, financial interests and role with respect to distributed energy resources (DER) deployment. Given the potential magnitude of this rulemaking to the utilities’ business models, I suggest that utilities and other stakeholders nationwide follow this docket closely. The pilot program is offering regulatory incentives to the state’s three large investor owned utilities (IOUs) for the…

In accordance with President Obama’s 2014 Memorandum establishing the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER), the Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced it will begin the second installment of the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER 1.2) aimed at developing findings and policy recommendations to help guide the modernization of the nation’s electric grid. According to DOE’s briefing memorandum, QER 1.2 will focus on ensuring the electric grid’s continued reliability, safety, security, affordability and environmental performance through 2040.…

It’s a great day for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and supporters of demand response. Today, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION v. ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY ASSOCIATION ET AL., upholding the FERC’s authority to regulate wholesale demand response as well as FERCs method of compensating demand response participants. In the 6-2 decision, the Supreme Court ruled: The practices at issue directly affect wholesale rates. The Federal Power…

Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will hold a Technical Conference to discuss policy issues related to the reliability of the Bulk-Power System from 10 a.m. –  4 p.m. The Commission will also accept written comments regarding the matters discussed at the technical conference. The Commission states that written comments regarding the matters discussed at the conference should be submitted in Docket No. AD15-7-000 on or before July 9, 2015. There will be three…

Vice President Joe Biden recently spoke in Philadelphia to announce the release of the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER). According to a White House fact sheet, “the QER is envisioned as a focused, actionable document designed  to  provide  policymakers, industry, investors, and other stakeholders with unbiased data and analysis on energy challenges, needs, requirements, and barriers that will inform a range of policy options, including legislation.” The first installment of the QER examines how to…

After a brief hiatus, Smart Grid Legal News is back! So many issues and not enough time or space so I thought I would start with the basics. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Christine Hertzog, managing director of Smart Grid Library, to discuss Smart Grid Dictionary, now it its sixth edition. At 466 pages, Smart Grid Dictionary covers acronyms and terms that are not just smart grid related but industry related. If…