In a recent order from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (the “Commission”), Minnesota took a big step to update the state’s interconnection process and standard interconnection agreement for distributed energy resources or “DERs.” This ongoing process relates to Minn. Stat.
Renewable + Law
The Climate Policy, Renewable Energy, & Sustainability Blog
The Renewable + Law blog, published by Stoel Rives LLP, focuses on legal developments and regulatory issues in the renewable energy sector. It covers topics such as solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) project development, interconnection processes, regional energy market reforms, land use and permitting challenges, and federal and state regulatory decisions impacting renewable energy projects. The blog also addresses legislative updates, court rulings on energy capacity definitions, and local ordinances affecting renewable infrastructure. It serves as a resource for understanding the intersection of energy law, policy, and project implementation within the evolving renewable energy landscape.
Latest from Renewable + Law - Page 12
STAYING LOCAL: FEDERAL COURT AFFIRMS CONSTITUTIONALITY OF MINN. STAT. § 216B.246 AND ADOPTS SUPREME COURT TRACY RULE
On June 21, 2018, the United States District Court, District of Minnesota issued an order and memorandum rejecting a challenge to the constitutionality of Minn. Stat. § 216B.246 and granting defendants’ motions to dismiss. The statute, which was enacted after…
China’s Renewable Policy Shift and its Global Implications
By Xiaowan Mao
On June 1, 2018, only two days after the completion of 12th SNEC International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference, the world’s biggest solar conference and a central gathering of all the Chinese PV manufacturers, the Chinese central government announced a nation-wide…
California Approves $768 Million for EV Infrastructure
By Brian Orion & Sarah Kozal
The California Public Utilities Commission (“Commission”) voted recently to approve $768 million in expenditures for electric vehicle infrastructure programs proposed by the state’s three investor-owned utilities (“IOUs”). The programs are part of a directive of SB 350 that requires utilities…
Energy Storage Is Coming to New Jersey
By Brian Orion & Xiaowan Mao
The New Jersey legislature recently passed a bill (the “Bill”) that would set a goal of reaching 600 megawatts of energy storage capacity by 2021 and 2 gigawatts by 2030.[1] This represents one of the largest energy storage implementation goals in the country…
MINNESOTA PAVES THE WAY FOR MORE EV TRAFFIC ON THE ROADS
On May 9, 2018 the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission issued an order approving Xcel Energy’s residential electric vehicle (“EV”) pilot program (the “Pilot”), designed as an alternative to Xcel’s existing EV tariff, concluding that the Pilot will “benefit all ratepayers…
Arbitration Clauses in Solar Contracts
By Jeremy Sacks
This month, a panel of the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division, ruled that a proposed class action brought by customers of a solar energy company was subject to arbitration. The case, Brian and Ananis Griffoul v. NRG Residential Solar…
Helping the Hook-Up: FERC’s Generator Interconnection Procedures Reform Seeks to Improve Information Flow, Recognizes Changing Technology and Opens Further Opportunities for Storage
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (“FERC”) long-awaited Order 845 (Reform of Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements) was issued on April 19 after over two years of consideration of the issues. Order 845 is the first grid-wide major reform of FERC’s…
Updates to Energy-Related Bills in the 2017-2018 California Legislative Session
By Brian Nese & Sarah Kozal
Stoel Rives’ Energy Team has been monitoring and providing summaries of key energy-related bills introduced by California legislators since the beginning of the 2017-2018 legislative session. Legislators have been busy moving bills through the legislative process since reconvening from the…
5 Key Takeaways from FERC’s Recent Energy Storage Order
By Brian Orion & Sarah Kozal
In February, FERC issued Order 841, Electric Storage Participation in Markets Operated by Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators (the “Order”), requiring RTOs and ISOs to establish new market participation rules for energy storage that recognize the physical…