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RMI's Top 10 Clean Energy Developments of 2013
Top 10 Clean Energy Developments of 2013
LaurieGuevara-Stone
Writer / Editor
2013 was an exciting and inspiring year in many regards. And we’re not just talking the arrival of Prince George or the fact that the new Pope rides an electric bicycle. There were many remarkable clean energy developments that are helping to bring us closer to a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future. Here we list our top ten:
1. Renewables become cheapest option for many utilities
Multiple U.S. utilities added renewable energy to their mix in 2013, because it’s the cheapest option, with no state renewable portfolio standard (RPS) requirement calculated in. For example, Georgia Power joined Alabama power in buying wind energy from Oklahoma, and Xcel of Colorado filed a petition to the public utility commission stating that utility-scale solar is its cheapest peaking option. Xcel now plans to triple the amount of utility-scale solar it generates. (At the beginning of this year, a Minnesota judge likewise ruled that solar power offers Xcel ratepayers a better deal than natural gas.)
2. Utilities look toward new business models
One of Europe’s largest utilities, RWE, announced it is shedding its old business model and transforming itself into a renewable energy service provider. Their so-called “prosumer” business strategy states, “Based on funds sourced largely from third parties, we will position ourselves as a project enabler, operator and system integrator of renewables.” Other utilities are also taking distributed renewables and business model transformation seriously as indicated by the oft-referenced Disruptive Challenges paper by Peter Kind of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI).
3. Storage goes mainstream
California passed an energy storage mandate (AB 2514), a first-of-its-kind legislation that will give a significant push to the non-EV storage market in the U.S. Maryland also joined the storage craze by installing its first commercial, islandable solar-PV-and-battery microgrid. And solar PV companies are adding storage to their offerings. STEM, Green Charge Networks, and Solar Grid Storage all came into the spotlight with solutions that offer distributed battery energy storage to commercial customers, while SolarCity (with Tesla) and NRG’s offerings incorporate batteries for residential systems.
4. Electric vehicles have banner year
Worldwide EV car sales were up 300 percent from 2012...
LaurieGuevara-Stone
Writer / Editor
2013 was an exciting and inspiring year in many regards. And we’re not just talking the arrival of Prince George or the fact that the new Pope rides an electric bicycle. There were many remarkable clean energy developments that are helping to bring us closer to a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future. Here we list our top ten:
1. Renewables become cheapest option for many utilities
Multiple U.S. utilities added renewable energy to their mix in 2013, because it’s the cheapest option, with no state renewable portfolio standard (RPS) requirement calculated in. For example, Georgia Power joined Alabama power in buying wind energy from Oklahoma, and Xcel of Colorado filed a petition to the public utility commission stating that utility-scale solar is its cheapest peaking option. Xcel now plans to triple the amount of utility-scale solar it generates. (At the beginning of this year, a Minnesota judge likewise ruled that solar power offers Xcel ratepayers a better deal than natural gas.)
2. Utilities look toward new business models
One of Europe’s largest utilities, RWE, announced it is shedding its old business model and transforming itself into a renewable energy service provider. Their so-called “prosumer” business strategy states, “Based on funds sourced largely from third parties, we will position ourselves as a project enabler, operator and system integrator of renewables.” Other utilities are also taking distributed renewables and business model transformation seriously as indicated by the oft-referenced Disruptive Challenges paper by Peter Kind of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI).
3. Storage goes mainstream
California passed an energy storage mandate (AB 2514), a first-of-its-kind legislation that will give a significant push to the non-EV storage market in the U.S. Maryland also joined the storage craze by installing its first commercial, islandable solar-PV-and-battery microgrid. And solar PV companies are adding storage to their offerings. STEM, Green Charge Networks, and Solar Grid Storage all came into the spotlight with solutions that offer distributed battery energy storage to commercial customers, while SolarCity (with Tesla) and NRG’s offerings incorporate batteries for residential systems.
4. Electric vehicles have banner year
Worldwide EV car sales were up 300 percent from 2012...
http://blog.rmi.org/blog_2014_01_08_top_ten_clean_energy_developments_of_2013
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