Originally published here. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the recipients of the first round of funding from the Renew America's School Grant Program, a $500 million investment aimed at energy improvements in K-12 public schools. These funds offer schools the opportunity to spearhead much-needed energy efficiency projects and building improvement projects, creating healthier, safer, and more supportive learning environments for students and educators. The National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO) congratulates the 24 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) whose ..read more

Matt Chester of Chester Energy and Policy recently had the pleasure of joining a USEA Virtual Press Briefing as a member of the media asking pointed questions to key leaders in the sector. The full details and video can be found at this USEA.org link, and the relevant information is also copied below. The results of the midterm elections are finalized and Republicans have obtained a narrow majority in the House and the Democrats have retained the Senate. For gas and electric utilities, the election has raised more questions than they have answered. Will the House clamp down on energy initiati ..read more

Originally posted here. While it may seem cliché to say at the end of any given year that it’s been one for the record books, looking back at what the energy sector went through in 2021 it’s certainly true for this whirlwind, milestone-setting year. Mainstream attention continues to rain down upon the power industry, as customers demand more than their lights to turn on when the flip switches and fair bills: now they also seek out clean energy, digital programs, and other personalized options on the customer journey. Similarly, new technologies unlock ground-breaking possibilities, while publ ..read more

Originally posted here. As climate change and clean energy have climbed their way up higher on the priority list of the average American, with over 80% of voters in 2020 citing climate change as at least ‘somewhat important,’ the media has increasingly satiated the appetite for related news. Whether breathless reporting on the dire IPCC report on climate or extolling the excitement behind the latest electric vehicle model, major outlets like the Washington Post and New York Times are all pushing out the clean energy news as fast as it’s being made. So recently, when news broke that the Biden ..read more

Originally posted here. Media outlet headlines and social media posts galore last week came out with a force for the following announcement: the Biden Administration is talking about nearly half of U.S. electricity coming from solar power by 2050. Clean energy advocates, climate warriors, and regular consumers alike raised their eyebrows at such a bold pronouncement. And as too often happens in today’s environment of soundbite news and Tweet-length hot takes, the debate raged on before many people bothered to dig into the headline and what was behind it.  Whether you find yourself excite ..read more

Originally posted here. When Joe Biden was running for President in his ultimately successful 2020 campaign, he was largely touted as having one of the most climate focused platforms in history. After being Vice President to Obama’s already then unprecedented commitment to green endeavors and support of clean energy, Biden sought to take that even further as the lead on the ticket. Biden promised record-setting investment in clean energy, prioritization of environmental justice, and establishment of the United States as a global climate leader. While he’s only midway through his first year in ..read more

Originally posted here. Over the past two weeks, we’ve used this space to fulfill the annual tradition of looking back at the stories that have shaken the energy industry the most in the past twelve months. The year 2021 is one that no one in the energy sector will soon forget, as the most challenging part of these retrospectives was in fact narrowing it down from the various landscape-shaping incidents. The power industry just a few decades ago was long considered among the most inertia-filled and relative stable sectors of the economy, but the modern utility and energy markets look incredib ..read more

Originally posted here. While it may seem cliché to say at the end of any given year that it’s been one for the record books, looking back at what the energy sector went through in 2021 it’s certainly true for this whirlwind, milestone-setting year. Mainstream attention continues to rain down upon the power industry, as customers demand more than their lights to turn on when the flip switches and fair bills: now they also seek out clean energy, digital programs, and other personalized options on the customer journey. Similarly, new technologies unlock ground-breaking possibilities, while publ ..read more

Originally posted here. As those who fight for the freedom of energy choice know, the ability to choose a power supplier opens doors for individual customers. A single household or commercial entity can evaluate which energy suppliers align most with their needs, whether through lower prices, increased flexibility and personalization in rate structure, a greater presence of renewable energy, or otherwise. The mere presence of open competition on the energy market, meanwhile, shifts the motivations of power providers. The utilities will see they can no longer automatically default to monopolies ..read more

Originally posted here. The push to put retail energy choice on the ballot in Florida has been going on for well over a year. With the 2020 election now officially less than a year away, opposition to the grassroots initiative in the Sunshine State is turning up the heat and turning to dirty tricks to stop Floridians from having their say. Background The advocacy group Citizens for Energy Choices has been collecting signatures for months to put the issue of whether Floridians should have the right to choose their power provider and generate and sell electricity on the 2020 ballot. Energy choi ..read more