WALTHAM, Mass., August 3, 2018/3BL Media/ – National Grid issued a statement today responding to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed Safer and Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule.
NY Utilities Submit Distributed System Implementation Plans That Support Making New York the National Energy Leader with a Safe, Clean, Modern System
Press Release
National Grid has submitted its 2018 Distributed System Implementation Plan, providing a detailed roadmap for building the capabilities necessary to integrate more distributed energy resources, support markets for innovative products and services, and drive further progress toward New York’s clean energy goals.
Achieving the 2030 target economically implies dramatic reduction in the reliance on the most expensive and polluting heating fuels: fuel oil, propane, and kerosene. This entails a rapid transition from these fuels to heat electrification, reaching 28% electrification of residential space heat by 2030 through a mix of air- and ground-source heat pumps (see Table 1). By 2030, roughly 3.85 million homes are envisioned to be utilizing heat pumps, requiring an average annual rate of conversion of almost 300,000 homes and businesses.
In contrast to the electricity and heat sectors, emissions from transportation are effectively unchanged since 1990. Vehicle electrification provides a promising pathway, as cost and performance of the underlying battery technology has seen step-change improvements in recent years. The automotive industry is responding with scores of plug-in vehicle models arriving in the showrooms of most every manufacturer in the next few years.
Today, zero-carbon electricity comprises over 50% of Northeast electricity generation. About 25% is from renewable electricity, including large-scale hydro. To position the region to achieve 2030 targets, total zero-carbon generation must increase to 67% of supply, with the renewable electricity share rising to nearly 50%, outpacing both RGGI and targets set in state-level RPS (Figure 3). All major classes of renewable resources figure prominently in the Pathway: onshore and offshore wind, distributed and large-scale solar, and hydro power.
The Northeast has taken concrete steps to move toward a clean energy future, including the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, achievement of renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in all states, and nation-leading investments in energy efficiency. But much more will be required. Given the pace of emissions reduction required, strategic planning and a focus on cost-effectiveness have never been more critical.
The Pathway achieves the 40% by 2030 target (see Figure 2) by prioritizing three mutually-reinforcing transitions:
1. Accelerate decarbonization of the electric sector.
New York and all six states in New England have aggressive, long-term, economy-wide CO2 emission reduction targets, with five having set a goal of reducing emissions 80% from 1990 levels by 2050. According to the most recent data, the Northeast has achieved a 16% economy-wide reduction from that benchmark.
‘New York Solar Marketplace’ simplifies and speeds solar energy experience
Press Release
SYRACUSE, N.Y., July 25, 2018 /3BL Media/ – As consumer interest in solar energy continues to grow, National Grid is now offering its upstate New York electricity customers a convenient online tool to use in researching and purchasing solar energy systems for their homes and businesses. The portal is called New York Solar Marketplace and is part of National Grid’s commitment to the future of the energy landscape and to ensuring a quality customer experience for going solar.
Pathway outlines how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050
Press Release
WALTHAM, MA, June 15, 2018 /3BL Media/ – National Grid, one of the nation’s largest investor-owned utilities, today released the “Northeast 80x50 Pathway,” a blueprint for drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 (“80x50”). The Pathway is the first of its kind in the Northeast.
Deepwater wins battle to supply US state with 200MW of offshore wind
Article
National Grid Ventures added: "We are excited for the continued growth of the offshore industry in the US and are proud to advance a clean energy transition for the good of customers, local communities and the environment for generations to come.”
