| This week's sponsor is AT&T. |  | AT&T offers a wide range of Field Solutions, such as Fleet Management, Enhanced Push-to-Talk, and Workforce Management, designed to help keep your business on track. Learn more. |
Also Noted: Kony
Microsoft has no more US IPv4 addresses to give; Sapphire glass stocked for iPhone 6, iWatch; and much more... List of cities mandating energy benchmarking grows
Cambridge, Massachusetts is the latest city to require the benchmarking and disclosure of building energy performance for large commercial, institutional, and multifamily buildings, joining Boston, along with eight other major U.S. cities -- Austin, Chicago, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, New York City, Seattle, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. -- as well as two states and one county. Article
Dominion making progress toward reducing its environmental impact
Dominion says it has made continued progress in executing its business plan, minimizing the environmental impact of its operations. In fact, in 2013, Dominion produced 50 percent of its electricity it produced from carbon-free nuclear and renewable energy. Article
New Jersey Energy Resilience Bank to focus on distributed energy resources
As part of its continuing efforts to increase its energy system resiliency and minimize the impact of power outages, New Jersey is investing in developing its Energy Resilience Bank (ERB) -- the first public infrastructure bank in the nation to focus on energy resilience. Article
$1.2B buys out NCEMPA's ownership in Duke Energy's power plants
An agreement between Duke Energy Progress and the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA) has been approved by their respective boards for Duke Energy Progress to purchase the Power Agency's ownership in certain generating assets, at a purchase price of $1.2 billion. Article
News From Across the Energy Industry:
1. AEP Energy to build solar "Block O" on university rooftop
2. PSEG, NYSERDA making solar accessible
3. APAC CHP investment second only to Europe
More headlines...
Today's Top News 1. National Grid hails new solar legislation
The Massachusetts Legislature has passed legislation that will establish a task force to review net metering in the commonwealth and develop recommendations on incentives and programs supporting renewable energy. Originally proposed as H 1485, the legislation was intended to be a broad sweeping compromise legislation. The bill -- as passed, now known as HB 4385 -- is a considered by some in the industry a short-term fix to address the bottleneck of solar projects across the commonwealth by immediately raising the cap on net metering. As passed, the legislation extends the state's net metering cap and establishes a Green Ribbon Commission to evaluate a minimum bill to support the distribution system and examine an alternative incentive program to deploy 1600 MW of distributed solar by 2020. Unlike National Grid, who supports the changes, NSTAR -- a Northeast Utilities electric distribution company operating in Boston and eastern Massachusetts -- sees it as a threat to the traditional utility business model. H 4385 establishes a common ground framework from which to build for solar in Massachusetts. "This action makes it clear that the Massachusetts legislature recognizes the many benefits which solar investments bring to the commonwealth," said Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) President and CEO Rhone Resch. "While we are disappointed that H 4185 did not pass, leaving the solar industry with an uncertain business climate… we look forward to working with the legislature and the task force to build on that compromise." The bill will now go to the governor for signing. For more:
- see the bill and its history
- see this article Related Article:
National Grid supports net metering compromise Read more about: Solar Energy Industries Association, Solar power
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2. Mississippi Power settles with Sierra Club over Kemper plant
After four long years of Sierra Club legal challenges to Mississippi Power's Kemper coal plant, Mississippi Power has reached a settlement with the Sierra Club -- which includes conversions or closures of some of its generating units. The agreement brings $15 million in energy efficiency and clean energy investments to the state, sets the stage for homeowners to install solar power, and requires power plants in Gulfport, Mississippi and Greene County, Alabama to stop burning coal over the next 20 months.  | | Kemper construction. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/XTUV0010 | The utility is planning to repower, convert to natural gas, or retire several units at its Watson, Sweatt and Greene County plants as the most economical way to comply with federal environmental standards and other obligations within the settlement. At Plant Watson, Mississippi Power will no longer use coal, converting its two remaining coal-fired units to natural gas no later than April 16, 2015. The plant already has three units that operate on natural gas. At Plant Greene County, Mississippi Power will cease coal operations and convert two units to natural gas no later than April 16, 2016. At Plant Sweatt, the company will retire two of the existing natural gas units and repower with more advanced technology, or convert to an alternative non fossil-fuel source no later than Dec. 31, 2018. "With the repowering, natural gas conversion or retirement of certain units, Mississippi Power's energy mix is expected to be 60 percent powered by natural gas in 2020," said Ed Holland, president and CEO of Mississippi Power. "This further illustrates the importance of the Kemper County energy facility, which will use locally-mined, low-cost lignite, in maintaining a diverse fuel mix for our customers." As part of the settlement agreement, the Sierra Club has agreed to dismiss and withdraw all pending legal and regulatory challenges against the Kemper project and Plant Daniel and refrain from formally intervening in all existing and anticipated regulatory proceedings for these two plants for a period of three years. The 582 MW Kemper County energy facility is expected to generate in-state electricity for Mississippi Power customers in 2015. At the 2,077 MW, four unit fossil-fueled Plant Daniel, a $660 million scrubber project is underway to ensure compliance with the new federal environmental standards by April 2016. Once the upgrades are complete, 95 percent of the plant's sulfur dioxide emissions are expected to be removed. Other highlights of the settlement include establishing and funding a $15 million grant for an energy efficiency and renewable energy program with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and complying with standards for a 100-year rainfall event when building future retention ponds associated with the Kemper County energy facility. Mississippi Power has also agreed not to oppose certain aspects of the renewable net metering policy development currently being contemplated by the Mississippi Public Service Commission. For more:
- see this article Related Articles:
Kemper milestones tainted by cost overruns
Miss. Power, Sierra Club clash over Kemper coal Read more about: Sierra Club, Mississippi Power
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3. Social media providing fracking ''facts''
We are all too painfully familiar with the controversies surrounding hydraulic fracturing (fracking), but did you ever think about the digital ramifications of fracking? Makovsky & Company Inc., a global integrated communications consultancy, has and details its digital insights in a new report.  | | Credit: Makovsky & Company | The report reveals that 57 percent of U.S. consumers surveyed believe fracking is one of the three most important environmental issues today. Furthermore, 71 percent of respondents hear about the issue at least every week -- with 79 percent getting their information primarily from social media. The survey was actually conducted via social media, leveraging geographically targeted Facebook ads to solicit responses from 1600 people. Social media has become one of the top sources of public information on fracking, among other topics, and Makovsky found that most of the conversation is happening on Twitter facilitated by anti-fracking activists and groups. Analyzing 1.3 million Twitter mentions of fracking from January through July 2014, Makovsky found that anti-fracking advocates are generating 2,000 percent more impressions than those supportive of the issue. For companies and associations in oil and gas who are trying to acquire a "social license to operate" -- reflecting the local community's acceptance or approval of a project or presence -- effective use of social media is emerging as a critical success factor for resource development. "One of the most underutilized (and undervalued) tools for earning a social license in the oil and gas industry is social media," said Andy Beck, executive vice president of Makovsky's Energy and Sustainability Practice. "Oil and gas companies that choose to use outmoded tactics -- such as massive spending on TV advertising -- can expect less than stellar results" Just 18 percent of respondents said they hear about hydraulic fracturing from television ads. To acquire a social license using social media, Makovsky recommends that oil and gas companies better understand activists, identify influencers, look for and predict behavior patterns, refine messaging, and create more shareable content. For more:
- get the report Related Article:
Fracking implications for utilities Read more about: fracking, hydraulic fracturing
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4. SCE maintaining diversity in energy portfolio
Southern California Edison (SCE) has signed contracts for solar and geothermal energy, representing more than 1500 MW of renewable energy. The signed contracts include the purchase of more than 1300 MW of new solar power and the re-contracting of 225 MW with an existing California geothermal project. The contracts are designed to promote market development, contain costs, diversify power sources and meet the state's 33 percent Renewables Portfolio Standard goals. While solar is one of the fastest-growing renewable types and becoming a larger part of the state's renewable mix, SCE, as well as other utilities, have large portions of geothermal and wind generation in their portfolios. In 2013, 22 percent of the power SCE delivered to customers came from renewable sources, compared to California's overall power mix of about 15 percent renewables. Further, SCE delivered 1 billion kilowatt-hours of solar energy to its customers in 2013. "SCE is committed to continuing to bring renewable power resources to our customers and helping achieve California's environmental goals," said Stuart R. Hemphill, SCE senior vice president of Power Supply and Operational Services. "These agreements will help us maintain diversity in our renewable energy portfolio." The agreements are subject to approval by the California Public Utilities Commission. For more:
- visit this website Related Articles:
CA IOUs will meet residential solar goals
RAM proves successful for SCE in securing renewable power
Who made SEPA's solar list? Read more about: Southern California Edison
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5. Consumer viewpoints on sustainability
The Shelton Group, a marketing communications firm focused on the sustainability and energy efficiency sectors, has found that consumers' environmental attitudes are improving, but green purchases and behaviors are on the downturn -- and concluded that the economy may be responsible. "Last year, an improving economy seemed to be stimulating environmental engagement and green product purchases, and all signs pointed to an increase in market adoption and sales growth for green products," said Suzanne Shelton, CEO of Shelton Group. "But that's not the case. We're seeing a continued shift toward more pro-environmental attitudes, along with increasing concerns and feelings of eco-guilt that should, logically, be leading to more sustainable purchasing. But purchases and actions are not lining up with professed beliefs. And we think the improving economy is to blame because it shifted attention away from conservation and frugality." With the exception of recycling, self-reported green behaviors and product purchases are generally stagnant or down across the board, according to the Shelton Group, from home energy and water conservation habits to transportation. Half the population surveyed did report that a company's environmental reputation impacts their decisions as to whether or not to do business, so utilities' sustainability efforts are increasingly important. For more:
- see this electric utility sustainability report
- see this water sustainability report Related Articles:
Dominion making progress toward reducing its environmental impact
IHS makes very specific prediction about smart cities Read more about: Sustainability
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Also Noted | This week's sponsor is Kony. | 
| Webinar: Capitalizing on the digital transformation: Providing mobile value for customers and utilities
Now available on-demand
This Kony webinar will address how utilities can provide mobile value to their customers while increasing customer engagement and trust in the utility brand. Register Today! |
> Business PC demand stronger than expected, says Intel. Post (eWeek)
> Apple will soon encrypt iCloud emails in transit between service providers. Post (AppleInsider)
> Amazon Web Services is still using Truecrypt. Post (The Inquirer)
> Microsoft issues test version of Outlook Web App for Android. Post (Redmond Magazine)
> 16 NoSQL, NewSQL databases to watch. Post (InformationWeek)
> Microsoft runs out of U.S. IPv4 addresses. Post (Computerworld) And Finally… Apple said to have enough sapphire glass for production of both iPhone 6 models and iWatch in 2014. URL. (MacRumors) News From Across the Energy Industry:
> Germany's solar story Post
> Forest investment protects water supply, infrastructure Post
> Exelon to buy Integrys Post
> Gene research for better biofuels Post
> Farmers Electric Cooperative growing Iowa solar Post
> California, Mexico partner to promote low carbon economy Post
> Proximity is everything for NY hydro Post
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