Keeping you informed on the latest in renewable energy and sustainability.
Welcome to the January issue of the GEMM Energy Newsletter. We aim to keep you updated on the newest developments in renewable energy, sustainability initiatives, spotlight GEMM's ongoing initiatives, and offer insights that contribute to a better future.
The Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO) has published its major achievements throughout 2023:
December 14: Announced plans to open a new round of Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants in January 2024, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to modernize the electric grid and mitigate climate-driven impacts.
November 29: Selected community groups and nonprofits to receive $13.85 million through the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF) for solar and battery storage installations in vulnerable Puerto Rican households.
November 14: Launched a $3.9 billion funding opportunity under the Grid Resilience Innovation Partnerships Program for projects improving electric transmission and grid resilience.
November 2: Selected solar companies and nonprofits to receive $440 million through the PR-ERF for rooftop solar and battery installations in Puerto Rico.
October 30: Committed $1.3 billion for three transmission lines adding 3.5 GW of grid capacity and released the National Transmission Needs Study.
October 18: Invested $3.46 billion in 58 projects across 44 states through the GRIP Program, enhancing renewable energy capacity and supporting union jobs.
October 12: Matched 29 Clean Energy Innovator Fellows with critical energy organizations for on-the-job training in various energy sectors.
October 11: Provided $37 million in Hydroelectric Production Incentive payments to 66 hydro facilities.
September 29: Announced a $9 million investment to improve state and regional participation in wholesale electricity markets.
September 28: Awarded over $750 million in Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants to various states, tribal entities, territories, and D.C.
September 19: Released an action plan for offshore wind transmission development in the U.S. Atlantic Region and launched a Tribal Nation Technical Assistance Program.
August 29: Launched the Transmission Siting and Economic Development Grants program with a $760 million investment for interstate and offshore electricity transmission lines.
May 8: Opened applications for $554 million in hydroelectricity incentives to maintain and enhance hydroelectric facilities.
March 22: Announced over $200 million in hydroelectric incentives for electricity generated in 2021 and 2022 and for efficiency improvements.
March 2: Released application guidance for the second award cycle of the Civil Nuclear Credit Program, part of a $6 billion investment.
February 20: Announced the creation of the $1 billion Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund and requested stakeholder feedback for fund allocation.
January 23: Released a one-year progress report for the Puerto Rico Grid Resilience and Transition to 100% Renewable Study (PR100).
January 13: Officially launched the Transmission Siting and Economic Development Grants program and issued a Request for Information to support program development.
With everything they’ve accomplished last year, we are excited to see what the GDO does this year.
To see the achievements more in-depth click here
2023: A Year of Breakthroughs in Renewable Energy Technology
In the year of 2023, there have been notable advancements in renewable energy technologies. From innovative solar power applications to breakthroughs in wind energy design, the progress has been both steady and promising. Let's take a closer look at the highlights:
Solar Power: As the backbone of many countries’ decarbonization strategies, many innovative projects are underway such as Arizona’s solar cells canals, the Middle Eastern solar updraft tower, and Caltech’s Space Solar Project.
Wind Power: Offshore wind sees breakthroughs around the globe with unique designs like contra-rotating turbines and floating wind turbines by World Wide Wind and T-Omega.
Geothermal Energy: Much of the earth’s heat energy is untapped, allowing for promising growth in geothermal energy. Some highlight projects consist of Fervo and Google's collaboration on an advanced geothermal plant in Nevada with an outlook on cost-competitive geothermal energy and Sage Geosystems' new energy storage method that takes heat energy from pressurizing hot underground rock.
Nuclear Energy: Nuclear fission achieves a milestone with China commissioning the world's first commercial Generation-IV nuclear power station. TAE Technologies and Helion Energy push the boundaries of nuclear fusion, with TAE aiming for hydrogen-boron fusion without tritium and Helion promising Microsoft 50 MW of clean fusion power by 2028. The world's largest tokamak reactor in Japan and the UK's Tokamak Energy commercial fusion plant design highlight the renewed interest and advancements in fusion power.
These innovations represent the rapidly evolving landscape of renewable energy, crucial for addressing global energy demands and climate change.
To read more click here.
Michigan's Milestone Legislation: Paving the Way for 100% Clean Energy by 2050
Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan has recently marked a significant stride toward the state's commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 by signing a series of clean energy bills. Immediate pressures have been placed on utility companies with a mandate to derive 15% of their energy from clean sources by 2027 and reach 100% by 2040.
To facilitate this ambitious timeline, the new legislation strategically shifts authority to the state for overseeing large-scale wind and solar projects. The objective is to streamline processes and empower landowners in the pursuit of a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
Click here to learn more.
GEMM on New York City’s Local Law 97
Local Law 97, passed in April, 2019, aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in New York City.
Targets for commercial buildings:
40% GHG reduction by 2030
80% GHG reduction by 2050
To ensure compliance, covered buildings over 25,000sqft that do not meet specific emissions limits or take alternative action will face fines.
However, there is an update to the law made in September 2023 for buildings to demonstrate 'good faith efforts’ towards compliance. One example of how ‘good faith efforts’ can be met is by submitting a decarbonization plan before May 1, 2025. Successfully doing so will mitigate fines and extend the deadline to meet requirements until 2027. It's important to note that if a plan is made but not executed, the building will face penalties, emphasizing the law's focus on actual performance rather than just planning.
Buildings are encouraged to start projects earlier to take advantage of government incentives for practices like geothermal and electrification. The sooner these projects are completed, the more savings are possible due to these incentives. For more information check out our page going more into depth with LL97
GEMM'S Promise To You:
We guarantee that executing our
Energy Master Plan will ensure
building owners mitigate
LL97 compliance fines.
We're excited to continue this journey with you, by sharing news and insights on sustainability and progressing our path toward a better future. Stay tuned for our newsletter next month.
Best Regards,
Nabil Rezqui
Grid & Energy Masterplanning
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