The GRID - May 2023 

The Value of Grid/System Hardening Measures for Electric Utilities

It doesn’t really matter what part of the country your utility is located, it is virtually guaranteed that you will be subject to potential grid damage from at least one of a number of natural occurrences. These can include hurricanes, tornadoes and/or windstorms, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and blizzards and/or heavy snows.

A Proposal to Modify DOE's Proposed Distribution Transformer Standard

According to a letter to the United States Department of Energy (DOE) in late March, commenting on DOE’s proposed “Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Distribution Transformers” standard, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) warned that finalizing these proposed stricter energy efficiency requirements for distribution system transformers could threaten grid reliability if DOE moves too quickly. Currently, the proposed standard is set to go into effect in 2027.

Solar Expected To Bounce Back From Slowdown

According to the “U.S. Solar Market Insight 2022 Year in Review” report, released this March by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, the United States added 20.2 gigawatts (GW) of new solar capacity in 2022, a 16 percent decrease from 2021. “This was due in large part to an investigation into new anti-circumvention tariffs by the U.S. Department of Commerce, as well as equipment detainments by Customs and Border Protection under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act,” said the report.

Renewables Generation Continues To Grow

According to the “Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory” report, published recently by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), wind, solar, and battery storage are growing as a share of new electric-generating capacity each year. In 2023, these three technologies account for 82 percent of the new, utility-scale generating capacity that developers plan to bring online in the United States.

EV Charging Infrastructure Continues Its Growth

According to “Commercial Landscape of EV Charging Networks in North America,” a new report published by Wood Mackenzie, as electric vehicle (EV) adoption continues to rise, the market for public charging networks in North America is forecast to grow rapidly by 2050.

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