June 24
ComEd to Study Demands of Clean Energy Transition
Top consumer smart energy news hand-selected and brought to you by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.
Member News
Under the newly enacted Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) in Illinois, ComEd announced that three new studies would help it to better understand the technical and community aspects of a clean energy transition and help it tailor its future grid plans. ComEd’s latest efforts will address the means to fully decarbonize by 2050, the energy needs of disadvantaged and underrepresented communities and how clean energy will affect the state workforce.
Potomac Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., is now offering a limited number of utility-owned EV charging stations with no-cost for installation at multifamily properties in its Maryland service area. The company received approval earlier this year from the Maryland Public Service Commission to move forward with the new offering as part of EV Driven, the company's five-year PSC-approved pilot program.
Many individuals and households have at least one outdated appliance – a refrigerator, a water heater or a window-mounted air conditioner that they hold onto because of the expense involved with replacing them. Yet the money they save is often more than canceled out by higher utility bills. Upgrading outdated appliances can help low-income households stay in their homes by reducing their utility bills – and by extension, lowering their overall housing costs.
Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy released its 17th annual Sustainability Report, highlighting the company’s commitment to reliable, affordable natural gas and electricity service while protecting the environment. The company said it has led the clean energy transition since 2005 and was the first energy provider in the country to set aggressive goals across electricity, heating and transportation.
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Industry News
Central Hudson Gas & Electric is implementing a program to assist low-income families and individuals who experienced hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through its Electric & Gas Bill Relief Program, residential utility customers who receive government assistance for utility bills and other expenses and have past-due balances for service through May 1, 2022, will have those balances forgiven through a bill credit.
Customers and transportation professionals are aligning on a prediction that will reshape the energy industry and the entire planet: Electric vehicles will eventually become the dominant mode of personal transportation in our country. This will, of course, require OEMs to make cars, and customers to buy them. For our part, energy providers will play a critical role in the transition – ensuring those cars are charged.
In the past, proprietary electric-vehicle charging technologies competed for market share. But in the future, the winners in the sector will be the equipment manufacturers, network operators and software providers that can provide the most open and interoperable EV-charging environment possible. At least, that’s how Jordan Ramer, CEO of EV Connect, sees the evolution of EV charging.
With millions of EVs forecast to be traveling on America’s roads by the end of the decade, building out the EV charging infrastructure to support that demand is critical, experts say, and electric utilities are increasingly making those investments. Marrying customer demand with an EV charging network that provides a seamless driving experience takes cooperation between utilities, EV manufacturers, and local and state governments.
