June 30
Xcel Energy Hits 53 Percent Carbon-Free Electricity Generation
Top consumer smart energy news hand-selected and brought to you by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.
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At the end of 2022, Xcel Energy officially generated more than half of its power from carbon-free resources, reaching a total of 53 percent carbon-free energy in its portfolio that also reduced carbon emissions from its electricity by 53 percent, compared to 2005 levels. These were the findings of the company’s 18th annual sustainability report, meant to highlight its progress in transitioning to clean energy without sacrificing reliability.
ComEd announced a new milestone achieved in a program to advance the electrification of low-income homes across northern Illinois. Fifty-six single-family homes have been retrofitted as part of ComEd’s Whole Home Electrification program, an initiative designed to convert single-family and multi-unit homes to energy-saving, all-electric heating and cooling systems and appliances.
A quarter of all Americans – and 34 percent of those earning under $50,000 per year – report having struggled to pay their electric bills over the past 12 months, according to a new survey from the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC), a nonprofit organization that studies Americans’ energy-related behaviors, interests and values.
Rural electric co-ops are embracing the growing EV market trends and increased infrastructural support, driven equally by prosumer interest and legislation. For example, the Inflation Reduction Act promises to expand EV charging infrastructure outside of cities, helping lower range anxiety. Coupled with an executive decree to increase EV manufacturing to account for 50 percent of all vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2030, and soon EVs will travel far beyond urban centers.
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Industry News
To decarbonize the U.S. economy by 2050, electric heat-pump sales will need to grow – a lot. That’s clear from a new report by pro-electrification nonprofit Rewiring America. The report lays out an ambitious trajectory to replace gas, oil and inefficient electric-resistance heating systems with heat pumps. The report also covers heat-pump water heaters, induction stoves, rooftop solar and electric vehicles.
More than 3.6 million electric cars are driving around the U.S., but if you live in an apartment, finding an available charger isn’t always easy. Grocery stores and shopping centers might have a few, but charging takes time and the spaces may be taken or inconvenient. Several states and cities, aiming to expand EV use, are now trying to lift that barrier to ownership with “right-to-charge” laws.
Outage rates for conventional generation set a record in 2022 as gas and coal resources struggled to deliver during periods of extreme weather and high demand, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) said last week. On the whole, the bulk power system remains reliable, but it said extreme weather poses the “greatest risk to reliability due to the increase in frequency, footprint, duration and severity.”
Utilities have delivered safe, reliable energy for decades, but they now face increased expectations to make use of safe, reliable and valued customer data. Utilities have long safeguarded customer data but using it in a sophisticated way helps utilities demonstrate a greater understanding of customers to deliver demand reduction, decarbonization and grid stability.
