There is growing recognition among policy makers, industry, and environmental groups that more electric transmission lines will be needed across the United States to achieve the buildout of renewable energy infrastructure required to meet climate change goals.

The federal government along with states recently moved forward with major new efforts to build transmission infrastructure, but these initiatives have many hurdles that could cause them to sputter, as was the fate of previous attempts by the federal government to take more control over transmission siting.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) took a major step toward reforming transmission planning, recently closing out its comment period from industry, state regulators, regional market officials, and others on its advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANOPR) issued in July. The FERC proceeding, “Building for the Future Through Electric Regional Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation and Generator Interconnection” will update FERC’s well-known Order No. 1000 on transmission and cost allocation by utilities, issued by the Commission in 2011.

Check out Concentric’s recently published news stories:

Global Natural Gas Crunch Drives up Prices, U.S. Exports
Published: October 13, 2021

A global supply crunch for natural gas and extremely high prices are rapidly changing market dynamics, causing food shortages and energy company failures in Europe and adding to a complicated energy picture in China, while the United States heavily increases its exports of the resource as domestic usage drops.

Energy Storage Set for Massive Growth on the U.S. Grid
Published: September 23, 2021

The presence of energy storage—dominated by lithium-ion battery technology—is surging across the U.S. electricity grid, particularly in the West, driven by new rules at the federal level and the need to balance renewable generation.