May 2018 – Global Power Law & Policy

Join K&L Gates at NEBC’s Energy Workshop on Thursday, June 7

May 31 2018

Please join us on Thursday, June 7, 2018 as we host the Northwest Environmental Business Council’s (NEBC) Energy Workshop “Powering Our Future: Insight into the Growth of Renewables.”

As host of the event in our Seattle office, our partners Ankur Tohan and Alyssa Moir and associate Endre Szalay will speak on a panel titled “Solar & Wind Project Development: Navigating Risk and Seizing Opportunity.”

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Join us for an engaging afternoon of discussions on policy, technology, and legal hot topics in the renewable energy industry. Panelists representing perspectives from power producers, power purchasers, energy investors, utility, and the legal industry will discuss the role of competitive markets in the renewable energy sector, the impact and increasing presence of renewables and storage on the grid, and renewable project development issues and opportunities with a focus on the Northwest.

The workshop is presented free of charge to NEBC members and all interested parties.

DETAILS

Thursday, June 7
1:45 – 2:00 p.m.: Registration & Opening Remarks

2:00 – 5:00 p.m.: Technical Workshop

5:00 – 6:00 p.m.: Happy Hour

Location: K&L Gates LLP, 925 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2900, Seattle, WA

REGISTRATION

For more details and to register, click here.

ESA News Desk with K&L Gates

May 29 2018

K&L Gates was recently the News Desk Host #ESACon18. The Energy Storage Association’s Annual Convention was held April 18-20 in Boston, MA. As News Desk Host, we had the opportunity to interview representatives from the organizations that are making an impact on the energy storage industry.

K&L Gates interviewers included Portland partner Bill Holmes, Boston associate Mike O’Neill, Washington D.C. partner Will Keyser and counsel Jim Wrathall. Organizations represented included Sungrow Samsung SDI, Dynapower Company, Ingersoll Rand, WRISE, ESA, Fluence, GE Power, National Grid, NEC Energy Solutions, NEXTracker, and Powin Energy.

To view the interviews, click here.

K&L Gates Blockchain Energizer – Volume 28

May 24 2018

By Buck Endemann, Ben Tejblum, and Daniel Cohen

Your Blockchain Energizer authors Buck Endemann and Ben Tejblum presented at EUCI’s “Blockchain Technology for the Energy Sector” conference on May 8-9 in Houston, Texas. The crowd included existing market participants (utilities, retail suppliers, and regulators) along with new participants looking to leverage blockchain technology to facilitate energy transactions and improve utility operations. During our time in Houston, we found that blockchain discussions are a great way to spur broader conversation on innovation and industry sector change. Recurring themes included how utilities could be incentivized to adopt new technologies (through performance-based regulation or other constructs) while ensuring that they continue to meet their obligation to provide reliable service to all customers. The impact of new and innovative business models on low-income households, under-represented communities, and the unknown impacts on data privacy were important topics, as well.

Looking ahead, several panelists proposed that Europe is the “canary in the coal mine” due to the proliferation of distributed energy technologies and strong commitments to renewable energy. Perhaps not coincidentally, that is where the most energy-related blockchain use cases have taken root, usually with the support of business, regulators, and other state actors. K&L Gates attorneys will continue to monitor these developments and keep you abreast, right here in the Blockchain Energizer.

Finally, we are pleased to partner again with EUCI on our “Blockchain Technology Fundamentals: Energy Industry Applications” webinar, to take place on June 5, 2018. Click the link to register!

IN THIS ISSUE

Centrica and LO3 Partner to Minimize Renewable Energy Curtailment.
PG&E has proposed a Demonstration Project Using Smart Contracts to Generate Low Carbon Fuel Standard Credits.
The United Nations and Sun Exchange Team up with ElectriCChain to Use Blockchain and Cryptocurrency to Provide Solar Power in Moldova.

To view more information on theses topics in Volume 28 of the Blockchain Energizer, click here.

Congressional Committee Charges Up for EV Hearing

May 07 2018

By Scott Aliferis

Congress will continue its review and oversight of automotive and energy issues this week. On Tuesday, May 8, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment will hold a hearing entitled “Sharing the Road: Policy Implications of Electric and Conventional Vehicles in the Years Ahead”.

The Subcommittee, chaired by Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois), has invited a diverse set of witnesses to provide testimony on the wide range of issues, opportunities and challenges facing consumers, automakers, utilities and other stakeholders.

According to a subcommittee memo, the following issues may be examined at the hearing:

The reasons for the current growth in EVs and expected future trends in electrification.
The policy implications of increasing EV market penetration.
The impact of EVs on fueling infrastructure and on the nation’s electrical grid.
The response of liquid fuel providers and automakers to changing market trends.
The consumer impacts of changing trends in transportation fuels and vehicles.

Another likely topic is the federal tax credit of up to $7,500 on the purchase of a plug-in electric vehicle, depending upon the size of the vehicle and its battery capacity. During last year’s Congressional debate on tax reform, the credit was preserved despite opposition from some House Republicans. However, the incentive begins to phase out after each manufacturer sells 200,000 electric vehicles. Many automakers may hit the limit this year. A group of 36 utilities cosigned a letter in March urging Congress to modify the credit and eliminate the cap. Pacific Gas & Electric was a signatory and its CEO is one of the witnesses for tomorrow’s hearing.

Other witnesses will offer important perspectives and data on the current marketplace and outlook for EV adoption. Additionally, there will be debate surrounding the existing policy and regulatory structures at the state and federal levels and what changes or modifications should be considered.

K&L Gates Blockchain Energizer – Volume 27

May 07 2018

By Buck Endemann, Ben Tejblum, and Daniel Cohen

There is a lot of buzz around blockchain technology and its potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries from finance and health care to real estate and supply chain management. Reports estimate that over $4.5 billion was invested in blockchain startups in 2017 alone, and many institutions and companies are forming partnerships to explore how blockchain ledgers and smart contracts can be deployed to manage and share data, create transactional efficiencies, and reduce costs.

While virtual currencies and blockchain technology in the financial services industry have been the subject of significant debate and discussion, blockchain applications that could transform the energy industry have received comparatively less attention. Every other week, the K&L Gates’ Blockchain Energizer will highlight emerging issues or stories relating to the use of blockchain technology in the energy space. To subscribe to the Blockchain Energizer newsletter, please click here.

Authors Buck Endemann and Ben Tejblum will be in attendance at EUCI’s, “Blockchain Technology for the Energy Sector” Conference in Houston, Texas, from May 8–9, 2018. They will be available to discuss the latest in blockchain.

IN THIS ISSUE

Energy Web Foundation Is Implementing a Different Consensus Protocol to Reduce Blockchain Electricity Demand.
Energy Storage Meets Blockchain: Sonnen Joins the NEMoGrid Project.
Softbank and TEPCO Announce a Blockchain Pilot Program to Reduce Carbon Emissions.
IOT Group to Re-open an Australian Power Plant to Provide Electricity for Blockchain Companies; Washington Counties Take Divergent Approaches to Cryptocurrency Mining.

To view more information on theses topics in Volume 27 of the Blockchain Energizer, click here.

Archive:May 2018