The OurEnergyLibrary aggregates and indexes publicly available fact sheets, journal articles, reports, studies, and other publications on U.S. energy topics. It is updated every week to include the most recent energy resources from academia, government, industry, non-profits, think tanks, and trade associations. Suggest a resource by emailing us at info@ourenergypolicy.org.
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This report describes development of an effort to assess Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) performance that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and others can employ to evaluate performance of deployed BESS or solar photovoltaic (PV) +BESS systems. The proposed method is based on actual battery charge and discharge metered data to be collected from BESS systems provided by federal agencies participating in the FEMP’s performance assessment initiatives. Long-term (e.g., at least one year) time series (e.g., hourly) charge and discharge data are analyzed to provide approximate estimates of key performance indicators (KPIs).…
View Full ResourceThe REN21 Renewables and Sustainability Report (RESR) builds on a yearlong research and consultative process among a wide range of stakeholders across sectors. It was conceived as a reference document bringing together different perspectives to analyse the benefits and identify the best practices to mitigate the potential negative impacts of renewables deployment. The report concludes that the environmental impact of renewables is significantly lower than any other energy source and can be mitigated with the adoption of existing best practice. The report also underscores the wide range of benefits of renewables on climate change, air, water and land pollution, biodiversity, …
View Full ResourceAs the U.S. works to meet emissions reduction goals and modernize power sector operations, residential buildings – which account for 21% of the total U.S. electricity consumption – will play a key role. Residential buildings with energy efficiency and distributed energy resources are able to provide value to multiple stakeholders, including the occupant, utility, and society at large. To account for this, multiple metrics that capture the value each stakeholder gets are required. This report contains analysis of a unique solar plus storage community in Vermont, including the calculation of multiple metrics and a unique “score card” that succinctly captures …
View Full ResourceThe United States is now the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter following a surge in gas exports since 2016. At the federal level, approval authority for LNG exports lies with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which has broad permitting authority over most gas exports. Since 2010, DOE has approved dozens of discretionary, long-term export applications. These export approvals are valid for decades, with many extending through 2050. But these approvals have generated controversy due to their climate effects.
This policy brief provides an analysis to support that effort to balance the full range of impacts from LNG …
View Full ResourceEach quarter, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducts the Quarterly Solar Industry Update, a presentation of technical trends within the solar industry Each presentation focuses on global and U.S. supply and demand, module and system price, investment trends and business models, and updates on U.S. government programs supporting the solar industry. …
View Full Resource“Renewable Gas: Not A Climate-Aligned Solution for Buildings” covers biogas and synthetic gas and why neither are viable alternatives to building electrification.
Electrification is the most viable option to fully decarbonize Colorado’s buildings. Alternative fuels like renewable gas are more expensive, limited in supply, and can still cause significant environmental and health impacts. Colorado must plan to transition away from existing gas infrastructure as part of its clean energy strategy.…
“Modernizing the Grid with All-Electric Buildings” discusses the grid infrastructure impacts of building electrification and why existing constraints should not slow heat pump deployment.
Colorado must modernize its electric grid to maintain reliable and affordable power. Efficient, all-electric buildings can be a valuable tool in optimizing this evolution. There’s no need to wait: today’s grid can already serve thousands of new electric systems as utilities continue long-term planning efforts.…
“All Electric Buildings: A Health Priority” covers the indoor and outdoor air quality impacts of fossil fuel combustion that can be addressed through building electrification.
Burning fossil fuels for cooking and heating produces pollution that harms Coloradans, especially children, the elderly, people of color, and low-income households. Colorado can prioritize health by helping residents and businesses make the switch to all-electric appliances.…
“All Electric Construction: A Good Deal” details the cost saving opportunity for constructing new homes to be all-electric and avoiding gas pipeline extensions.
All-electric building codes lead to lower construction costs in Colorado by encouraging developers to bypass the cost and complexity of installing new gas lines. These homes have roughly the same utility bills as mixed-fuel homes, which use both gas and electricity. Those savings are projected to improve over time as gas prices rise.…
“Cold Climate Heat Pumps: A Reliable Solution” quantifies the performance of heat pumps in sub-freezing temperatures and provides recommendations for optimizing deployment.
Heat pumps now provide dependable heating across Colorado, even in sub-zero temperatures. New cold climate product certifications, trained installer networks, and weatherization programs are helping consumers switch from less efficient fossil fuel systems and stay warm all winter.…