California

California and New Jersey – two states with well-structured organized markets for electiricity – are leading the nation in solar capacity, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) Year in Review report released last week. 
 
The solar market grew from $3.6 billion in 2009 to $6.0 billion in 2010, with installations totaling 956 megawatts (MW), achieving a capacity of 2.6 gigawatts. According to SEIA, this represents only the beginning of such growth. In 2011, the organization expects U.S. solar installations to double from 2010 levels.
 

California’s cap on the number of customers allowed to select their power supplier is blocking consumers from access to competitively priced electricity and alternative energy products.

A new study shows that electricity pricing policies may become a major obstacle to electric vehicle (EV) affordability, but time-of-use pricing – a hallmark of competitive markets – could be the solution.
 

Few consumers when they purchase an airline ticket, pay their electric bill or turn on their gas stove give a passing thought to the money they are saving or the innovation and convenience made possible thanks to Alfred E. Kahn.  But Kahn, an economist who died December 27 at the age of 93, had a pervasive influence in turning back nearly a century of consumer-costly price regulation in industries that span not just transportation and energy, but almost the entire economy.  He was far more than merely the “father of airline deregulation,” as most obituaries are heralding him. 
 

A recent report forecasts rapid growth in jobs among the solar industry, and predicts competitive market states will lead the way in growing green jobs through clean energy innovation. The National Solar Jobs Census 2010 forecasts 24,000 net new jobs will be created over the next twelve months, a 26 percent increase over the 93,000 currently employed.
 

A solar energy boom is taking place in California’s organized electricity market. Nine solar energy projects have been proposed in the state, totaling 4,300 megawatts (MW) of solar power – a remarkable total considering the total installed solar power capacity of the entire country totaled just over 2,000 MW in 2009.
 

A new report by the Center for American Progress (CAP) identifies the top 10 states for energy efficiency and credits market forces for stimulating innovation and investment. According to the report, Connecticut, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Ohio are the nation’s top energy efficiency markets – all but North Carolina have competitive retail electricity markets.
 

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) Year in Review 2009 report detailed how despite the economic downturn installed solar power capacity climbed past 2,000 megawatts (MW), enough to power a city of 350,000 homes. The top two states in 2009 and cumulative installed capacity were states with competitive power markets.
 

Competitive electricity markets are helping lead the nation toward a smart grid future. So says a new report from GTM Research, which ranks the top 10 states leading smart grid implementation. Seven of the 10 states participate in competitive electricity markets. California ranks first, followed in the rankings by Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
 
These state rankings result from a mix of effective regulatory oversight and private investment, but all deliver economic and environmental benefits to consumers. “These 10 states are the laboratories for U.S. smart grid policy, and their influence on the pace and scope of deployment is durable and growing,” said Stephen Munro, energy policy analyst for GTM Research.
 

Demand for competitive power has overwhelmed the second market opening of additional supply in California’s retail power market, reports Electric Power Daily.