The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) invited Tyler H. Norris, J.B. Duke Fellow and Duke University PhD student, to serve as a panelist at FERC’s Staff-Led Workshop on Innovations and Efficiencies in Generator Interconnection in September 2024. Specifically, Norris was invited to provide analysis and comments related to “connect and manage” and potential improvements to flexible energy-only interconnection options.

This paper provides a high-level overview of chaining, an emerging concept that marries two highly consequential provisions of the tax code established by the passage of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): Transferability of tax credits and direct (also known as elective) pay to nonprofit or public entities in lieu of tax credits.

Besides unlocking additional capital, chaining could reduce the cost of capital, ease cash flow, and allow for different parties to share risk. The US Department of the Treasury is actively accepting comments on chaining until December 1, 2024. Through those comments, Treasury is seeking to ascertain, in part, how much more capital chaining can enable and how chaining would be executed.

Energy Pathways USA, an initiative of the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University, has released a report that offers new insights into US energy transition investments. This report comprehensively models the intersecting effects of the Inflation Reduction Act, clean electricity development cost increases, and the impacts of proposed US Environmental Protection Agency greenhouse gas regulations for fossil fuels.

The annual Carbon Pricing Leadership Report complements the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition’s advocacy and networking activities by elevating thought leadership in the mitigation arena and sharing how partners across all sectors are putting a price on carbon and engaging in carbon markets to reduce their emissions. Jackson Ewing, director of energy and climate policy at the Nicholas Institute, contributed to the report with an opinion piece titled "Stakes Increase as Voluntary Carbon Markets and Climate Finance Converge." 

The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act provides new sources of capital and incentives for accelerating net-zero efforts. The law concurrently seeks to shift supply chains vital for US decarbonization to domestic sources and, more selectively, to links with free-trade partners. However, challenges abound. This policy paper responds by exploring opportunities inherent to rapidly creat­ing just, low-carbon, and sustainable supply chains for key sectors of the US economy.

This report is part of Keys to the US Energy Transition: An Energy Pathways USA Series.

In late July 2023, the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released its much-anticipated rule on interconnection reform, Order 2023. This policy brief explores a deeper reform option known as connect and manage. This less restrictive interconnection approach could speed the deployment of resources in a way that can be managed after their integration with the grid, leading to a larger volume of interconnected generation capacity without sacrificing reliability.

This report provides an overview of the market trends in electric vehicle (EV) charging ports per station across 12 Southeastern states based on an analysis of charging station characteristics over the last decade. As of 2022, we identify an average of 2.3 ports per Level 2 charging station and 4.6 ports per direct current fast charging (DCFC) station in the region. The observed trend in the Level 2 market has been consistent over the study period, whereas the more complex DCFC space is characterized by much greater variability.

What will it take to achieve a net-zero carbon emissions footprint for the US economy by 2050? This report from Energy Pathways USA helps strengthen the evidence base on what will be required for a robust US energy transition and elucidates key barriers and opportunities for reaching net-zero goals. The report also outlines future areas of focus for Energy Pathways USA, a Duke-based project that accelerates progress towards a net-zero carbon future by developing workable solutions with corporate partners across multiple key industries.

These comments are in response to the Request for Information posted by the Federal Highway Administration on November 29, 2021 (Federal Register, Vol. 86, No. 226, Page 67783) opening Docket No. FHWA-2021-0022.