CAREERS Sign In Power, Energy and Water Research Reports | CoBank - CoBank Site Power, Energy and Water Reports Reports from CoBank Knowledge Exchange focusing on the power, energy and water industries. Co-op EVolution — A New Era of Mobile Energy, Off-Grid Access to Electricity June 2021 Co-op EVolution — Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide on EV Adoption June 2021 (Re)Considering (De)Regulation and Resiliency May 2021 Listen to the Power Plays podcast Power Plays is a CoBank Knowledge Exchange monthly audio program. We connect with top energy and environmental innovators who share their, insights, experience and observations of the market. Power Plays Stay ahead of the game in your field. Subscribe today. Get CoBank's industry-leading Knowledge Exchange research reports delivered straight to your inbox as soon as they're released. Subscribe to Reports Have a comment or question about these reports? Contact CoBank's Knowledge Exchange team to ask questions, engage with analysts or receive additional information. Contact Us All Reports Co-op EVolution — A New Era of Mobile Energy, Off-Grid Access to Electricity Given promising signs of a return to normal for the country and the prospect of even more motorists hitting the road this year, it felt like the right time to celebrate a new CoBank initiative dedicated to electric vehicles. Co-op EVolution — Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide on EV Adoption Given new commitments by car manufacturers, expanded policy incentives, and ambitious build-out of charging infrastructure, electric vehicles could make up 10% of all new car sales by 2025 – a five-fold increase from current levels. (Re)Considering (De)Regulation and Resiliency A different market design probably would not have averted the crisis in Texas. But there is a clear need to protect consumers from these price spikes. Achieving Biden’s Climate Moonshot Requires Heavy Lifting by Electric Power Industry President Biden's new greenhouse gas emissions target for the U.S. could be viewed as the current generation’s moonshot opportunity for addressing climate change. The Power Sector’s Tough Lessons Learned This Winter The February 2021 winter storm and widespread power outages have raised new concerns about the future of grid resilience. Highlights from PowerXchange: Impact of the Pandemic on Electric Industry Transitions One of the more thought provoking sessions I attended at this year’s NRECA PowerXchange conference focused on how the events of 2020 will likely accelerate transformation for the U.S. electricity industry. The Economics of DER and the Rise of the U.S. Prosumer Over the past decade, retail electricity prices have continued to rise despite declining costs associated with generating electricity. Fuel-switched — Persistent Low Natural Gas Prices Shut the Door on Coal Recovery for 2021 and Beyond With fuel competition unlikely to abate, there is little opportunity for a revival in the U.S. coal patch. Addition by Subtraction: Recent Trends Reinforce Longer-Term Shift to Clean Energy Many consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for the U.S. power industry have been extreme – from demand destruction to more intense supply-side competition. The Dangers of Kicking the Can Down an Endless Road The accumulated effects of deferred maintenance may pose a future reliability risk should staffing shortages persist. No More Carefree Summer Days for Generators — Electricity Demand Weakness to Resurface With Mild Fall Weather Summer-time air conditioning demand masked underlying electricity demand weakness associated with COVID-19. As temperatures begin to moderate, loads will once again soften. Power Sector Demand Destruction Forces Hard Choices While the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on the power sector remain unclear, belt tightening is a must and the industry has an opportunity now to adapt. From the Ground Up: The Changing Energy Demands of Agricultural Irrigation Agricultural irrigation accounts for a significant share of the industrial electrical load served by U.S. utilities, especially in rural & semi-rural areas of Western & Central states. The Year Ahead: Forces That Will Shape the US Rural Economy in 2020 The U.S. rural economy will continue to face headwinds in 2020 and is expected to underperform relative to the economy of urban America. Huge Battery Project Follows in Co‑ops’ Footsteps The world’s largest battery energy storage development project has received the green light from New York’s Public Service Commission. The project reaffirms what electric cooperatives in remote areas have known for years. Emission Fights Cloud Electric Vehicle Growth As the U.S. market for electric vehicles has grown in recent years, many electric utilities around the country have welcomed the resulting incremental demand for power. But the uncertainty over future U.S. national fuel economy standards isn’t helping the segment’s growth. US Authorities Seek Streamlined Natural Gas Pipeline Development The EPA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking indicating that the agency seeks much greater authority in the infrastructure permitting processes regulated under the Clean Water Act. Under the EPA’s proposed rule, states and tribes could only prevent infrastructure construction in matters concerning water quality, ending some of their other long-held permitting authorities. Electric Vehicle-to-Grid Integration: From Concept to Reality While vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration remains more concept than reality in the U.S., it will likely afford economic value to cost-conscious utilities and their ratepayers in the long term. The Year Ahead: Forces That Will Shape the US Rural Economy in 2019 The U.S. economy is still performing well by most key measures. However, consumers, investors, companies and other market participants have become more wary about the near-term future with seemingly good reason. Nevada Votes NO on Energy Choice On November 6, 2018, Nevada voters rejected a proposition that would have fully liberalized the state’s electricity market. Impact of the Energy Choice Initiative on Nevada Electric Co-ops Nevada’s Energy Choice Initiative that goes to vote in November poses many risks to electric coops. It could result in billions of dollars in stranded costs from the divestiture of NV Energy’s power supply assets. Broadband Partnerships: A Key to High-Speed Success for Rural Electric Co-ops Broadband communications is coming to rural America, but the pace of progress remains slow. There is good news in several areas. Rural electric cooperatives are entering the broadband space in increasing numbers. They are finding that their existing distribution networks can mean efficient deployment of broadband for their members. Positively Charged: The Emergence of Battery Energy Storage Among Electric Distribution Co-ops Battery energy storage systems are gaining momentum beyond traditional markets in Hawaii, Alaska, California and the Northeast. Growth is dominated by lithiumion (Li-ion) battery technology, spurred by increasing demand for electric vehicles and stationary uses. EVs and EDs: Rural Electric Coops to Benefit from Late Adoption of Electric Vehicles The early market for plug-in electric vehicles has been characterized by modest but steadily increasing sales, high vehicle reliability and customer satisfaction, and a rapid evolution of both vehicle and charging technologies. When Rural Water Systems Combine As water utilities wrestle with increasing regulatory compliance and costly infrastructure needs, many are considering whether consolidation, also referred to as regionalization or partnering, could help them meet their challenges. Proponents say consolidation can help rural water systems leverage economies of scale and available expertise to make better use of resources and opportunities. But not everyone agrees on the rationale or approach to consolidation. Making the Move into Broadband More and more rural electric cooperatives are learning that their existing distribution networks can lend themselves to highly efficient deployment of broadband for their member-owners. Based on the distances that define rural America, one of the surest ways to effectively build a broadband network is to use an existing electric co-op infrastructure. Technology on Tap: Advanced Technology Streamlines Rural Water Systems' Operations Across the U.S., a growing number of rural water and wastewater systems are taking advantage of technological innovations to increase efficiencies, save money, reduce water waste and comply with environmental regulations. Developing Renewable Energy PPAs: Recommendations from the Experts As the cost of renewable energy continues to decline and it becomes more competitive with other power sources, electric cooperatives are turning increasingly to low-cost renewable energy to help meet their members’ power requirements. In lieu of building and owning these generation assets themselves, many are executing long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) at contractually specified prices for renewable energy. Rural Water Industry Prepares for a Generational Shift Some analysts have estimated that 50 percent of the rural water industry’s workforce will retire in the next few years. In its 2016 State of the Water Industry report, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) listed “aging workforce/anticipated retirements” as No. 13 of 28 top challenges. Rural Water Systems – Insiders’ Perspectives on the Industry’s Major Challenges The nation’s rural water systems are striving to improve their public image and address their pressing business challenges as they work to survive and thrive over the next few decades. The US Coal Industry: Shrinking But Not Dying As a result of the coal industry’s severe contraction, many of the smaller companies will likely be wiped out, whereas the largest coal mining companies should emerge from bankruptcy being much more competitive both domestically and globally. Implications of the Solar ITC Extension for Electric Cooperatives The proliferation of PV solar on the grid will continue to change traditional daily load curves, reducing net demand when PV power generation peaks during the middle of the day. Managing the Colorado River in the 21st Century: Shared Risks and Collaborative Solutions The Colorado River faces myriad threats as the limits of its ability to meet the diverse array of growing demands is tested by over-allocation and diminished streamflow, due in part to a 16-year drought considered among the worst in 1,200 years. Banking on Renewables Renewable energy has taken center stage in the ongoing evolution of the U.S. electric industry. Declining installation costs, growing consumer demand, strong financial incentives, and environmental regulations will support the build out of renewable energy through the end of this decade and beyond. Load Defection Among Agricultural Producers Adoption of distributed solar among ag producers remains low, largely driven by incentives and tax appetite, but will accelerate when the levelized cost of energy for on-farm solar converges with retail electricity rates, which will likely occur by 2025 in most states. ABOUT COBANK CoBank is one of the largest private providers of credit to the U.S. rural economy. The bank delivers loans, leases and other financial services to agribusiness, rural infrastructure and Farm Credit customers in all 50 states. 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