News and Analysis
OMA Questions Electric Reliability Scare; Calls for More Utility Accountability, Transparency
February 2, 2024The OMA this week briefed members of the news media to provide customer perspective on electric reliability and concerns regarding overstated shortfall risks by PJM Interconnection. The event preceded a Feb. 1 joint hearing of Ohio and Pennsylvania lawmakers that examined interstate relationships within the PJM electric grid.
In a statement, OMA President Ryan Augsburger urged lawmakers to increase grid accountability and transparency while offering solutions to protect customers from higher costs.
Joining the OMA briefing were Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Maureen Willis; Brad Belden, president of The Belden Brick Company and chair of the OMA Energy Committee; Tim Ling, corporate environmental director for Plaskolite; Kim Bojko, OMA energy counsel; and John Seryak, OMA energy engineer and CEO of RunnerStone.
Read more in this report by Hannah News Service. 2/1/2024
Honda Expands Hydrogen Business
February 2, 2024Honda has outlined its plan to increase the use of hydrogen fuel cell technology and expand its hydrogen business. According to reports, Honda’s joint venture with GM has begun mass production of the new Honda fuel cell system. 1/30/2024
Grants for Energy Projects at Manufacturing Facilities
February 2, 2024Federal grants have been made available for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects for small-to-medium sized manufacturers. Eligible manufacturing plants can apply to cover 50% of project costs (up to $300,000 per plant) for projects that reduce energy or emissions.
Is it worth the paperwork? OMA’s energy engineering partner Go Sustainable Energy has created this screening tool to help you determine whether you should consider the grant application process. 2/1/2024
New Incentives for Energy-Efficient Buildings
February 2, 2024The Energy-Efficient Commercial Building Deduction is a federal tax incentive that was recently expanded under the Inflation Reduction Act. Manufacturing properties are among the facilities eligible for this incentive. For more details, OMA Connections Partner GBQ Partners has published this overview. 1/30/2024
OMA Leads Support for ESP Repeal Bill
January 26, 2024Ohio’s Electric Security Plans (ESPs) — authorized under a 2008 energy law — allow utilities to request customer charges exceeding market prices. The OMA has long urged lawmakers to end ESPs to reduce manufacturers’ electricity costs.
This week, the OMA provided proponent testimony in support of ESP-repeal legislation, Senate Bill 143, sponsored by Sen. Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario). Testifying on behalf of the OMA were Brad Belden, president of The Belden Brick Company and chair of the OMA Energy Committee, and Tim Ling, corporate environment director for Plaskolite.
Belden and Ling told members of the Senate Energy & Public Utilities Committee that SB 143 would end the abusive ESP process and excessive utility profits, as this one-page summary illustrates. Watch or read the OMA’s testimony. 1/25/2024
PJM Market Update Webinar
January 26, 2024At 2 p.m. Jan. 31, OMA Connections Partner NRG will host a complimentary webinar to examine the unique factors impacting the PJM market. The session will include a review of electric and natural gas fundamentals, pricing, and purchasing strategies, as well as capacity market changes and regulatory issues. 1/25/2024
GOP Governors Ask Biden to Drop EV Requirement
January 26, 2024Republican governors in 16 states are urging the Biden administration to reverse course on its requirement that two-thirds of new auto sales be electric by 2032. In this letter to President Joe Biden, the governors said the proposed mandate is “unrealistic” and imposes “prescriptive solutions that harm American consumers.” 1/24/2024
Wholesale Electricity Prices Expected to Stay Flat
January 19, 2024The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects average wholesale electricity prices for 2024 in most areas of the country to be close to or slightly lower than 2023 levels because of stable generation fuel costs.
In the territory of PJM Interconnection — the regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in Ohio — wholesale electricity is predicted to remain at an average $39 per megawatthour. 1/18/2024
Jenifer French Seeks PUCO Reappointment
January 19, 2024Jenifer French has applied to lead the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio for five more years. As reported by Gongwer News Service, French, whose term ends in April, faces competition from 10 other applicants.
French was appointed in 2021 by Gov. Mike DeWine to fulfill the unexpired term of ex-chair Sam Randazzo, who resigned in 2020 and was recently indicted on criminal charges tied to the House Bill 6 scandal. The Supreme Court of Ohio has ruled the state can freeze $8 million in assets owned by Randazzo. 1/17/2024
Battery Recycling Could Cut Dependence on China
January 19, 2024It’s estimated that circularity strategies — like battery reuse — could help the U.S. meet up to 40% of rare earth mineral demand in the U.S., China, and Europe by 2050. This article by Manufacturing Dive notes manufacturers have been making investments in related circular strategies, including for minerals for EV batteries. 1/17/2024