Power & Pipes

Our team has prepared a LawFlash discussing the Biden administration’s recently released Voluntary Carbon Markets Joint Policy Statement and Principles for High-Integrity Voluntary Carbon Markets. Through the Voluntary Carbon Markets (VCMs), entities that engage in activities that remove or reduce carbon emissions from the atmosphere may generate carbon credits that can be sold, and entities that emit carbon dioxide can purchase carbon credits to offset carbon emissions.

The European Commission and European consumer authorities announced that on April 30, 2024, they sent letters to 20 airlines alleging potentially misleading green claims and asking them to conform to EU consumer law within 30 days. At issue are the airlines’ claims that carbon dioxide emissions caused by air travel could be offset by climate projects or through the use of sustainable fuels, to which consumers could contribute by paying additional fees.

In our final dispatch from the CERAWeek conference by S&P Global, Felipe Alice shared some insights and key takeaways from a luncheon and dialogue session featuring tech entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist Bill Gates.

Our coverage of the CERAWeek conference by S&P Global in Houston, running from March 18 to March 22, continues with more updates. Today’s missive comes from the Innovation Agora, which is connected to the Executive Conference at CERAWeek. The Innovation Agora is described as a “vibrant and interactive marketplace of ideas on energy innovation and emerging technologies.” It includes several amphitheaters or “hubs” that are designed for presentations and conversations involving the latest trends in climate change, carbon, hydrogen, and emerging energy technologies.  

We’re back with another update from CERAWeek 2024 by S&P Global to highlight some key takeaways from day two of the conference. Many of the sessions on this day were dedicated to infrastructure development and highlighted the opportunities and the challenges facing energy project developers.

Yesterday marked the start of CERAWeek 2024 by S&P Global, and for the rest of this week Morgan Lewis partners Kirstin Gibbs and Felipe Alice will be reporting back on the key themes and ideas they are uncovering as the conference unfolds.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has begun issuing questionnaires to solar companies requesting extensive disclosures about the source of modules, panels, and other products. This marks an expansion of the scrutiny on the supply chain for the solar industry, as importers previously only had to provide such information if shipments were detained for inspection.

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit dismissed a class action lawsuit claiming a California utility was liable for blackouts that were allegedly caused by inadequate electric system maintenance.

The DC Circuit has affirmed FERC’s application of the “cost causation” principle to prevent a public utility (the Utility) from allocating costs for facilities to customers that did not benefit from the facilities. The Utility had asked the court to overturn FERC’s order preventing the Utility from recovering transmission costs from customers located near the facilities because those facilities were built and intended to serve solely a separate group of customers located 300 miles away.

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a notice of inquiry (NOI) in December 2023 seeking comments on whether and, if so, how FERC should revise its policy on providing blanket authorizations for investment companies under Section 203(a)(2) of the Federal Power Act (FPA). This policy has permitted certain nonactive investors (such as mutual funds) to purchase and sell equity interests in utilities and holding companies without the typical FERC review of such investments.