5’s client in Mexico provides customers around the world with automatic transmissions, the brain of automobiles. As a manufacturer of Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT, hybrids) for automobiles, the client offers ecological products that maximize vehicle performance.

On behalf of the team at 5, I am pleased to forward our market letter for the first quarter of 2021. This letter focuses on the latest Black Swan event, Uri, the winter storm that hit Texas in mid-February. The storm caused a catastrophic loss of generation and triggered an extended period of extremely high energy prices. This letter provides: (i) a summary and chronology of the legal and regulatory proceedings that Uri has spawned; (ii) a snapshot of how the storm has impacted a variety of market participants including municipal utilities, wind farms, renewable purchasers, commercial and industrial buyers, and the natural gas market; and (iii) an overview of legislative efforts to address electric reliability in ERCOT.

The Beck Group is an international architecture and construction firm that has designed and built some of the most well-known structures in North America. Based in Dallas, Beck also has offices in Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Denver, Fort Worth, Tampa, Mexico City, and Monterrey. Founded in 1912 by Henry C. Beck, the company began as a general contractor. It can trace its roots back to the original construction of the Cotton Exchange Building and the Cotton Bowl in the 1920s and 1930s. In addition to its design-build expertise, Beck is also involved in sustainability and technology solutions that help its clients operate their facilities cost-effectively.

A large global auto parts manufacturer, with multiple facilities across the country, was looking for assistance in developing a comprehensive approach to managing its electricity and natural expenses. Prior to working with 5, this Fortune 200 company was waiting until their current contracts were getting ready to expire before gathering quotes and soliciting offers from various suppliers.

Spring Creek Towers (SCT), commonly known as Starrett City, is a self-contained urban community that is home to approximately 18,000 residents spread out over 46 brick towers on 153 acres overlooking Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn. SCT offers residents a unique mix of amenities within its borders including schools, a shopping center, a post office, and a sports club.

Despite the name, microgrids are a big deal. In fact, microgrids are a hot topic of conversation lately because of the crucial role they play in business continuity and resiliency planning. Thanks to a handful of unpredictable weather events, a wide variety of stakeholders are turning to microgrids to keep power flowing when natural disasters or catastrophic grid failures disrupt the utility grid’s normal operations.

On Tuesday, March 16, 2021, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) released a status report on “Regulations Establishing Energy Efficiency Standards.” In addition to reporting on the status of energy efficiency regulations, this report includes recommended amendments to New York law that would add new categories to the state’s energy efficiency performance standards. These recommendations have been crafted into a “Program Bill” – legislation written by the Governor’s administration – which is being shopped around in the State Legislature for a sponsor.

5’s client, a major water authority in Texas, has provided wastewater treatment services to many municipal utility districts for more than 60 years with each member district sharing in the operating costs. In 2014, the client selected 5 to serve as their advisor for all energy-related matters.

Since the dawn of electricity deregulation, most commercial and industrial clients have relied on brokers and sales reps as their primary source of education and strategy development. Clients meet with a different set of sales people to discuss procurement, engineering, demand-side management, sustainability, and resiliency, leading to a fractured decision-making process and piecemeal strategies that lack depth, diversity, harmony, and foresight. When energy prices are falling, the weather is following normal patterns, and suppliers are offering low bids in a race to the bottom, any sales rep or broker running a simple procurement process can appear to be adding value to your business.

From time to time, events occur that reshape and redefine an industry. These events can often prompt stakeholders, lawmakers and customers to question and reevaluate some of the basic premises on which an industry was built. This is the kind of event that happened across Texas during the week of February 15, 2021. While the power outages and the arctic temperatures sent shockwaves throughout the state’s energy markets, the personal toll was equally, if not more, devastating. Millions of Texans were without heat, electricity, and water for days where the thermometer struggled to climb above freezing. But, as is often the case, calamity brings out the best in people as neighbors came to each other’s aid to help wherever possible. And while this story will certainly be told and assessed through gigawatts, hertz and dollars, none of these units can begin to measure the human pain and suffering that was caused by this event.