The Latest
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Customer preference shifts from utilities to third-party providers for rooftop solar, EV: Cogent
Only 47% of consumers surveyed prefer utilities as their solar provider, down from 68% last year, suggesting utilities need stronger brand management.
Solar & Renewables -
Deep DiveAs smart meters proliferate, a new kind of demand response becomes entrenched
Advanced metering infrastructure penetration is slowing, but utilities are harnessing new resources to keep demand response growing.
Efficiency & Demand Response -
PG&E debt drawdown raises concerns of potential bankruptcy due to fire costs
The utility withdrew all the cash from its revolving credit lines Tuesday, a move financial experts say could presage a bankruptcy filing or other serious financial problems for the utility.
Transmission & Distribution -
OpinionLeaving the Nest: 'Bring your own' efficiency programs grow beyond thermostats
The shift from Bring Your Own Thermostat programs to include more devices suggests the BYO model will continue to grow, securing energy and cost savings for customers and energy providers, Navigant's Brett Feldman writes.
Efficiency & Demand Response -
Deep DiveAPS spent millions defeating Prop 127. Is a clean energy compromise ahead?
The utility beat the push for 50% renewables, then started talk about an 80% clean energy standard.
Generation -
Big tech companies are becoming the top buyers of green energy to meet data needs: BNEF
About 1% of the world's electricity consumption goes to power data centers, which can require three times more energy in developed nations.
Solar & Renewables -
DOE to fund 'Coal FIRST' initiative, critics say it's political not practical
The U.S. Department of Energy wants to support the development of smaller coal-fired plants, 50 MW to 350 MW in size, with high-efficiency and near-zero emissions.
Generation -
EY: Q3 power transactions reach record $241B globally
U.S. deals are valued at $28.8 billion this quarter, a 7% increase from Q2, driven largely by cheaper gas and renewables, according to an Ernst & Young Q3 report.
Solar & Renewables -
Report: CPUC launches PG&E, SCE probes after 3 deadly fires
Lawsuit threats loom after two of the state's largest investor owned utilities alerted regulators to transmission issues near ground zero of blazes that started last week.
Regulation & Policy -
AEP to spend $2.7B on renewables, $24.9B on T&D in next 5 years
American Electric Power plans to use the majority of its five year budget on transmission and distribution operations to "enhance service for customers."
Generation -
216 mayors signal support for more solar power in updated letter
The Mayors for Solar Energy effort, organized by Environment America, also includes training and resources for local governments to encourage more solar power.
Solar & Renewables -
Deep Dive
Locational value of DER is essential to grid planning. So why hasn't anyone found it?
Policymakers want to identify the precise value of DER to their power systems, but the system may be changing too fast to make that possible right now.
Transmission & Distribution -
PodcastElectric Power Show Ep. 1: Everybody loves energy storage
Utility Dive's new podcast explores how the Energy Storage Association is navigating the polarized politics of Washington. We also offer midterm election analysis.
The Electric Power Show -
Lazard: Renewables can challenge existing coal plants on price
The firm's latest findings underscore a number of recent utility moves to replace coal with wind, solar and gas.
Generation -
Report offers 10 options to preserve utility role amid clean energy transition
The collaboration among Rocky Mountain Institute, America's Power Plan and Advanced Energy Economy Institute, examines ideas such as revenue decoupling, performance-incentive mechanisms and multi-year rate plans.
Transmission & Distribution -
Deep DiveClean energy platforms win at the state level as 7 governor seats shift blue
Several Democratic candidates ran their campaigns on clean energy in stark contrast to their opponents, which observers say may have helped win them the election.
Solar & Renewables -
OpinionDistribution system planning: Proactively planning for more distributed assets at the grid edge
The distribution grid is the backbone of a reliable electric system and proper planning will make it more flexible, reliable, resilient, cost-effective and clean, AEE's Coley Girouard and Ryan Katofsky write.
Distributed Energy -
OpinionSouth Carolina tackles unprecedented interstate interconnection issues
Duke Energy sought to waive the state's rules to allow renewable projects to participate in a renewables program initiated by North Carolina, opening a can of worms, writes IREC Regulatory Director Sara Baldwin Auck.
Regulation & Policy -
Amazon turns to Tesla for battery storage at UK distribution centers
The 3.6 MW solar array will be paired with an estimated 2 MW of battery storage, marking the latest example of a tech giant partnering with clean energy resource developers.
Solar & Renewables -
PG&E shares hit multiyear low as deadly Camp Fire rages
While the cause has not been determined, the utility reported that a line outage coincided with the most destructive blaze in California history, which has killed at least 29 people and burned 6,700 buildings.
Transmission & Distribution -
FirstEnergy reaches settlement to invest $500M in grid modernization
The settlement also returns $900 million to customers as a result of the lowered corporate tax rate.
Transmission & Distribution -
Northwestern Energy eyes lower costs as it joins CAISO Energy Imbalance Market
California's grid operator estimates the EIM has generated benefits in excess of $500 million for market participants since its launch.
Transmission & Distribution -
OpinionFor RTOs & ISOs: 'Don't call it a market' (props to LL Cool J)
The term "market" for the fully restructured RTOs/ISOs was brilliant PR, but a category error in describing what amounts to an alternative regulatory model, write attorneys Ray Gifford and Matthew Larson.
Regulation & Policy -
Duke, Dominion issue $1.3B in green bonds
Dominion plans to use the bonds to reimburse for its solar investments while Duke said it would use bonds to fund solar and energy projects.
Solar & Renewables -
Storage will replace 3 California gas plants as PG&E nabs approval for world's largest batteries
Installation of more than 2,200 MWh of storage will be the first time a utility directly replaces multiple major fossil fuel generators with batteries.
Generation