Deep Dive
Industry insights from our journalists
-
Demand response failed California 20 years ago; the state's recent outages may have redeemed it
The West’s recent heatwaves put California power users in the dark but showed how flexible demand response can keep the lights on.
Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 28, 2020 -
Politics disrupts San Diego's pursuit of an energy transition partner amid dissatisfaction with SDG&E
San Diego's 50-year-old franchise agreement with San Diego Gas and Electric expires in January, but city leaders can't agree on standards for the next provider, leaving bidders, including Berkshire Hathaway Energy, waiting.
Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 18, 2020 -
Duke-solar industry breakthrough settlement aims to end rooftop solar cost shift debates
A collaboration among Vote Solar, Sunrun, Southeastern environmental advocates and Duke Energy has produced a rate design that could be a new paradigm for pairing and growing rooftop solar and demand response.
Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 16, 2020 -
For nuclear plants operating on thin margins, growing climate risks prompt tough choices
Climate change creates a number of problems for nuclear power plants that some academics say the industry needs to address soon.
Matthew Bandyk • Sept. 10, 2020 -
GE Renewables
FERC summit highlights reliability concerns for renewables + storage, but has California found a solution?
In a day-long FERC conference on renewables+storage hybrids earlier this summer, system operators focused on reliability while advocates described new opportunities.
Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 03, 2020 -
Yujin Kim, Industry Dive
As utility collaboration with charging companies rises, emerging differences could impede EV growth
To accelerate EV charging infrastructure deployment, former competitors are working together, but new questions threaten to lead to dissension.
Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 31, 2020 -
Getty
Utilities face growing ransomware threat as hackers improve strategy, execution
The energy industry faces an increasing threat from financially-motivated hackers. Experts say more companies are paying, and ransoms are rising.
Robert Walton • Aug. 26, 2020 -
Ensuring DER inclusion in capacity markets may require a rethink of resource adequacy
The growth of customer-owned resources is forcing system operators and aggregators to see their value as reliability tools and rethink the concept of resource adequacy.
Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 24, 2020 -
Brian Tucker/Utility Dive
Propelling the transition: Digitization bolsters utility rate cases, boosts drive to future-proof
The continuing automation and digitization of the power sector now enables utilities to better justify their spending plans and improve reliability as they prepare for new resources and electricity uses.
Guy Burdick • Aug. 21, 2020 -
Brian Tucker/Utility Dive
Propelling the transition: Small changes are making big impacts on wind, solar, but challenges remain
Cutting-edge wind and solar may evolve differently in the near term, but advocates for both share concerns over grid reliability and preventing energy curtailment.
Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 20, 2020 -
Brian Tucker/Utility Dive
Propelling the transition: New and better transmission is key to zero carbon; here's what's driving it
New technologies can make it easier to develop transmission and get more out of lines that already exist. But experts say electric utilities must be incentivized to use less-expensive solutions rather than older and pricier approaches.
Robert Walton • Aug. 19, 2020 -
Brian Tucker/Utility Dive
Propelling the transition: The battle for control of virtual power plants is just beginning
As virtual power plants develop, there is a growing debate about the degree to which the future of distributed energy management will be controlled by large utilities or third-party aggregators.
Matthew Bandyk • Aug. 18, 2020 -
Brian Tucker/Utility Dive
Propelling the transition: Green hydrogen could be the final piece in a zero-emissions future
Green hydrogen beats renewables plus batteries at fueling heavy transport, serving industry and long duration storage — if it can be delivered affordably.
Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 17, 2020 -
Permission granted by Enel Green Power, photo by Jake Janske
Sheep, ag and sun: Agrivoltaics propel significant reductions in solar maintenance costs
The cost savings impressed Tampa Electric when it put its solar O&M out to bid in 2018, with grazing representing a 75% cost savings over traditional mowing, said Paul Davis, director of solar operations.
Lynn Freehill-Maye • Aug. 04, 2020 -
A blow to small solar, a win for states and utilities? Regulators, analysts assess FERC's PURPA rule
Federal regulators issued a ruling on the law earlier this month that stakeholders say could disproportionately benefit vertically-integrated utilities in non-competitive markets in particular.
Catherine Morehouse • July 30, 2020 -
Audit of Hawaiian Electric sends a postcard about the future of regulation
The utility's restructuring has supported and streamlined Hawaii's ongoing "transition to a 100% renewable future," the audit reported. But "costs and staffing levels have also increased," often without "a clear role or purpose."
Herman K. Trabish • July 13, 2020 -
Momentum grows for piloting Netflix-like fixed subscription rates, but not everyone's on board
For customers who want predictable bills, pairing automated smart distribution technologies with flat rates can resolve the overuse challenge of traditional fixed bills.
Herman K. Trabish • July 07, 2020 -
Battery energy storage is getting cheaper, but how much deployment is too much?
As renewable penetrations rise, batteries are the answer to variability, but it is not clear when buying more storage stops increasing reliability.
Herman K. Trabish • June 30, 2020 -
Permission granted by Wärtsilä
COVID-19 propels microgrids in healthcare sector, but regulatory, awareness hurdles remain
"If we think this is the last time we’re going to be dealing with something like this, I think we’re being foolish," said an executive at a Southern Company distributed power subsidiary.
Kavya Balaraman • June 29, 2020 -
A COVID-19 hit to public power? For some, it's not all bad
Municipal utilities and other public power entities have unique challenges, and some advantages, when dealing with the financial impacts of the pandemic and recession.
Matthew Bandyk • June 25, 2020 -
Getty Images
Trump's grid security order sows confusion in power sector — but don't expect a quick fix
The executive order limits the installation of bulk power system equipment sourced from foreign adversaries, but experts say the vague wording has the industry 'freaked out.'
Robert Walton • June 10, 2020 -
California plans for future of gas system amid 'patchwork' of electrification policies
The California Public Utilities Commission has opened a rulemaking to "manage" a transition away from natural gas. But questions remain on what that transition will look like.
Kavya Balaraman • June 09, 2020 -
NASA Earth Observatory
When storms collide: Utilities' new approach to hurricane restoration in the age of COVID-19
The spread of the novel coronavirus has forced Duke, FPL and other utilities to alter their approach to storm restoration, utilizing smaller crews and more remote work while keeping a close eye on worker health.
Robert Walton • June 04, 2020 -
Herman K. Trabish
The 3 key challenges to expanding the West's real-time energy market to day-ahead trading
Driven by new Western state renewables and zero emissions mandates, the 11 active participants and nine new applicants in the Energy Imbalance Market are pushing to expand it to day-ahead trading.
Herman K. Trabish • June 03, 2020 -
Ex-FERC commissioners debate solutions to coal self-committments said to cost millions
Former FERC Commissioner Suedeen Kelly says the issue will have to be resolved at the state level, while former Chair Jon Wellinghoff argues such market distortions should be addressed by FERC.
Catherine Morehouse • June 01, 2020
