Deep Dive

Industry insights from our journalists


  • A rendering of a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV in a residential garage with GM's vehicle-to-home charging equipment mounted on the wall.
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    Courtesy of General Motors
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    When TOU rates aren’t enough: BGE, other utilities expand active managed charging for rising EV load

    With over 3 million electric vehicles on U.S. roads, managed charging pilots need to be scaled before infrastructure upgrade costs start rising, analysts and utility executives agree.

    Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 4, 2024
  • Wind power generator in green landscape with distributed energy icons.
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    Sakorn Sukkasemsakorn via Getty Images
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    EPRI, Kraken advance DER interoperability standards to boost virtual power plant deployment

    “Without interoperability standards, VPPs cannot reach scalability, affordability, and reliability as soon or as efficiently as they will be needed,” said Arshad Mansoor, CEO of the Electric Power Research Institute.

    Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 27, 2024
  • People in a bar watch a TV screen with former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harrris debating.
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    Harris, Trump present ‘diametrically opposed’ impacts on ESG

    “A Harris administration would be more favorable for the interests of ESG investors whereas a Trump administration would be antagonistic,” according to Morningstar Indexes’ head of strategy.

    Lamar Johnson and Zoya Mirza • Nov. 5, 2024
  • A blue car drives through a flooded street, spraying up water.
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    The image by Chesapeake Bay Program is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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    APS, Duke, other utilities pursue new climate resilience strategies as some await upcoming tools

    APS and Duke, along with Central Hudson Gas & Electric, PacifiCorp and Puget Sound Energy, see different paths to reach resilience planning’s potential while awaiting EPRI metrics to address uncertainties.

    Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 28, 2024
  • Three Mile Island nuclear power plant
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    eff Fusco / Stringer via Getty Images
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    With Palisades and Three Mile Island units set to restart, could more retired reactors follow?

    Much depends on the retired plants’ condition, decommissioning status and reactor technology, experts say.

    Brian Martucci • Oct. 22, 2024
  • Wind turbines spin behind a solar energy park
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    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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    Carrots, sticks or both: State efforts to combat anti-renewables NIMBYs

    In pursuit of zero-emissions electricity goals and tax windfalls from utility-scale renewables, states are taking a range of approaches to disarm opponents.

    Brian Martucci • Aug. 22, 2024
  • A rooftop solar installation against the backdrop of the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building in midtown Manhattan.
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    FernandoAH via Getty Images
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    California pioneers new ways to ease interconnection of large DERs

    Limited generation profiles in California will schedule limits to DERs during system constraints. New York, Illinois, Colorado and others are testing more flexible approaches.

    Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 21, 2024
  • Solar panels and wind turbines in the desert producing renewable energy.
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    narvikk via Getty Images
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    Innovative solutions emerge to reduce 2.5-TW US clean energy interconnection backlog

    California’s project scoring criteria, the Texas connect and manage option and SPP’s work to link system planning with the interconnection process across its multistate region could speed the clean energy expansion.

    Herman K. Trabish • July 22, 2024
  • AI Artificial Intelligence and conversational chatbots businesses digital technology interact with applications, including customer service, sales and marketing and big data virtual screen.
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    hirun via Getty Images
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    As NVIDIA, IBM and others apply AI to boost utilities, regulatory and data privacy obstacles abound

    The “move fast and break things” business model of the technology sector is meeting the regulated spending and reliability imperatives of the utility sector.

    Herman K. Trabish • June 11, 2024
  • Demonstrators prepare to be arrested during a rally outside the White House as part of the 'Climate Chaos Is Happening Now' protest on October 13, 2021 in Washington, DC
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    Drive for energy permitting reform fuels tensions between climate, environmental justice advocates

    A simplified permitting process would speed the deployment of clean energy, but some EJ advocates are concerned about unintended consequences.

    Diana DiGangi • June 6, 2024
  • Rooftop solar panels at the Soleil Lofts apartment complex in Herriman, Utah
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    Permission granted by sonnen, Inc.
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    Tackling 3 key issues can help scale virtual power plants and spur a wave of benefits, analysts say

    Advanced operational software, communications standards and customer compensation are needed to scale VPP size and services, cut system and customer costs and enhance reliability, key VPP players agree.

    Herman K. Trabish • April 17, 2024
  • An illustration of a NuScale Power plant layout from 1000ft view
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    Permission granted by NuScale Power
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    As states increasingly look to advanced nuclear, Wyoming, Virginia and Michigan lead the way

    Their efforts are showing policymakers elsewhere how to attract emerging nuclear technologies and the skilled workers they need to operate, National Association of State Energy Officials President David Terry said.

    Brian Martucci • April 17, 2024
  • A solar eclipse
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    George Frey via Getty Images
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    Monday’s eclipse could cut US solar output by 40 GWh. Here’s how 5 grid operators are preparing.

    Grid operators are not expecting any reliability issues during the eclipse but say forecasting energy demand will be complicated. Monday “will not be a typical spring day,” MISO noted.

    Robert Walton • April 4, 2024
  • Person in a house holding an energy efficiency mobile app on screen
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    simpson33 via Getty Images
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    A new era of price-based demand response emerges, but utilities and regulators need proof of its potential

    New load flexibility from price-based demand response programs could be invaluable if reliability and cost-effectiveness is confirmed in real-world operating conditions, stakeholders agree.

    Herman K. Trabish • March 27, 2024
  • Transmission lines running next to the Los Angeles River in California.
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    LPETTET via Getty Images
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    California lawmakers backpedal on income-based utility charges as IOUs, others propose alternatives

    State legislators ordered regulators in 2022 to implement an income-graduated fixed charge to protect low-income customers and shift the funding for various policy goals. A new bill would repeal that.

    Herman K. Trabish • March 19, 2024
  • Electricity transmission towers with glowing wires.
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    jitendrajadhav via Getty Images
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    2024 PJM Outlook: Tough choices loom on capacity market, plant retirements, transmission planning

    Ensuring that enough new generation comes online to replace retiring power plants is a key issue that threads through PJM’s expected focus this year, stakeholders and observers said.

    Ethan Howland • Feb. 29, 2024
  • Pylon with power lines against reddish sky at sunset, rural North Carolina, USA.
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    Karl Weatherly via Getty Images
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    Congressional action on energy permitting remains stuck, but states, developers are finding solutions

    States are resolving local objections to projects through community engagement while transmission developers are making innovative use of existing rights-of-way to bypass permitting logjams.

    Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 27, 2024
  • A forest fire burns under a high voltage transmission line in California.
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    My Photo Buddy via Getty Images
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    As wildfires losses mount, will commercial insurers decline to cover utilities?

    As Xcel Energy, PG&E, Hawaiian Electric and others confront catastrophic wildfires, industry observers believe the growing risk could spur innovation in commercial insurance that ultimately benefits utilities.

    Emma Penrod • Jan. 31, 2024
  • Solar panels and wind turbines in a field
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    imacoconut via Getty Images
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    New solutions emerge to better integrate renewables into the grid, Xcel, Eversource and others say

    Requiring the 400+ GW of battery capacity in U.S. interconnection queues to have grid-forming capabilities could enable variable renewables growth “cheaper and faster than adding new transmission,” one expert said.

    Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 25, 2024
  • SEC Chairman Gary Gensler takes part in a meeting.
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    Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images
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    To keep or not to keep: The fate of scope 3 emissions in SEC’s climate disclosure rule

    Given all of the pushback the agency has received over its proposed rule, particularly scope 3 reporting requirements, experts are uncertain if scope 3 will make the final cut.

    Zoya Mirza • Jan. 25, 2024
  • Silhouette of young engineer holding laptop computer planning and working for the energy industry and standing beside a wind turbines farm power station at sunset time
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    BulentBARIS via Getty Images
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    Utility Business Outlook: Power prices stay elevated as elections sow uncertainty for clean energy plans

    For utilities and the clean energy sector, 2024 could bring “an exceptional level of volatility and opportunity,” according to Bank of America Global Research analysts.

    Robert Walton • Jan. 23, 2024
  • Pylon with power lines against reddish sky at sunset, rural North Carolina, USA.
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    Karl Weatherly via Getty Images
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    Renewable Energy Outlook: Addressing supply chain, project hurdles could see dividends in 2024

    It may be a blessing in disguise for the offshore wind industry that so many developers had to delay or cancel projects last year, one attorney said.

    Diana DiGangi • Jan. 18, 2024
  • Workers building a high-voltage transmission line.
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    Siripak Pason via Getty Images
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    As reliability concerns with renewables rise, upgrading inverters is urgent, analysts say

    The variable output of renewable energy resources requires “grid-forming” inverters to protect power system current flows, engineers and others agree.

    Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 2, 2024
  • Connecticut State Capitol
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    DenisTangneyJr via Getty Images
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    Eversource wary about attracting investor capital as Connecticut moves to forefront of PBR trend

    Connecticut utilities’ credit and financials will remain stable or improve when performance-based regulation is fully implemented, just as they did for Hawaiian Electric, said the state’s chief utility regulator.

    Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 5, 2023
  • (for Utility Dive storage series)
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    Adeline Kon/Utility Dive
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    The energy storage space is heating up. Here are some of the technologies making a dent.

    Utility Dive took a look at four technologies, and spoke to some of the companies spearheading them, to get a better picture of the emerging energy storage landscape.

    Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 5, 2023