Efficiency & Demand Response
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California defies Trump Administration on lightbulb efficiency standards
New state regulations are expected to ultimately save Californians $736 million to $2.4 billion annually, and lower electricity use 2,290 to 4,600 GWh in the first year.
By Matthew Bandyk • Nov. 15, 2019 -
Texas proposes smart meter cost recovery for El Paso Electric, Entergy Texas, boosting AMI
The proposal also applies to Southwestern Public Service and Southwestern Electric Power Co. and aligns with 2019 Texas legislation encouraging wider deployment of advanced metering and meter information networks.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 15, 2019 -
OpinionTo get to net zero, cities need to think wider than buildings
Solutions to climate change may lie in some old-fashioned values, like building strong communities, relying on neighbors and believing that design matters.
By Tom Sieniewicz • Nov. 15, 2019 -
OpinionLessons learned from Europe: What US cities must do to achieve a clean electric future
Cities are at the center of the battle against climate change, but they're also at the forefront of addressing the challenge — and European cities are outpacing the U.S. in their solutions.
By Rob Massoudi • Nov. 12, 2019 -
SponsoredSmarter investment and maintenance strategies on the rise with shift in APM
Combining powerful analytics with timely and relevant data about both health and performance, operators can make smarter decisions about their assets.
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Florida eases financing for billions in storm hardening spending, retains energy efficiency program
The Public Service Commission voted on Tuesday to allow utilities to bypass the stringent rate review previously required to add storm expenses to base rates.
By Lynn Freehill-Maye • Nov. 06, 2019 -
Congressional Policy Tracker: Everything you need to know from carbon capture to wind energy
Renewable energy developers are lobbying for tax credit extensions while Republican leaders seek bipartisan research-focused solutions to support advanced nuclear, carbon capture and energy storage.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 06, 2019 -
States, NGOs sue DOE for reversing lightbulb standards as global energy efficiency progress stalls
By reversing the 2017 expansion of lightbulb standards, the Trump administration is blocking electricity savings that would be the equivalent of the output of 25 large power plants per year, NGOs say.
By Matthew Bandyk • Nov. 06, 2019 -
Solar, energy efficiency to drive drops in load, peak demand over next 10 years, ISO-NE says
The region remains energy constrained, but the grid operator expects to have sufficient resources to meet electricity demand through 2028.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 01, 2019 -
Siemens, StreetLight Data partner to support EV deployments
The partnership will enable city planners to identify and prioritize the best locations for charging stations to maximize EV adoption and use.
By Cailin Crowe • Oct. 31, 2019 -
Buildings as grid resources? NASEO sees 'far reaching' implications
Flexible load management capabilities could save U.S. customers $16 billion annually by some estimates. The National Association of State Energy Officials says "grid-interactive efficient buildings" can help deliver that value.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 30, 2019 -
'General Motors better wake up' before China takes EV market, former California Gov. Brown tells Congress
"In five years we're going to be buying Chinese cars," Jerry Brown said Tuesday, after three major automakers sided with President Donald Trump in his efforts to prevent California from implementing its own emissions standards.
By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 30, 2019 -
OpinionCities can lead the way for vehicle grid integration
Since the dawn of the modern EV era, grid operators have warned that the vehicles could overwhelm grid distribution systems. The warning has yet to materialize, but the threat remains.
By Scott Shepard • Oct. 29, 2019 -
Deep DiveCalifornia may be a climate leader, but it could be a century behind on its carbon goals: study
Renewables are driving carbon out of the power sector, but economic expansion has led to much less progress in reducing emissions from the transportation, building and industrial sectors, the nonprofit Next 10 found.
By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 29, 2019 -
California proposes energy efficiency market overhaul with single administrator
A proposed order at the California Public Utilities Commission would transform two areas of energy efficiency policy: regional energy networks and market transformation initiatives.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 29, 2019 -
Time running out for energy efficiency, other tax credit extensions as next spending deadline nears
Bipartisan federal legislation would extend energy efficiency tax credits aimed at residential homeowners and builders, but a looming Nov. 21 deadline may threaten more comprehensive action.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 28, 2019 -
Next-gen demand response is coming online, and utilities are calling on it more often: SEPA
Data from the Smart Electric Power Alliance shows participation in AC switch programs is on the decline, while demand response capacity grows.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 25, 2019 -
Deep DiveUtilities' failure to plan for DER surge promises missed opportunities, increased costs, analysts say
Utilities can use skyrocketing customer-owned DER to balance rising penetrations of variable renewables on their systems, if they take on the big work of distribution system planning.
By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 24, 2019 -
Madison, Wisconsin, cab fleet is first in nation to go all-Tesla
The $5 million Green Cab Madison project is backed by tech firm Zerology, which also plans to build a 600-kilowatt solar array for daytime charging and to offset night charging.
By Jason Plautz • Oct. 18, 2019 -
Deep DiveEV charging promises a demand response bonanza for utilities, if they can handle it
Aggregated flexible load of high EV penetrations will be lucrative in demand response markets, but for now smaller EV demand gives utilities management practice.
By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 18, 2019 -
Deep DiveElectric revolution: How are cities overcoming EV range anxiety?
Cities need a wide-ranging strategy if they are to help more residents go electric in a way that is accessible and equitable, analysts say.
By Chris Teale • Oct. 17, 2019 -
With 10% penetration, EVs could shift all residential peak load to night, analysis of SoCal Ed finds
Jackson Associates analyzed 5,000 Southern California Edison customer loads and concluded that electric vehicles could be used as a Virtual Power Plant capable of smoothing out the utility's residential peak demand.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 17, 2019 -
Ohio Supreme Court nixes cap on FirstEnergy efficiency spending, but state slated to drop standard
The court overturned a ruling from state regulators that capped energy efficiency outlays for FirstEnergy, but state efficiency spending was recently slashed to help pay for coal and nuclear plant subsidies.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 17, 2019 -
St. Louis releases inaugural energy benchmarking report for buildings
More efficient building performance would reduce the city's GHG emissions by at least 11%, saving more than $65 million in annual energy costs.
By Cailin Crowe • Oct. 16, 2019 -
Deep DiveElectric revolution: As EV demand increases, can utilities and cities keep up?
Utilities are increasingly helping cities prepare for transportation electrification, while confronting increased power generation and delivery needs — often to areas already experiencing high demand.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 16, 2019
