Load Management, Efficiency & Demand Response
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Biden administration makes $550M available for community-based clean energy projects
The funds must be used to implement energy efficiency and conservation strategies but can include a range of investments from electric vehicle infrastructure to energy audits to building code development.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 23, 2022 -
House lawmakers, advocates want $5B to help Puerto Rico install rooftop solar, storage systems
Dozens of Democratic lawmakers in the House have called for an emergency supplemental spending bill to provide clean energy for underserved Puerto Rican households.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 22, 2022 -
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Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Management
Utilities are using a variety of new resources and connected devices to balance the grid and meet demand, drawing on everything from smart thermostats to large-scale batteries.
By Utility Dive staff -
Utilities are spending more on low-income efficiency programs, but disparities remain: ACEEE
The group wants to see energy efficiency programs reach all eligible low-income households with comprehensive energy upgrades over the next 20 years.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 18, 2022 -
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Texas moves ahead with expanded 80 MW distributed energy resource pilot designed to boost grid reliability
Initial discussions had considered a 10 MW limit on the pilot. “What it shows to me is that we're conservative in the way we think about how we ensure reliability,” said Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 4, 2022 -
Sunrun to develop 17-MW virtual power plant for Puerto Rico’s electric utility, connecting 7,000 homes
Sunrun says the virtual power plant will be the first large-scale distributed solar resource on the island and is expected to be operational in 2024.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 2, 2022 -
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Electric utilities aren’t doing enough to address inequities in today’s power system, advocates say
How are companies, regulators, NGOs and others ensuring that the energy transition is equitable?
By Robert Walton • Oct. 28, 2022 -
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Clean energy supply bottlenecks hit overburdened communities the hardest, utilities and advocates say
The Inflation Reduction Act and an equity focus should help reverse the trend, however.
By Elizabeth McCarthy • Oct. 27, 2022 -
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Deep DiveThe energy system is ‘inherently racist,’ advocates say. How are utilities responding to calls for greater equity?
Utility commitments to customer equity, energy affordability and equitable access to clean energy resources are becoming more common, but energy justice advocates say companies need to do more.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 26, 2022 -
New California load management standards, including retail rates that change hourly, are a ‘huge leap’: CEC
The new standards could reduce annual peak hour electricity use by 120 GWh, according to the California Energy Commission.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 19, 2022 -
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Most, least energy-efficient states named in WalletHub analysis
The personal finance web site examined home and vehicle energy consumption data from the lower 48 states. California came in 6th.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 18, 2022 -
Courtesy of General Motors
GM takes on Tesla, others; launches unit focused on energy storage, solar and vehicle-to-grid charging
General Motors hopes the new services will spur EV adoption while improving grid resiliency, it said as part of a broader business announcement Tuesday.
By Dan Zukowski • Oct. 11, 2022 -
https://unsplash.com/@jimmy_conover
Sponsored by Sentient EnergyComplex challenges call for complementary solutions
Today's grid challenges are often better addressed with strategic use of complementary technologies than with deployment of a single solution.
Oct. 10, 2022 -
Texas regulators deny Sierra Club petition to bolster energy efficiency, but say improvements needed
The proposal would have directed utilities to nearly double their peak demand goals over the next three years.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 7, 2022 -
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Deep Dive97% of smart meters fail to provide promised customer benefits. Can $3B in new funding change that?
Interoperability standards can deliver “non-discriminatory access” to real-time data from new smart meters to fulfill promises of customer savings and other system benefits, energy managers say.
By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 5, 2022 -
Permission granted by FlexGen
Sponsored by FlexGenBattery energy storage: the importance of energy management software
Today, the power industry is going through a renaissance driven by new cost-effective power solutions.
Oct. 3, 2022 -
How will residential solar + storage fare in a blackout? Berkeley Lab looks to historical data for insight.
In 70% of outage events, most homes with a 30-kWh storage system would have been able to maintain critical loads, researchers said.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 28, 2022 -
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Sponsored by ScottMadden3 steps to identifying best practices and efficiencies for gas utilities
Cost-reduction efforts often struggle because companies cannot easily compare operations and identify improvement opportunities across different LDCs or jurisdictions. The standardization of gas LDC processes can create significant value.
Sept. 19, 2022 -
Permission granted by Technosylva
Sponsored by TechnosylvaUnderstanding potential consequence from asset ignited wildfires: it’s more than just ignition modeling
Energy utilities across the United States are challenged with reducing wildfire risk and increasing their reliability as part of their on-going operations.
By David Buckley, COO, Technosylva • Sept. 19, 2022 -
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New York launches review of $10B in clean energy programs, focusing on energy efficiency and electrification
The review is particularly focused on energy efficiency and electrification efforts to aid low-income utility customers, according to the Public Service Commission.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 16, 2022 -
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Deep DiveReal-time pricing, new rates and enabling technologies target demand flexibility to ease California outages
Price signals linked to power market needs through smart technologies could make distributed energy resources that are aggregated and automated by third parties an answer to California reliability threats, industry observers said.
By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 13, 2022 -
Courtesy of Archaea Energy
To decarbonize industry, DOE road map focuses on efficiency, electrification and low-carbon fuels
A $104 million funding opportunity for decarbonization technologies accompanied the Biden administration’s release of the comprehensive industrial strategy.
By Robert Walton • Sept. 8, 2022 -
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Arup, startup are building smart city modeling tools to maximize energy efficiency
With Matidor, the partners seek to help civil engineers see the environmental impact and energy efficiency of what they’re developing in real time.
By Maria Rachal • Sept. 7, 2022 -
Courtesy of Arize
Slow adoption of smart thermostats in the US misses big potential energy savings: S&P
Inflation and concerns around extreme weather events are expected to help drive sales of the smart home technology this year, said analysts.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 31, 2022 -
Texas opens efficiency and demand response docket as NGO pushes for tougher utility targets, lower rewards
Texas utilities are exceeding their peak demand and energy savings targets, but those were last set a decade ago, say conservation advocates.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 26, 2022 -
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Growing building sector carbon emissions threaten 2050 net-zero goal, report warns
U.S. economywide greenhouse gas emissions fell 12% from 2005 to 2019, but direct emissions from the building sector were higher, according to the report.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 24, 2022
