Opower, Comverge unveil new offerings for residential market

Demand response and energy efficiency are converging in the residential market.  

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 31, 2014

Survey: Consumers' smart grid awareness hasn't changed since 2011

However, the survey points to utility opportunities for new customer programs.  

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 30, 2014

Illinois regulators tell ComEd to expand efficiency efforts

The Illinois Commerce Commission pushed ComEd to increase savings by 4% and to use its $2.6B smart grid investment to cut electric use.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 30, 2014

Demand response faces pivotal battle in Pennsylvania

Comverge, EnerNOC and Johnson Controls defend demand response as two utilities want programs ended.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 29, 2014

Behavioral efficiency startup lands $6M in funding

Simple Energy plans to use the funding to expand its business.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 28, 2014

What the smart home means for utilities

Google's Nest acquisition exposes the ongoing shift in how consumers interact with their home—and the power grid. 

By Gabriel Salkin • Jan. 28, 2014

Demand response enters Texas energy market debate

ERCOT called on demand response resources during polar vortex freeze, highlighting demand response's potential role in the state's power market.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 27, 2014

Oklahoma aims to cut energy use by 20% in state buildings

Oklahoma expects the efficiency effort to save $150 million by 2020.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 27, 2014

Indiana bill would let industrials opt out of efficiency programs

Ending industrial efficiency programs would hurt the overall effectiveness of energy savings programs in Indiana.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 27, 2014

Is Google becoming an energy company?

Google's $3.2 billion acquisition of Nest is far from its only energy play.

By Davide Savenije • Jan. 23, 2014

Opower expands behavioral efficiency for small, medium businesses

Efficiency company Opower is expanding its efforts beyond the residential customer class.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 23, 2014

Sierra Club seeks efficiency targets for New Jersey utilities

If approved by state regulators, New Jersey would join 25 other states with efficiency mandates.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 23, 2014

U.S. mayors plan to push energy efficiency

Efficient lighting is the top priority for mayors, according to a survey.  

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 23, 2014

Can family photos lower electric use? CEIVA Energy thinks so

Startup CEIVA Energy is using digital photo frames to get residential eyeballs on a trove of smart meter information.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 21, 2014

N.Y. PSC starts regulatory overhaul to support 'clean energy' goals

The New York PSC has started a process that could change utility regulation to support efficiency and other policy goals.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 21, 2014

Kentucky utilities seek to expand efficiency programs

Kentucky's largest utilities want to add a small-scale advanced metering program as part of their efficiency efforts.  

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 21, 2014

FERC: Polar vortex broke winter demand records across half of U.S.

Demand response programs helped grid operators deal with the freezing weather, according to FERC.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 17, 2014

California regulators call for more efficiency, demand response

Efficiency and demand response is needed to meet Southern California's growing power needs, according to a state energy plan.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 16, 2014

Chicago moves forward on innovative energy efficiency project

Bank of America will finance the scaled down project, which saw tepid investor interest.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 16, 2014

Texas gets first electric vehicle chargers with demand response capabilities

The aggregated electric vehicle charging system can be used as a demand response resource.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 15, 2014

House Republicans try to block light bulb standards

The rider to block the Energy Department from enforcing bulb standards would hurt jobs, according to ACEEE.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 15, 2014

How Opower and BGE are pioneering behavioral demand response

BGE's peak rebate program, open to all residential customers with smart meters, has seen a 82% participation rate.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 14, 2014

Utilities, meet disruption: This week's most read utility news

It's a new year and the electric sector is changing. So what are utilities doing about it?

By Davide Savenije • Jan. 10, 2014

Regulators warn Idaho Power not to back off DSM commitments

Idaho PUC approves efficiency, DR spending, but cautions Idaho Power over utility commitment to programs.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 8, 2014

Smart meters are here. So why isn't dynamic pricing?

A three-year Xcel Energy pilot with EnerNOC may point the way.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 8, 2014