The Utility Dive Awards for 2018

The awards recognize the utility industry's top disruptors and innovators. These executives and companies are key leaders in the sector's pivotal transition.

By Utility Dive Team • Dec. 3, 2018

Smart meter deployments slow as questions emerge over cost effectiveness, saturation

There could be 90 million smart meters installed by 2020, but U.S. utilities may also be approaching market penetration limits.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 28, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 Stories from Utility Dive

Power demand is rising amid dramatic shifts in federal energy policy, but technology and markets continue to push the grid toward cleaner, more distributed resources. 

By Utility Dive staff

DC City Council unanimously advances 100% renewable energy bill

The Clean Energy Omnibus would also mandate that all public transport and fleet vehicles in the District be zero-emissions by 2045, including those operated for Uber and Lyft. 

By Gavin Bade • Nov. 28, 2018

How cities are affected by the federal climate report — and how they're fighting back

Extreme weather threatens to destroy urban areas while transportation systems may buckle, but there is optimism that city leaders will keep moving things forward.

By Chris Teale • Nov. 27, 2018

GM cuts jobs, ends models amid shift to electric and autonomous cars

The company has signaled that its future runs through full electric vehicles, promising to release more than 20 electric models around the world by 2023.

By Jason Plautz • Nov. 27, 2018

Brown mandates a 'greener' Golden State

As California inches closer to a renewable-only grid, S&P Global Ratings Director of Sustainable Finance Michael Ferguson assesses which assets from a credit perspective could stand to either benefit or face heightened risks.

By Michael Ferguson • Nov. 26, 2018

ComEd time-of-use pilot will test importance of price certainty

The Chicago utility already offers real-time pricing, but wants to see if giving customers more certainty over the cost of their energy supply could boost enrollment.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 26, 2018

British Columbia to mandate 100% zero emission vehicle sales by 2040

The government is taking action by increasing the ZEV incentive program and expanding the number of EV fast chargers in the province's network.

By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 26, 2018

Energy efficiency can save the world — if we can figure out how to pay for it

A new International Energy Agency report finds increases in efficiency by 2040 could allow the world to double the value of the energy it uses today, but the rate of improvement is slowing.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 21, 2018

Utilities' holiday efficiency tips are the gift that keeps on saving

Roasting a turkey might increase your electric bill, but for utilities it's just another day (albeit with more food).

By Robert Walton • Nov. 21, 2018

New York announces $250M electric vehicle corridor, DC fast charger rollout

Through its EVolve NY initiative, the New York Power Authority has committed up to $250 million through 2025 for initiatives that grow electric vehicle charging infrastructure and adoption.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 20, 2018

Albuquerque, NM scraps electric bus deal, delays BRT rollout again

Bus safety concerns have been plaguing the plan to get the city's bus rapid transit network up and running.

By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 19, 2018

Leaving the Nest: 'Bring your own' efficiency programs grow beyond thermostats

The shift from Bring Your Own Thermostat programs to include more devices suggests the BYO model will continue to grow, securing energy and cost savings for customers and energy providers, Navigant's Brett Feldman writes.

By Brett Feldman • Nov. 15, 2018

Distribution system planning: Proactively planning for more distributed assets at the grid edge

The distribution grid is the backbone of a reliable electric system and proper planning will make it more flexible, reliable, resilient, cost-effective and clean, AEE's Coley Girouard and Ryan Katofsky write.

By Coley Girouard and Ryan Katofsky • Nov. 14, 2018

As smart meters proliferate, a new kind of demand response becomes entrenched

Advanced metering infrastructure penetration is slowing, but utilities are harnessing new resources to keep demand response growing.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 14, 2018

Duke, Dominion issue $1.3B in green bonds

Dominion plans to use the bonds to reimburse for its solar investments while Duke said it would use bonds to fund solar and energy projects.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 12, 2018

Greenlots and Volvo to partner on charging infrastructure for electric trucks

The project in Southern California is supported by a $44.8 million state grant and will include both DC fast chargers and level 2 chargers.

By Jason Plautz • Nov. 12, 2018

PG&E mimics smart phone data plans with EV charging rate proposal

Pacific Gas & Electric wants to replace demand charges, which have bedeviled electric vehicle charging station business models, with a subscription-based plan more similar to an iPhone data plan.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 9, 2018

94% of utility execs expect 'severe' earnings pressure before 2025: Accenture

Of the same executives surveyed, 97% also believe that earnings will rise after 2025, once the utility sector has moved past the growing pains of modernization, according to the management consulting firm's study.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 7, 2018

GE to sell energy efficiency business amid power division restructuring

The company expects a slew of other transactions to close as part of a $20 billion sell-off program, in addition to Current, which will continue operating under the GE brand.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 7, 2018

Tesla community storage pilot launches 3 months early in Australia

The project utilizes a 105 KW / 420 KWh Tesla Powerpack battery system and will store solar energy during the day, providing power during peak demand times.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 6, 2018

Pennsylvania utilities push back on 'prescriptive' ratemaking regulation

The passage of Act 58 gives state regulators authority to approve alternative rate mechanisms, but utilities say a proposed policy statement is too heavy-handed.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 6, 2018

Sonnen prepares its next step in aggregating residential storage

Sonnen has turned residential energy storage into virtual power plants in Germany, but has to adapt to do that in the U.S.

By Peter Maloney • Nov. 6, 2018

Lower Rocky Mountain Power efficiency targets put trade-off with renewables into focus

"As renewables get cheaper, what is the long-term effect on efficiency? That's the million-dollar question."

By Robert Walton • Nov. 6, 2018

Virginia invests $14M for electric buses throughout the state

The funding is 15% of what the state received from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust settlement.

By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 5, 2018