Enhancing customer engagement: A utility roadmap for the Amazon era

Utilities are well-positioned to provide new products and energy options, writes ICF's Phil Mihlmester, who offers several paths for companies to increase customer satisfaction and grow their business.

By Philip Mihlmester • Dec. 21, 2017

Natural gas, water heaters, connected devices and EVs lead DR trends to watch

Peak Load Management Alliance Executive Director Ed Thomas talks about trends in an industry that is being fundamentally changed by energy technology.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 20, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

Energy Efficiency

With hostilities between the U.S., Israel and Iran driving up global energy prices and a surge in domestic electricity demand from large-load data centers, manufacturing and electrification, efficiency could play a key role in meeting that demand as economically as possible. 

By Utility Dive staff

UPDATED: New York advances efficiency plans, focusing on load control and demand management

State regulators recently approved an expanded budget for Consolidated Edison's HVAC control program, and the New York Power Authority has approved contracts with firms to provide efficiency and energy technology services.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 20, 2017

Demand charges or 'efficiency rates'? EEI wants a wording change

A Powerpoint obtained by the Energy and Policy Institute shows trade group Edison Electric Institute suggesting utilities call controversial demand charges "efficiency rates."

By Krysti Shallenberger • Dec. 20, 2017

Electrify America taps Greenlots to support $2B community-based EV charging initiative

Greenlots will deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure for up to 900 stations in large cities, including Boston, Seattle, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and others.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 19, 2017

Path to zero carbon: Navigating the urban energy transformation

The emerging Urban Energy Cloud vision is of a smart city that integrates large- and small-scale energy initiatives and solutions, citywide improvements in energy efficiency and low carbon transportation.

By Eric Woods • Dec. 18, 2017

Tendril energy management platform reduced utilities' HVAC load 85% in summer

First introduced last year, the company's Orchestrated Energy platform rolled out in 15 states in partnerships with Indiana Michigan Power and Xcel Energy, to name a few. 

By Robert Walton • Dec. 15, 2017

NRG to launch C&I energy management platform in joint partnership

The energy company paired up with Cummins to deploy a distributed energy platform with "hundreds of megawatts" of capacity by early 2018. 

By Robert Walton • Dec. 13, 2017

National Grid finds an electric approach to natural gas demand response

The company is learning a lot about its new program to reduce gas use at peak times, including the need to sit down with customers and explain the benefits.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 13, 2017

The new demand response and the future of the power sector

New reports show system operators and utilities are turning distributed energy resources into demand response and leveraging two-way communications for new levels of price responsiveness.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 11, 2017

States can't bar efficiency technologies from wholesale electricity markets, FERC rules

The decision, responding to a petition from Advanced Energy Economy to clarify the commission's authority, is seen as a win for advocates of demand management technologies.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 6, 2017

As grid modernization accelerates, which states are in the lead, and why?

California, Illinois and Texas are at the top, according to the latest GridWise survey, with Rhode Island, Colorado and Washington showing the biggest improvement over the prior rankings.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 5, 2017

Hawaiian Electric transitions public EV chargers to time-of-use rates

At DC Fast Charger stations operated by the utility, electric vehicle drivers will soon pay per kilowatt-hour of electricity, with small and average-size vehicles expected to pay less than they do now.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 4, 2017

Xcel EV charging pilot would eliminate need for 2nd meter

The utility says customers who charge their electric vehicle during off-peak hours can save up to 50%.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 29, 2017

SoCal reliability assessment raises prospects of winter gas curtailments

The loss of three gas pipelines and reduced capacity at the Aliso Canyon storage facility means customers in southern California will be asked to reduce their usage by even more than last year.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 29, 2017

Finding the diamond in the rough of long-term cost containment

Next Generation Utility will continue to focus on sustainable cost reductions while ensuring management and business processes to create a consistent organizational culture from the top down. 

By Amar Chhatwal, Joel Jeanson, Scott Sidney • Nov. 29, 2017

DOE mulls changes to appliance efficiency program

The U.S. Department of Energy issued a request for information on possible changes to implementing the U.S. Appliance and Equipment Energy Conservation Standards program. 

By Robert Walton • Nov. 28, 2017

Atlanta passes infrastructure ordinance to support EV charging

The new regulations require builders to install electrical infrastructure in new buildings that can support electric vehicle charging. 

By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 22, 2017

Has California built its last natural gas plant?

Two pending decisions from state regulators will decide how the Golden State moves toward a clean(er) energy future. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 22, 2017

National Grid, AutoGrid bring demand response to the natural gas industry

The pilot will schedule and conduct gas flexibility events between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. throughout the winter heating season, which runs from December through February.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 22, 2017

Overcoming the small business hurdle: Three engagement approaches for utilities

Targeting customers by vertical, leveraging data to identify potential savings, and removing financial barriers can help utilities increase participation in demand-side management programs, Ecova's Mike Kaplan writes.

By Mike Kaplan • Nov. 22, 2017

It's time for smarter 'smart' meters: Future-proofing utility meter rollouts

New energy technologies, coupled with growing consumer interest in home energy usage, call for more intelligent metering systems to better integrate utility and consumer services.

By Mike Phillips • Nov. 17, 2017

PJM price formation proposal would dramatically change how prices are set in the RTO

A proposal from the grid operator to incentivize "inflexible" generation could fit squarely within the Trump administration's efforts to save baseload generation in power markets.

By Peter Maloney • Nov. 16, 2017

Almost all ComEd customers would have saved money last year with real-time pricing, study finds

Data from more than 300,000 smart meters installed in Illinois showed customers would see cost savings with such pricing, even without changing their energy use.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 15, 2017

Diverse stakeholders sign Transportation Electrification Accord

The agreement offers principles and guidelines for moving forward with electric vehicles and necessary infrastructure.

By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 14, 2017