Walgreens taps EnerNOC to manage utility bills

Though the partnership is starting out with fairly basic billing management services, EnerNOC said the deal could be just the beginning for its relationship with the drugstore chain.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 31, 2015

Microgrids on the table as DC stakeholders look to boost reliability in nation's capital

The District of Columbia is about three weeks away from kicking off a workshop examining how microgrids can help power stability in the nation's capital.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 31, 2015

Ohio utilities were on track for big energy savings before efficiency mandate freeze

Before state lawmakers froze the escalating efficiency targets last year, utilities saw the potential to reduce consumption by more than a third across 15-year time frame.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 28, 2015

SoCal Edison integrating over 1,000 MW of demand response into wholesale markets

The utility takes advantage of new CAISO rules allowing aggregations of demand side resources to bid into wholesale markets.

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 26, 2015

How will utilities profit in the future? New York's REV initiative is trying to figure it out

The Empire State is remaking its utility industry, but one key piece – where the money comes from – remains elusive, and regulators are taking a fairly hands-off approach to finding the answer.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 26, 2015

How demand flexibility is about to transform electricity delivery

For utilties, when consumers use energy could become just as important to their bottom lines as if they generate it themselves.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 26, 2015

President Obama calls for clean energy revolution: 'There is something big happening in America'

President Obama shows renewed passion in his legacy fights against climate change and for renewable energy.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 25, 2015

PJM auction results: Capacity payments to plants rise 37% in bid to avoid outages

While the auction results were good news for most existing generation, three of Exelon's nuclear plants did not clear.

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 24, 2015

Judge upholds denial of rate increase to recover utility revenues lost to efficiency

Lost revenues are a problem facing many utilities as efficiency and distributed energy resources play bigger roles on the grid.

By Davide Savenije • Aug. 20, 2015

In SolarCity's 'new paradigm' for distribution planning, DERs come first

Top solar installer calls for new distribution system planning with priority on distributed resources.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 18, 2015

Why the utility transformation will require vision, planning, and new revenue models

An industry survey by Black & Veatch shows utilities are beginning to embrace distributed resources in larger numbers, develop new business models and focus on the shift into a new role as a platform service provider responsible for far more than simply delivering power.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 12, 2015

How Maryland regulators redefined energy efficiency – in 33 pages

It's a short, elegant piece of policy work that fundamentally changed how the state views and values energy efficiency. And now utilities must figure out how to respond.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 5, 2015

Report: Storage boom to rival solar as battery prices drop 40-60% by 2020

Falling battery storage prices will open up a wide range of options for consumers, but the new technology comes with its own set of risk and rewards.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 4, 2015

PG&E, BMW get electric vehicle demand response program rolling

The BMW iChargeForward program provides more than $1,500 in incentives for customers who allow Pacific Gas & Electric to control their electric vehicle charging.  

By Robert Walton • Aug. 4, 2015

Senate energy bill set for a floor fight after bipartisan support in committee

Energy committee leaders think they've put together a package that can pass both houses, but a contentious floor fight could doom the first broad energy bill in almost a decade.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 4, 2015

Missouri regulators open proceeding on decoupling utility sales, profits

Separating sales from profit means utilities don't have to shy away from energy efficiency, advocates say.

By Robert Walton • July 31, 2015

Why the future of microgrids won't look like the past

Microgrid capacity is expected to double in the next five years, but the new wave of small grids won't look much like the old.

By Robert Walton • July 29, 2015

DTE reports earnings, says efficiency advances will keep load flat over next few years

The utility said energy efficiency is growing quickly on its system and will be a key strategy to meeting Clean Power Plan mandates.

By Robert Walton • July 28, 2015

Regulators unsatisfied by San Diego Gas & Electric's demand response efforts

The California Public Utilities Commission told the utility its demand response efforts were “insufficient or inconsistent,” and said SDG&E could face penalties.

By Robert Walton • July 28, 2015

FERC directs PJM to include demand response in upcoming transition auction

Uncertainty stemming from the Supreme Court's review of FERC Order 745 is not a reason to exclude demand response, the commission found.

By Robert Walton • July 27, 2015

CPUC finalizes demand response auction rules for later this year

Up to 20% of the resources must be set aside for residential aggregations.

By Robert Walton • July 27, 2015

Assessing the costs and benefits of distributed energy to the grid of the future

The Electric Power Research Institute is working to perfect a method to calculate distribute energy’s costs and benefits for all stakeholders.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 23, 2015

For top utilities, customer satisfaction hinges on empowerment

It's not enough to provide reliable, affordable power anymore. If you want satisfied customers, you've got to provide them with timely, actionable information.

By Robert Walton • July 22, 2015

Maryland PSC approves one of the nation's highest efficiency standards

The state wants utilities to cut retail sales by 2% annually, but utilities are unsure how to achieve such an aggressive target.

By Robert Walton • July 21, 2015

Study: States can use 'green banks' to boost renewables, efficiency investments

Innovative and low-cost capital solutions will be required to meet new greenhouse gas emissions mandates, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

By Robert Walton • July 21, 2015