Distributed Energy

Deep Dive
Microsoft has big power needs and wants to harness the ocean to satisfy them

Cloud vendors are already using wind and solar solutions to conserve energy consumed by their servers. The next frontier, however, is in the ocean's waves.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • June 21, 2018
DOE: Puerto Rico has plenty of options for new generation

A new report on options for rebuilding the island's grid recommends considering a wide range of renewables and alternative fuels, an expansion of liquefied natural gas imports, microgrids and energy storage.

By Robert Walton • June 20, 2018
ZEV market entering 'new phase of development,' says 9-state coalition

A cross-section of industries is supporting the shift: Uber announced future incentives for emissions-free drivers.

By Robert Walton • June 20, 2018
Deep Dive
In Massachusetts, capacity ownership of distributed resources could determine fate of storage

Current debates over ownership and control of capacity rights associated with solar and energy storage projects could have a big impact on the trajectory of the technologies in the state.

By Peter Maloney • June 20, 2018
Blink eyes significant EV charging expansion via smart streetlights

Blink Charging and Israel's Ya'acobi Brothers Group are working together to integrate controlled electric vehicle charging with smart city infrastructure.

By Robert Walton • June 20, 2018
Opinion
5 things utilities should consider for energy storage

Utilities navigating energy storage integration should take into account the flexibility and speed of modular programs when comparing storage to gas peaker plants, Axiom Exergy's John Lerch writes.

By John Lerch
Sponsored
Protection & control personnel – Protecting the grid one element at a time…

What questions might a new entrant into the power systems industry have when it comes to the power grid? Field and engineering teams have proven to be quite resilient, eager to learn new skills that the modern power grid infrastructure is demanding.

By Adrian Zvarych Power Grid Engineering, LLC
Deep Dive
Is New Hampshire on the verge of battery energy storage history?

A Liberty Utilities-stakeholder settlement could put 1,000 behind-the-meter batteries in place and provide a model for the rest of the country.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 19, 2018
100% renewable energy omnibus clears Massachusetts Senate

The package of energy bills would also remove net metering caps, increase the storage mandate and void demand charges approved earlier this year for Eversource.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • June 18, 2018
Deep Dive
Should the regulatory two-step give way to a new, performance-based dance?

Critics say traditional cost-of-service ratemaking is behind the times, but newer models require a complex production from a variety of industry players.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 18, 2018
Deep Dive
As distributed solar expands, can utility system planning keep up?

New research shows only utilities with a lot of customer-sited solar need to pay the price of advanced forecasting, but all utilities need to plan for more solar.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 14, 2018
Deep Dive
California looks to next steps as utilities near energy storage targets

As Golden State utilities approach 2 GW of battery capacity, lawmakers are preparing mandates for 2 GW more.

By Peter Maloney • June 12, 2018
Activist investors push Sempra to sell renewable assets, focus on utilities and LNG

Elliott Management and Bluescape Resources, 5% owners of Sempra, say their plan could create $11 billion-$16 billion in value.

By Robert Walton • June 11, 2018
Deep Dive
End of the 'gas rush?' Renewables, storage reaching cost parity, report finds

Portfolios of clean energy and batteries will soon be cost effective, according to a new RMI study, but $110 billion in planned natural gas investments could slow adoption.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 11, 2018
National Grid settlement curbs rate increase, ups grid mod in Rhode Island

The agreement is part of Rhode Island's power sector transformation and calls for investments in electric vehicle infrastructure, energy storage and advanced metering.

By Robert Walton • June 11, 2018
Deep Dive
New solar industry initiatives could open business-utility collaborations

A 2017 spike in commercial and industrial solar growth will not last, but industry efforts to educate property owners and offer better financing could be good for businesses and utilities.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 07, 2018
Deep Dive
Grid mod policy actions jump 75%, with storage playing a central role

While the number of actions rose significantly from Q1 2017 to Q1 2018, they remained within the same set of 37 states, according to the latest edition of 50 States of Grid Modernization.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 05, 2018
California, New York, New Jersey see nearly $1.3B in new EV funding

The California PUC's approval of $738 million in utility electrification proposals represents the largest investment in charging infrastructure by a state to date, analysts said.

By Robert Walton • June 01, 2018
NERC: Texas, California will face tight markets this summer

Texas is facing a generation shortfall, due in part to plant retirements, and California is facing a limit on natural gas output due to Aliso Canyon storage facility constraints.

By Robert Walton • May 31, 2018
Deep Dive
N.J. sets 'aggressive' 2 GW storage target by 2030

Part of a broader recently-enacted law, the policy makes New Jersey the fifth state to set an energy storage goal.

By Peter Maloney • May 29, 2018
Opinion
Minnesota overhauls interconnection standards to streamline clean energy

The standards are the great equalizer in clean energy markets, and remain a key building block to support a strong foundation for continued clean energy growth, writes IREC Counsel Sky Stanfield.

By Sky Stanfield
New Jersey Gov. Murphy signs bills creating zero emission credits for nuclear

The plan is to move the state toward 100% clean energy with nuclear power as an essential part of the mix.

By Peter Maloney • May 24, 2018
Utility trade groups press EPA to embrace EVs in fuel standard rewrite

Major utility trade groups EEI, NRECA and APPA joined with automakers to press the agency to include electric vehicles as a compliance option in any revision to fuel economy standards.

By Gavin Bade • May 23, 2018
EV charging could significantly reduce storage needs, DOE lab finds

Electric vehicles could play a major role in balancing the grid by soaking up excess solar generation during the middle of the day, according to analysts at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

By Robert Walton • May 22, 2018
What are utilities doing about the growing need for grid security?

Utility Dive takes an in-depth look at how utilities are addressing cybersecurity on a distributed grid, hardening against natural disasters and training utility workers.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 22, 2018