Distributed Energy: Page 23


  • Opinion

    Minnesota pioneers integration of new interconnection standard expected to propel DERs

    Integration of the IEEE standard will mean that distributed energy resources can automatically respond to certain grid conditions, enabling significantly higher penetrations on the grid, the author writes.

    By Sara Baldwin • Dec. 9, 2019
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    Green Mountain Power
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    Dive Awards

    Executive of the Year: Mary Powell, Green Mountain Power

    Powell is leaving her post at the end of the year, but created a new playbook for the investor-owned utility to continue to prioritize customer choice.

    By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 9, 2019
  • Trendline

    Distributed Energy Resource Growth

    Distributed energy resources, including rooftop solar, battery storage and electric vehicles, are experiencing significant growth in the U.S. as the power sector evolves to a cleaner, less centralized future.

    By Utility Dive staff
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    The Wasatch Group
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    Dive Awards

    Project of the Year: Soleil Lofts solar+storage development

    The virtual power plant outside of Salt Lake City underscores the role of utility involvement in emerging grid products.

    By Robert Walton • Dec. 9, 2019
  • Dive Awards

    Disruptor of the Year: Sunrun

    The solar and storage developer has been pioneering new business models to increase aggregation of distributed resources.

    By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 9, 2019
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    Brian Tucker / Utility Dive
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    Dive Awards

    The Utility Dive Awards for 2019

    The annual awards highlight the biggest trends in innovation in the electric utility sector: from penciling out electrification efforts to pioneering new revenue streams for distributed resources.

    Dec. 9, 2019
  • Despite changes, commissioners see traditional utility system dominating over next decade: NARUC

    U.S. utility commissioners agree that traditional fossil fuel generation will be an important aspect of grid reliability over the next decade, according to a NARUC survey.

    By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 26, 2019
  • Opinion

    FERC is on the right track with resilience. Republicans can help by upholding conservative principles

    Republicans in Congress and the administration should affirm local control, while ensuring a high threshold to justify the government favoring any one energy resource or generation technology over another, the author writes.

    By Charles Hernick • Nov. 25, 2019
  • Sponsored by 3Degrees

    Maximizing the value of your green power programs

    Well-designed green power programs provide many benefits to utilities. Be sure you extract the full value from your program.

    By Amanda Mortlock, VP, Utility Partnerships, 3Degrees • Nov. 20, 2019
  • House clean energy tax bill sees broad industry support, but Senate path uncertain

    The draft legislative package, introduced Nov. 19, adds energy storage and offshore wind, while extending solar and electric vehicle tax credits.

    By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 20, 2019
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    Krysti Shallenberger for Utility Dive
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    Opinion

    Don't minimize the resilience role of microgrids. They're key to mitigating wildfire and PSPS risk

    Community Microgrids are stacked with local renewables and staged for resilience, providing communities a trifecta of economic, environmental and resilience benefits, writes Clean Coalition's Craig Lewis.

    By Craig Lewis • Nov. 18, 2019
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    Austin Energy. "Doosan's Jason Yedinak explaining SHINES integrated storage configuration at Austin Energy's Mueller installation"
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    Sponsored by Doosan GridTech

    How intelligent DERMS controls at multiple levels maximize the impact of energy storage

    In a three-part series, learn how Austin Energy and Doosan GridTech are maximizing the value of integrated storage and DERs through the DOE-funded Austin SHINES program. 

    Nov. 18, 2019
  • EV-specific rates are the gateway to direct load management, SEPA report finds

    A new report from the Smart Electric Power Alliance illustrates the effectiveness of time-varying rates for electric vehicles, including steps utilities can take to boost enrollment.

    By Nov. 14, 2019
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    Photo illustration by Danielle Ternes/Utility Dive; photographs by elantsevv and tampatra via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    How does AI improve grid performance? No one fully understands and that's limiting its use

    Machine learning's greatest impact will be helping algorithms understand "how the voltage here affects the voltage there," which will enable "optimizing grid operations like dispatching battery storage," one industry executive said.

    By Nov. 14, 2019
  • As Oregon lags behind on its EV goals, PGE makes TOU rates optional to expand access

    State regulators are pushing utilities to move quickly in order to boost electric vehicle adoption.

    By Nov. 11, 2019
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    Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Sacramento utility's plan could block addition of new community solar, storage to local grid

    SMUD’s shared solar proposal misses the point and could set a damaging precedent for other utilities and energy providers throughout California, according to Vote Solar's Ed Smeloff.

    By Ed Smeloff • Nov. 11, 2019
  • Deep Dive

    In the 'cat and mouse game' of utility cyberattacks, AI and machine learning show promise, limits

    "There is so much low hanging fruit in utility system challenges that can be addressed by advanced data analytic strategies that AI and machine learning are not the place to start," a cybersecurity expert said.

    By Nov. 7, 2019
  • Tesla, Walmart settle lawsuit over fires; solar panels to remain in place

    Walmart and Tesla have settled a lawsuit in which the big box retailer alleged the company's solar panel installations caught fire and caused millions in damages.

    By Nov. 6, 2019
  • Congressional Policy Tracker: Everything you need to know from carbon capture to wind energy

    Renewable energy developers are lobbying for tax credit extensions while Republican leaders seek bipartisan research-focused solutions to support advanced nuclear, carbon capture and energy storage.

    By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated Dec. 2, 2019
  • Deep Dive

    US power grid attack points surge with proliferating DERs: A hacker 'will eventually get in'

    Critical infrastructure protection standards are essential — but they're also just a starting point, say experts focused on maintaining a reliable electric grid.

    By Nov. 4, 2019
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    Novo Nordisk
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    Alliant Energy to add 1 GW of solar in Wisconsin by end of 2023

    The utility teased out plans for its coal generation fleet in its clean energy plan, issued Oct. 31, and will release more information in early 2020.

    By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 1, 2019
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    Max Pixel
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    Deep Dive

    California may be a climate leader, but it could be a century behind on its carbon goals: study

    Renewables are driving carbon out of the power sector, but economic expansion has led to much less progress in reducing emissions from the transportation, building and industrial sectors, the nonprofit Next 10 found.

    By Oct. 29, 2019
  • Puerto Rico grid modernization plan tops $20B

    The plan, which the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority sketched out over the summer, includes installing almost 1.4 GW of solar generation and 920 MW of battery storage.

    By Oct. 29, 2019
  • Adding renewables and storage in LA is hard. Clean Power Alliance wants to change that.

    Community choice aggregators like Clean Power Alliance are looking for local energy resources, but that has proven difficult in congested metropolitan areas where space is very expensive, such as Los Angeles County.

    By Iulia Gheorghiu • Oct. 25, 2019
  • Opinion

    Microgrids alone cannot eliminate wildfire risk

    Fully self-contained microgrids are not economic today, given all the ways in which they can serve as grid assets, so Edison Electric Institute warns against relying on them as an alternative to de-energizing power lines.

    By Scott Aaronson • Oct. 25, 2019
  • Deep Dive

    Utilities' failure to plan for DER surge promises missed opportunities, increased costs, analysts say

    Utilities can use skyrocketing customer-owned DER to balance rising penetrations of variable renewables on their systems, if they take on the big work of distribution system planning.

    By Oct. 24, 2019