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 Robert Walton • 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

Explore the Trendline➔

AI in the Power Sector

Artificial intelligence is uniquely positioned to impact the electricity industry from both ends: as the technology driving large load demand growth and as a tool with the potential to make the power system more efficient. 

By Utility Dive staff

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

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 Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 24, 2019

DTE, Consumers Energy push back on Michigan legislators' plan to rewrite 2016 energy law

The 2016 statute "created needless challenges and roadblocks for the solar industry," according to one lawmaker, but Consumers says newly proposed legislation would unfairly create subsidies for private solar ownership.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 23, 2019

Carbon-free – are we at a tipping point?

Julia Hamm reflects on 20 years with SEPA and the ways in which the sector and organization have changed.

By Julia Hamm, President SEPA • Oct. 21, 2019

EV charging promises a demand response bonanza for utilities, if they can handle it

Aggregated flexible load of high EV penetrations will be lucrative in demand response markets, but for now smaller EV demand gives utilities management practice.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 18, 2019

New York adopts utility-ESCO cybersecurity standards, rejects insurance requirements

Regulators established minimum requirements for third parties to access customer data through utility IT systems, but rejected a proposal to require a $5 million insurance policy for damages that could arise from a cybersecurity breach.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 18, 2019

With 10% penetration, EVs could shift all residential peak load to night, analysis of SoCal Ed finds

Jackson Associates analyzed 5,000 Southern California Edison customer loads and concluded that electric vehicles could be used as a Virtual Power Plant capable of smoothing out the utility's residential peak demand.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 17, 2019

FPL settles with Walmart, clean energy groups to advance largest US community solar project

The 1,490 MW project would almost double the amount of community solar currently installed in the U.S., but renewables advocates were initially concerned the program wasn't accessible to low income customers.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 15, 2019

Clean Peaks & Polar Vortexes: Aligning climate and reliability goals in an extreme weather world

If states do not align digitization, decentralization and decarbonization policies with a fourth dimension of diversification, industry may need to take unprecedented action, the authors write.

By Brian Evans-Mongeon, Dan Kopin and Lon Huber • Oct. 14, 2019

Plugging In: Colleges seek partners to help reach energy goals

As more energy customers set goals for lower emissions, some institutions are tapping the private sector for technical expertise and financial support to advance sustainability.

By Hallie Busta • Oct. 14, 2019

Mass shutoffs to remain a reality for PG&E as utility calls long-term DER solutions 'speculation'

The utility says its Public Safety Power Shutoff program is already "granular," and larger system improvements will take years.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 11, 2019

Massachusetts rejects National Grid EV plan, advocates say oil interests sowed disinformation

National Grid proposed moving ahead with Phase II of its plan to support electric vehicle growth, but regulators say they want to see data from Phase I.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 9, 2019

As renewables and DER expand, can IPPs be investment grade?

The few remaining IPPs must adapt to new market realities or face an uncomfortable future, writes Aneesh Prabhu, senior director of U.S. Energy Infrastructure at S&P Global Ratings.

By Aneesh Prabhu • Oct. 9, 2019

As CCAs take over utility customers, local renewable generation emerges as the next big growth driver

The demand for customer choice has the potential to quicken the power system's transition toward cheaper, cleaner electricity, and is moving beyond California.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 8, 2019

Don't just stop the bloodletting: Utility survival and prosperity in a DER-centric future

Utilities should stop trying to build better relationships with their customers and instead focus on building relationships with customers' assets, while using blockchain to bring it all together.

By Peter Bronski and Arno Laeven • Oct. 3, 2019

3 state commissions upending the way utilities do business

Oregon, Illinois and Hawaii regulators are disrupting the traditional utility cost-of-service model to bring more distributed energy resources online.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 2, 2019

The future of energy storage is here: An inside look at Rocky Mountain Power’s 600-battery DR project

The 12.6 MWh Utah project uses solar and battery systems as a virtual power plant.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 30, 2019

Uber, EVgo partner to expand ride-share electrification

The companies signed an MOU to research use of EVs on the platform and assess where more charging infrastructure is needed.

By Jason Plautz • Sept. 27, 2019

PG&E wants EV demand charges to mimic smartphone plans. Regulators are skeptical

A proposed decision by the California Public Utilities Commission would slash PG&E's proposed 'subscription' fees for commercial EV charging.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 26, 2019

Minnesota, New Mexico propose clean car rules as Trump attacks California standards

State and city leaders as well as utilities worry the administration's proposed rules could threaten EV momentum and are setting their own rules.

By Catherine Morehouse • Sept. 26, 2019

Northeastern utilities aim to 'crush and flatten' system peaks as DERs boost grid efficiency

DER providers and utilities have found shared market interests in New England, leading to cooperative BYOD programs that provide a range of benefits for customers and the power system.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 23, 2019

Amazon buys 100K electric vans as part of net zero carbon goals

The e-commerce company revealed its total carbon footprint was 44.4 million metric tons in 2018, and it wants to achieve carbon neutrality 10 years ahead of the Paris Climate Accord's 2050 goal. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Sept. 20, 2019

Ex-Tesla exec wants to increase utility control of DERs, and has a smart panel to do it

The new electric panel combines smart metering capabilities with remote control of energy use in residences, while easing installation of solar, energy storage and EV chargers.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 20, 2019