California approves bill to limit utility liability for wildfires, but not CAISO expansion

The state legislature wrapped up the 2018 session by passing bills on electric vehicle infrastructure, battery storage and critical changes for utilities on wildfire liability laws.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Sept. 4, 2018

Cyberthreats require strengthened standards, increased government collaboration

Illinois Commerce Commission Chairman Brien Sheahan and former FERC Commissioner Robert Powelson wrote about the importance of establishing cybersecurity compliance standards at the distribution level.

By Brien J. Sheahan and Robert F. Powelson • Sept. 4, 2018

Explore the 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

Energy storage gets a boost as California legislature extends SGIP

Extension of the Self Generation Incentive Program ​program could help the growth of rooftop solar in California.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 31, 2018

Distributed solar saved ISO-NE consumers $20M during July heatwave, report says

Customer-sited solar in New England can reduce peak demand by up to 1 GW, according to a new analysis by Synapse Energy Economics. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 31, 2018

Oregon projects incorporate solar output insurance in financing

Hedges against solar output could help lower cost to finance projects.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 30, 2018

Two roads diverging: Pennsylvania lawmakers rethink their renewables mandate

A new plan for solar is pushing Pennsylvania lawmakers to rethink the state's energy sector and utilities are fighting for their share.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 30, 2018

Exclusive: Ohio PUC details utility reform roadmap in PowerForward initiative

The plan, a product of a year-long business model investigation, aims to create a level playing field for innovation on the utility distribution system.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 29, 2018

Renewables push CAISO prices lower, threaten inflexible generation

A new report finds uneven price distribution in utility-scale solar disproportionately affects baseload generation, such as coal and nuclear. 

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 28, 2018

FERC says SCE can't treat storage customers differently in service

Southern California Edison sought authority to curtail electricity service to storage customers first during times of peak demand, but FERC said that would be "unduly discriminatory."

By Gavin Bade , Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 28, 2018

Face the heat: Should EV incentives be restructured for battery degradation?

A new study advocates scaling electric vehicle incentives based on how quickly batteries wear out, but critics say it misses the bigger picture. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 28, 2018

Oklahoma AG opinion clears way for third-party solar ownership

Oklahoma's solar industry could see a boost from an opinion by the state's attorney general, which concludes third-party ownership and leasing arrangements are allowed.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 27, 2018

PacifiCorp, Idaho Power agree to make CAISO their reliability coordinator

As the California grid operator draws closer to filing at FERC for approval of its Reliability Coordinator services, two more utilities have signed on following a commitment by the Balancing Authority of Northern California in July.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 24, 2018

New York unveils new toolkit to drive solar on brownfields

The procurement guidelines aim to spur community solar development on landfills and other underutilized land, advancing the state's 50% renewable generation goals.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 24, 2018

Tucson Electric proceeding lays groundwork for customer solar+storage rate

Residential solar advocates wonder what sort of solar-plus-storage rate can sweeten the deal for TEP customers in the "post net metering paradigm."

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 22, 2018

Does your utility have a survival strategy?

Faced with a changing competitive landscape and an uncertain regulatory environment, utility organizations are increasingly employing new cloud and digital strategies to ensure not only success, but survival.

By Michael O’Donnell • Aug. 22, 2018

US military pushes clean energy with largest on-base battery

Sited in Colorado, the 8.5 MWh behind-the-meter lithium-ion battery will be the largest stand-alone commercially contracted battery at an army base, according to the developers.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 22, 2018

Smart meter readings are a valid 'warrantless search,' court rules

Smart meter opponents challenged the public utility of Naperville, Ill., over its data collection, which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit deemed as warrantless, but not unreasonable.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 21, 2018

BTM storage is booming in Ontario

A flurry of energy storage projects highlights opportunities for large industrial customers to reduce a costly rate structure established in 2005.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 20, 2018

AEP rolls out $10M Ohio EV infrastructure incentive program

The money will support up to 375 EV public charging stations and is intended to provide insight on how their availability impacts the decision to make the switch to an electric vehicle.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 20, 2018

Ontario develops largest BTM storage system in North America

The system highlights opportunities for addressing Ontario's high demand charges.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 16, 2018

California Senate appropriations committee takes up ISO regionalization bill

State policymakers have been pushing hard for a regional market that would encompass all the western states for years, but opponents have been pushing just as hard to kill the bill.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 15, 2018

Tech that turns light poles into EV chargers wins NYC climate award

Berlin-based Ubitricity won the first NYCx Climate Action Challenge, and will launch a pilot in the city with the potential for a multi-year demonstration project.

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 15, 2018

PG&E's landmark energy storage projects snagged by pushback

The CPUC extended the approval process for the four projects after critics filed comments claiming the utility did not meet regulatory criteria.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 14, 2018

Missouri court overrules regulators, finds PSC has jurisdiction over EV charging stations

By granting the state PSC jurisdiction over charging stations, the judge gave utilities a path to recover EV infrastructure investments from their rate base.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 14, 2018

MISO plans storage market roles in response to FERC Order 841

Proposed rules would have two metrics for measuring energy storage capacity to help the resources participate in wholesale electricity markets. 

Aug. 13, 2018