California moves to preserve vehicle standards in face of EPA rollback

State air regulators on Tuesday released a plan that would keep tougher emissions rules in place for California if the Trump administration moves to weaken federal standards. 

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 8, 2018

Solar growth continues in US, though EIA trims its 2019 forecast 45%

A change in methodology has led the Energy Information Administration to cut its forecast of solar power capacity additions.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 8, 2018

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

As second wave of state storage targets builds, utilities propose new projects

Experts are watching Arizona, Nevada and Colorado for new policies that will help develop the industry.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 7, 2018

Oregon Supreme Court approves tax to fund state EV rebates

The program will tax auto dealers in order to fund electric vehicle rebates as part of Gov. Kate Brown's 2017 climate change initiative. 

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 7, 2018

Efficiency leads projected 10% job growth for California's advanced energy sector: AEE

According to a new analysis of 2018 employment rates, one in every six jobs in advanced energy is in California.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Aug. 7, 2018

Berkeley lab challenges grid community to improve interoperability

The Plug & Play DER Challenge is a call for concepts to the smart grid community, seeking "visionary" ideas focused on improving interoperability on an increasingly-connected electric grid.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 6, 2018

Musk sees 'insane' fast growth for Tesla's energy storage business

Tesla executives predicted growth levels in 2019 of 300% to 400% for its energy storage business.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 2, 2018

EPA proposes to freeze auto emission standards, revoke California EV rules

The move could be met with opposition from utilities, which support pro-EV policies, but the EPA administrator said he is open to compromise with California.

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 2, 2018

Recent heat wave provides stress test for US renewables integration

CAISO has called for conservation as a heat wave spiked electricity use. Like other areas of the country, the lights stayed on but also revealed weaknesses in the electric grid.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 2, 2018

Advocates hail passage of Massachusetts clean energy bill but want to take it further

The state's final energy bill is a watered down version of the one passed by the Senate in June.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 2, 2018

Electric vehicle and stationary storage batteries begin to diverge as performance priorities evolve

As the stationary energy storage market matures, lithium-ion battery makers are beginning to adapt.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 1, 2018

Honda offers demand response charging program to EV drivers

The automaker will partner with eMotorWerks to help electric vehicle owners determine the best time to charge.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 1, 2018

Energy storage could take off in Massachusetts with proposed compromise on capacity ownership

The tentative deal would allow owners of residential solar and storage facilities to retain the right to bid the resulting capacity into ISO New England's forward capacity market, if state regulators approve it.

By Peter Maloney • July 31, 2018

Community solar can address renewables accessibility gap, report finds

GTM Research mapped out a vision for community solar for the next few decades, encouraging states and utilities to consider low-to-moderate income households. 

By Catherine Morehouse • July 31, 2018

New York to consider enhancing payments for distributed generation

The Department of Public Service expects the proposals, outlined in two reports, could stimulate 1 GW of new community distributed generation.

By Robert Walton • July 31, 2018

Can a 'DER Authority' fix the utility information problem to boost clean energy?

Energy Innovation's Mike O'Boyle says utility ratemaking lags behind the technological potential for a cleaner, cheaper, more reliable grid as regulators have insufficient information to compare utility proposals against alternatives.

By Mike O'Boyle • July 30, 2018

Dominion targets 3 GW of wind and solar, $870M efficiency spending in grid mod plan

The utility issued the first phase of a larger plan, as directed by Virginia's Grid Transformation & Security Act, which took effect three weeks ago to reshape the state's grid.

By Robert Walton • July 27, 2018

Green groups come out against Nevada retail choice ballot measure

Groups like the Sierra Club and NRDC had been neutral on the measure to end monopoly utilities until NV Energy promised to double its renewables if the proposal is defeated. 

By Robert Walton • July 27, 2018

Indiana cost consumers $140M by nixing efficiency program, AEC says

A new analysis from the Applied Economics Clinic joins a host of other research concluding the state's energy efficiency mandate was working before legislators eliminated the program in 2014.

By Robert Walton • July 26, 2018

Aging grids drive $51B in annual utility distribution spending

Major utilities increased capital expenditures to their distribution systems by 54% since 1997, according to a U.S. Energy Information Administration analysis.

By Robert Walton • July 25, 2018

Residential storage hits new record, deploying 36MWh in Q1

Changing policies in California and Hawaii led to 74% of the nation's residential storage deployments in the past quarter, according to GTM Research and the Energy Storage Association.

By Peter Maloney • July 25, 2018

California county brings in a ringer to champion the return of local net metering

Renova, the largest solar installer in the region, has stepped in to defend the county's new ordinance requiring Imperial Irrigation District to restart its net metering program.

By Robert Walton • July 24, 2018

Beyond weatherization: Are utilities doing enough to engage low-income customers?

One woman's quest to bring resources to impoverished communities around Charlotte, N.C., highlights the great need for action from power providers.

By Robert Walton • July 24, 2018

Tesla batteries save $500K for Green Mountain Power through hot-weather peak shaving

The utility said its residential battery storage project implemented in Vermont last year reduced peak demand and saved half a million dollars during the July heat wave.

By Robert Walton • July 23, 2018

IPL rate deal largely avoids fixed charge hike

The utility had requested a $10 increase to fixed charges that opponents said would reduce distributed solar and harm elderly and low-income ratepayers. 

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 23, 2018