How record large-scale solar growth is changing utility IPPs

Driven by falling cost, utility affiliates may bring online over half of all the large-scale solar built through 2017.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 21, 2016

Elon Musk reveals part 2 of his 'Master Plan' for Tesla, defends potential SolarCity deal

Musk wants to network a fleet of home solar, storage and autonomous cars, allowing the assets to earn money for the consumer when not in use.

By Gavin Bade • July 21, 2016

Explore the Trendline➔

Virtual Power Plants

Virtual power plants and their ability to balance energy supply and demand are increasingly sought by utilities as electricity demand increases, but their lack of standardization remains a barrier.

By Utility Dive staff

SolarCity raises $345M to finance solar projects

The funding also aims to allay investor fears over the company's financial standing in spite of uncertainty surrounding a potential takeover by Tesla Motors. 

By Peter Maloney • July 19, 2016

LG Chem expands range of its residential battery offering

The company is introducing high and low voltage options for its residential batteries.

By Peter Maloney • July 19, 2016

Utility participation key to driving residential storage growth

A Navigant Consulting study said the global residential storage sector will be a 3,773 MW market by 2025. 

By Peter Maloney • July 19, 2016

California PUC rejects proposed Sempra gas pipeline

Sempra had requested $621 in rate increases for power and gas customers to finance construction of the pipeline. 

By Peter Maloney • July 18, 2016

Arizona regulators approve APS demand management, efficiency programs

Approval will allow APS to develop strategies to integrate storage into their demand management programs.

By Peter Maloney • July 15, 2016

Evolution of REV: New York PSC Chair Audrey Zibelman says 2016 is the year of execution

Consumers can expect to see the early tangible benefits from REV by the end of 2018, Zibelman told Utility Dive.

By Krysti Shallenberger • July 15, 2016

How well do consumers understand rooftop solar economics?

A Federal Trade Commission workshop on competition and consumer protection in the DG solar power industry attracted a wide range of comments.

By Peter Maloney • July 14, 2016

Democratizing DERs: What role should utilities play in spreading clean energy to all?

Everyone knows the utility has some role to play in making distributed energy resources available to all customers. But no one seems to agree on what it is. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • July 14, 2016

Nevada clears net metering, retail choice measures for November ballot

The net metering proposal must yet withstand a legal challenge over whether the proposal qualifies as a referendum or an initiative that would have to go to the legislature before it could be put on the ballot.

By Peter Maloney • July 14, 2016

California Gov. Brown proposes extension of cap-and-trade program to 2050

The extension aims to help the state cut carbon emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2031. 

By Peter Maloney • July 14, 2016

New York utility turns to DERs to avoid $11.8M substation upgrade

The utility is looking to distributed generation, demand response, efficiency and storage to stave off costly upgrades in its service territory.

By Robert Walton • July 14, 2016

Duke will boost North Carolina EV charging stations 30% as part of EPA settlement

The investment stems from a legal deal with the EPA concerning alleged violations of the Clean Air Act in the 1990s.

By Peter Maloney • July 13, 2016

Sonnen enters C&I storage market with scalable batteries for peak shaving, TOU rates

The company said its 18 kW (24kWh) commercial and industrial batteries should ship late in the fourth quarter of this year.

By Peter Maloney • July 13, 2016

PG&E, SolarCity partner for solar+storage, grid services pilot

Up to 150 customers in San Jose will receive smart inverters or battery storage systems, and SolarCity will get a chance to demonstrate its suite of grid services. 

By Robert Walton • July 13, 2016

MIT researchers see a 'window of opportunity' for non-battery storage

Pumped hydro and compressed air storage can add value to renewable energy projects today, researchers found, but that could change as wind and solar drop further in price.

By Peter Maloney • July 12, 2016

'Universal access': How PSEG CEO Ralph Izzo aims to make efficiency, DERs available to all consumers

Izzo wants utilities to supply DER solutions to consumers not served in the current marketplace.

By Gavin Bade • July 12, 2016

Advanced Microgrid Solutions secures $200M funding for aggregated storage projects

The San Francisco company is seeking to cut the costs of microgrids and storage by scaling up quickly, and that leaves little time to complete pilot projects.

By Peter Maloney • July 12, 2016

California approves new customer signup rules for demand response, DER providers

The state is streamlining customer acquisition rules, moving to a system that would drop signature requirements and the need for customers to have their utility account information on hand.

By Robert Walton • July 12, 2016

California PUC directs SDG&E to buy more renewables despite RPS compliance

The utility is compliant with current targets under the state's clean energy standard, but did not buy enough capacity in a recent renewable energy auction, regulators said. 

By Peter Maloney • July 11, 2016

DER providers push for more cost data as New York utilities issue distribution plans under REV

As the DER industry begins to pore over New York utilities' weighty Distributed Service Implementation Plans, some providers are worried they are not being given enough information to identify opportunities for investment.

By Robert Walton • July 11, 2016

MIT: Microgrids could save Boston over $1B

The MIT Lincoln Laboratory collaborated with the Boston Redevelopment Authority to identify 22 potential microgrid sites to boost grid resiliency and protect against future disasters. 

By Robert Walton • July 10, 2016

Sonnen cuts battery system cost 40% to serve self-consumption market

Seeing an opportunity in changes to net metering policies, Sonnen has introduced a cheaper battery without backup power features.

By Peter Maloney • July 8, 2016

Come together? DER aggregation sparks more confusion than consensus in power sector

Utilities and DER providers have divergent opinions on how the aggregation of distributed resources will develop, according to a recent GTM survey.  

By Herman K. Trabish • July 7, 2016