Arizona utilities back initiative to counter SolarCity-supported ballot proposal

Days after solar advocates announced a ballot proposal to protect net metering in Arizona, a state lawmaker has a competing proposal she says has the support of the state's regulated utilities. 

By Herman K. Trabish • April 25, 2016

ComEd touts new solar incentives in Illinois legislative push

The utility has a slate of proposals in front of state lawmakers and on Friday, announced new rebates for solar customers to accompany proposed rate changes.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 25, 2016

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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 utilities build toward RPS standards, costs, carve-outs raise concerns

An LBNL report shows utilities are largely meeting their renewable energy targets, but new challenges are emerging.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 25, 2016

SolarCity ends support for watchdog group investigating Arizona regulators

The watchdog group Checks and Balances project had sought to expose communications between Arizona regulators, utility executives, and members of an outside political group. 

By Herman Trabish, Gavin Bade • April 21, 2016

Citing favorable policy climate, Sunrun expands operations in South Carolina

Solar supports put in place by 2014's Act 236 made the South Carolina decision an easy one, company officials said. 

By Herman K. Trabish • April 20, 2016

Former ACC chair leads push for Arizona ballot measure to protect solar

A new constitutional amendment pushed by solar installers would preserve retail rate net metering and prevent solar-specific rate changes through 2022.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 20, 2016

SDG&E 'ahead of the curve' to meet California's 50% RPS with help from storage

Ahead of schedule in meeting RPS targets, San Diego Gas & Electric looks to storage and energy efficiency to accommodate more renewables.

By Peter Maloney • April 19, 2016

FERC seeks input from ISOs on possible market barriers to energy storage

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has given wholesale market operators until May 2 to docment barriers that may exist to adding energy storage resources to their grids.

By Peter Maloney • April 19, 2016

'Graceful transition': ISO-NE's CEO on how wholesale markets can ease decarbonization

A well-designed capacity market can help ensure reliability at high levels of renewable energy penetration, argues ISO-New England's Gordon van Welie.

By Gavin Bade • April 19, 2016

AES teams up with Panasonic for India's first utility-scale storage project

AES Storage and Panasonic are building a 10-MW storage facility in Haryana, India.

By Peter Maloney • April 19, 2016

SEIA President Rhone Resch steps down after 12 years

The national trade group for solar companies grew from 65 members to more than 1,000 under Resch's leadership.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 19, 2016

North Carolina regulators reject solar third party ownership test case from green group

Duke Energy welcomed the decision, which sees it preserve its status as a monopoly electricity provider in its service area.  

By Herman K. Trabish • April 19, 2016

Exelon maintains microgrid push with Hartford, CT fuel cell project

Exelon subsidiary Constellation is building fuel cell microgrid in Hartford in a partnership with the city and Bloom Energy.

By Peter Maloney • April 18, 2016

Will LA's historic gas leak knock Hollywood's lights out this summer?

California's energy agencies are pushing a slew of measures to compensate for the Aliso Canyon gas leak, but the larger issue of the state's natural gas reliance remains.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 18, 2016

Maine lawmakers near approval of solar incentive bill, but still lack votes for veto override

Gov. Paul LePage, a frequent critic of renewable energy policies, is expected to veto the bill. 

By Gavin Bade, Herman Trabish • April 15, 2016

Video: NV Energy-backed group launches media campaign to keep solar net metering rates

A new statewide ad buy aims to counter efforts from solar installers to overturn lower net metering rates approved by regulators at the end of last year.

By Gavin Bade, Herman Trabish • April 15, 2016

Kicking the can: Massachusetts solar law buys time, but full incentive plan remains elusive

Massachusetts' new law lifts solar caps that stalled growth, but plans for a comprehensive incentive system are still in their early stages.

By Krysti Shallenberger • April 14, 2016

Inside Hawaiian Electric's new plan to get to 100% renewables

Liquefied natural gas, the NextEra merger and the role of DERs are the major sticking points emerging from the utility's new power supply plan.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 14, 2016

Utility-backed solar group raised over $7M to counter TPO proposal in Florida

While money troubles sunk the proposal that would have legalized third party ownership, the utility-backed measure created to counter it is cleared to appear on the ballot.  

By Herman K. Trabish • April 13, 2016

How Minnesota is approaching grid modernization as a vertically-integrated state

A new PUC report outlines the state's vision for grid modernization and previews coming regulatory debates.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 13, 2016

Kentucky regulators approve EV charging stations for utilities

Regulators allowed the utilities to add a combined 20 stations, more than doubling the number KU and LG&E currently operate.

By Robert Walton • April 13, 2016

Why the time for utilities to promote EVs is now—and why the moment could quickly fade

Without a near-term push, EVs could languish and even lose ground.

By Michael Shepard • April 12, 2016

'Straight uphill': Power sector reforms face tough path in gridlocked Illinois legislature

Three utility-backed bills to support, nuclear generation, renewables and efficiency did not pass in the last session of the General Assembly. Stakeholders are now trying to role them into a single law.

By Peter Maloney • April 12, 2016

Aquion battery to meet overnight needs of Puerto Rican solar farm

An Aquion battery is being deployed at a 16 MW Puerto Rican solar farm to meet overnight needs.

By Peter Maloney • April 11, 2016

New Hampshire legislature doubles net metering cap to 100 MW

The new law also orders state regulators to ready a successor tariff when the new cap is reached. 

By Herman K. Trabish • April 11, 2016