Alliant Energy reverses stance, agrees to net meter third party solar

The change opens the door for an Iowa solar boom led by third party financing.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 11, 2015

Elon Musk: Demand for Tesla batteries 'has been really crazy'

Tesla has hinted it may further expand its Gigafactory and said it is in talks with utilities about how storage will be integrated into their distribution grids.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 10, 2015

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 Stories from Utility Dive

Power demand is rising amid dramatic shifts in federal energy policy, but technology and markets continue to push the grid toward cleaner, more distributed resources. 

By Utility Dive staff

Is New Hampshire solar racing toward a brick wall?

The failure of state legislators to extend the net metering cap could hurt solar.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 7, 2015

CA utilities, solar installers on same page in renewables mandate lobbying

Usually opponents in policy debates, both groups want rooftop solar counted toward the state's renewables standards.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 7, 2015

The other death spiral utilities are beginning to deal with

Key corporate customers are clamoring for more renewables, and will get it from someone else if the utility won't provide. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 6, 2015

Michigan senate bill would erode the value of net metering for solar owners

Change from retail rate to wholesale rate remuneration could double the time it takes to pay off a solar system.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 6, 2015

APS must ask for its solar fee increase in a rate case, Ariz. judge rules

The utility's next rate case, a request for a boost from $0.70 per kW to $3 per kW for solar owners, must wait until 2016.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 6, 2015

CA utilities call for solar remuneration cuts, fixed and demand charges

The solar industry wants retail rate net metering until 2019 to compensate for tax credits due to expire.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 5, 2015

Report: Storage boom to rival solar as battery prices drop 40-60% by 2020

Falling battery storage prices will open up a wide range of options for consumers, but the new technology comes with its own set of risk and rewards.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 4, 2015

PG&E, BMW get electric vehicle demand response program rolling

The BMW iChargeForward program provides more than $1,500 in incentives for customers who allow Pacific Gas & Electric to control their electric vehicle charging.  

By Robert Walton • Aug. 4, 2015

Arizona utilities set to meet 2016 renewables mandates with solar

Tucson Electric, meanwhile, has asked state regulators to define community shared solar as distributed generation.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 4, 2015

Arizona readies consumer protections for solar leasing as installers protest

The new rules reinforce disclosures, guarantees and contract limits in existing law.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 3, 2015

FirstEnergy, AEP push Ohio regulators for solar policy cutbacks

The utilities want renumeration below retail rates and cuts in the amount of solar electricity they must buy.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 31, 2015

Inside New York's aggressive new community shared renewables program

A carefully crafted program will allow buy-in for those without solar-suitable roofs, from the crowded boroughs of Manhattan to the shady lanes upstate.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 30, 2015

ConEd will enter NY rooftop solar market through unregulated subsidiary

ConEdison Solutions’ third party owned product will use SunPower modules and be available at no upfront cost to the consumer.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 30, 2015

NY regulators propose groundbreaking new utility models under landmark REV order

Today, utility earnings are not aligned with optimizing distributed energy resources. New York aims to change that with track two of the REV docket.

By Davide Savenije • July 29, 2015

Why the future of microgrids won't look like the past

Microgrid capacity is expected to double in the next five years, but the new wave of small grids won't look much like the old.

By Robert Walton • July 29, 2015

SolarCity eyes 'neglected' small commercial market with new solar product

The product will only be available in California now, with plans to expand to the east coast and other states in early 2016.

By Davide Savenije • July 28, 2015

NRG Energy moves into community shared solar

With the debut of a new project in Massachusetts, NRG becomes community shared solar's first vertically integrated developer.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 28, 2015

SoCal Edison seeks renewables, 'just-in-time' battery solutions in RFPs

The is pressing for vendors to develop smaller plug-and-play battery systems which can be installed within a matter of months.

By Robert Walton • July 28, 2015

Iowa co-op proposes one of the highest fixed solar charges in nation

Owner-members with DG say the $85 per month violate Iowa law against “discriminatory rates or charges."

By Herman K. Trabish • July 27, 2015

Mass. senate passes increased net metering cap on bipartisan voice vote

The provision would double the limit on net metered solar and kick start solar planning among state regulators.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 27, 2015

Hawaii regulators pushed to consider co-op as alternative to HECO merger

The filing marks the first time regulators have formally been asked to consider a co-op as an alternative to the sale of Hawaii's dominant electric provider.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 24, 2015

Utility-scale solar is significantly cheaper than rooftop. Does that make it better?

The cost numbers don't lie, but critics say they don't tell the whole story of rooftop solar's value.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 23, 2015

Report: Wait times for rooftop solar interconnection jumped 68% 2013-2014

And as more regulations govern distributed resources, the time needed to interconnect systems will likely increase, absent rules to streamline the process.  

By Robert Walton • July 23, 2015