Tesla battery storage tapped for Texas' first community solar project

Austin Energy's community solar project is expected to come online next year, and will utilize a 1.5 MW storage system to help integrate the power.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 16, 2015

Virtual power plants: Moving beyond demand response to an integrated solution

Finding ways to quickly aggregate many flexible loads can help utilities magnify their DSM capabilities, reducing the need for peaker plants.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 16, 2015

Explore the Trendline➔

Data Centers and the US Grid

A look at how data centers are affecting the U.S. grid today and how new technologies and rate structures could affect that trajectory in the years to come.

By Utility Dive staff

CPUC pushed to study solar-storage further after filing pegs value at $0.25/kWh

California is at risk of improperly valuing storage unless it opens a separate regulatory track on its value, an industry group says. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 15, 2015

New Hampshire opens regulatory discussion on grid modernization

New Hampshire regulators are seeking comments on how the state's power grid can be made more resiliant, flexible and incorporate more DERs.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 15, 2015

SPI 2015: Tax credit sunset preoccupies a fast-maturing industry

Growing pains hit solar industry as a rift appears over the fight for the extension of a vital federal tax credit.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 15, 2015

Beyond batteries: The diverse technologies vying for the bulk storage market

Batteries are hot, but utilities looking to store a lot of power may find cheaper options elsewhere.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 14, 2015

SoCalEdison & SolarCity partner to study aggregated distributed resources

The pilot project will study 50 homes equipped with solar, storage, controllable thermostats, and smart inverters.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 14, 2015

Why microgrids need standards

In the C&I category, they can happen now, writes Powerit Solutions CEO Kevin Klustner.

By Kevin Klustner • Sept. 11, 2015

Brooklyn microgrid could supply residents with up to 10 MW

New York's hippest borough is at the forefront of microgrid development.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 11, 2015

Why the installed price of distributed solar keeps dropping

Module prices are flat, but the industry is increasingly effective at cutting soft costs, a new Berkeley Lab report finds.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 10, 2015

Hawaii co-op, SolarCity ink deal for dispatchable power from solar-storage project

The goal is to use the power, which can be stored in a 52 MWh battery, for peak shaving purposes in the evenings. 

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 10, 2015

CPS Energy gets 1,200 applications for its rooftop solar program in first 48 hours

The program will place solar panels on a customer roof at no charge, in exchange for bill credits.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 10, 2015

How Massachusetts utilities plan to modernize their grids and rate designs

Across the country, states are taking a hard look at how to bring their electric grids into the modern era. But for Massachusetts, operating in a regional market means taking a more cautious approach to change.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 9, 2015

What's behind the 900% growth in energy storage in Q2 2015

2015 continues to look like it will be “the biggest year for U.S. energy storage deployment in history," GTM Research found in it's most recent quarterly report. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 8, 2015

CA industry group pegs value of solar-plus-storage at 25 cents/kWh

The California Energy Storage Alliance wants a special role for energy storage in state regulatory policy as it moves toward 50% renewable generation.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 8, 2015

Stem, PG&E bid aggregated energy storage into CAISO real-time market

The transaction was a part of Pacific Gas and Electric’s Supply-Side Pilot, a project which enables customer-sited, demand-side resources to participate in the California ISO wholesale markets as demand response.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 8, 2015

Solar face-off taking shape in Michigan as new bill would expand net metering

The new proposal would expand the state's net metering program, allow for the development of community solar gardens and set the fair value price for projects up to 500KW.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 8, 2015

Plug-and-play storage startup Orison seeks to challenge Tesla in residential market

The company's 2 kWh battery simply plugs into a standard outlet, can keep a home's lights on during a power outage, and has built-in demand management functions, the CEO says.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 4, 2015

Florida solar advocates, utility backers face off in court over TPO ballot proposals

Lawyers for solar advocates say the language qualifies for the 2016 ballot, and utility lawyers argue it misleads.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 3, 2015

Community solar investors could qualify for federal tax credits, IRS ruling indicates

The Internal Revenue Service has given the first indication that a 30% tax credit usually reserved for individual projects can also apply to ownership in shared solar farms.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 3, 2015

NextEra promises grid upgrades, commitment to 100% renewables in HEI merger filing

The utility made 50 new promises to Hawaiians, saying its deal to buy Hawaiian Electric will save consumers hundreds of millions of dollars. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 2, 2015

Mass. utilities target TOU rates, DER integration in grid modernization filings

Similar to California and New York, utilities in Massachusetts are being asked to envision what the electric grid of the future will look like.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 2, 2015

Whatever happened to Oncor's big energy storage plans?

The utility says gigawatt-scale storage can be cost effective in Texas, but the state's electricity market rules are holding the technology back.

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 1, 2015

AEP invests $5M in storage software company Greensmith

The Maryland-based company offers turnkey energy storage solutions that could help the utility monetize the benefits of grid-scale batteries.

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 1, 2015

AZ regulators call for formal policy to prevent utility donations in commission elections

The letter from two ACC commissioners aims to prevent a repeat of 2014, when allegations of dark money donations from APS clouded the regulatory election.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 1, 2015