DC Circuit tosses challenge to ISO-NE renewable energy market rules

The judges ruled that exemptions to ISO-NE's capacity market price floor that allow renewables to bid in below the minimum level are legal.

By Gavin Bade • Aug. 1, 2018

How can the US reach the cutting edge of offshore wind R&D? DOE seeks input

Despite the president's rhetoric against wind power, the Energy Department is looking at how it can improve research and development, on and offshore. 

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 1, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

Sustainability

Companies are pursuing increasingly ambitous sustainability goals around clean energy, but integrating rising amounts of renewables, minimizing environmental impacts, and achieving carbon reduction targets can be challenging.

By Utility Dive staff

DHS walks back utility cyber warnings as Southern CEO says no grid emergency

Hackers cannot cause widespread power outages today, DHS said, tempering statements the agency made last week warning that cyber criminals could "throw switches" on the grid.

By Gavin Bade • July 31, 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

The shift to renewables can't wait until 2035

Cities and universities play an important role in reducing carbon emissions through sustainable energy practices. But many are baking unreasonable timelines into their plans for carbon neutrality.

By Bryce Smith • July 31, 2018

States say FERC overstepped its bounds in PJM capacity market order

FERC's ruling invalidating the grid operator's market rules stepped into states' jurisdiction over their generation mixes, a broad group of stakeholders said in comments.  

By Gavin Bade • July 31, 2018

California screaming — policymakers demand wildfire prevention while the state burns

Governor Jerry Brown and a bipartisan legislative committee have four weeks to write and pass laws that will protect the state, its people and its power system.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 31, 2018

Climate, project need at center of FERC pipeline policy review

Regulators should more seriously consider climate change and alter their approach for assessing market need when considering projects, environmentalists and liberal states said in the agency's pipeline review proceeding.

By Gavin Bade • July 30, 2018

California approves revised San Onofre closure settlement, saving customers $750M

This agreement ends a six-year controversy following a deal that the largest owner of the plant, Southern California Edison, struck in a private arrangement with state regulators.

By Robert Walton • July 30, 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

NextEra to retire Iowa nuclear plant in 2020

Utility Alliant will pay the nuclear operator $110 million and buy 340 MW of power from existing NextEra wind projects in exchange for ending its power purchase agreement with the plant early.

By Gavin Bade • July 27, 2018

Colorado regulators press forward with Black Hills TOU pilot

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission directed Black Hills Energy to develop a time-of-use rate pilot and file a proposal this fall.

By Robert Walton • July 27, 2018

Massachusetts utilities sign contracts to import Canadian hydropower

The Clean Energy Connect project, which will deliver the power, is generating controversy in Maine, where regulators say it should fund efficiency programs.

By Robert Walton • July 27, 2018

Appeals court tosses challenge to FERC eminent domain use

The 4th Circuit's decision raises concerns about FERC's use of tolling orders, which could provide a framework for future legal challenges. 

By Gavin Bade • July 27, 2018

AEP cancels largest US wind project after Texas rejection

Regulators said AEP's 2 GW Wind Catcher project, planned for the Oklahoma panhandle, did not provide enough benefits to customers.

By Gavin Bade • 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

DOE's Walker: Feds should not control PREPA

The Department of Energy assistant secretary called for changes in the structure of the Puerto Rican utility, including removing the governor's power to appoint board members and regulators.

By Gavin Bade • July 26, 2018

Los Angeles considers $3B pumped storage project at Hoover Dam

The city's municipal utility is studying the potential of using the dam as a giant pumped hydropower plant run by renewables.

By Peter Maloney • July 26, 2018

California Gov. Brown proposes reducing utility wildfire liability

The proposal would change rules currently requiring utilities to pay all damage costs if their equipment was involved in a fire, regardless of negligence.

By Robert Walton • July 26, 2018

APS-backed group challenges 50% renewables ballot measure in court

Lawyers for the parent company of Arizona Public Service say almost 200,000 signatures on petitions in favor of a ballot initiative to consider the 50% renewable energy standard are invalid.

By Robert Walton • July 25, 2018

How vulnerable is the grid to cyberattacks, really?

Experts say a recent DHS briefing that warned hackers could cause widespread blackouts may have overstated the threat.  

By Gavin Bade • 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

Judge scraps lawsuit against Maine wind moratorium

Renewable energy and conservation advocates tried to challenge the legality of Gov. Paul LePage's January executive order, which halts wind turbine permitting for the largest wind generation state in the Northeast.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 25, 2018