How leading utilities are planning for distributed energy resources

DER growth can be a blessing or a curse. New software platforms can help with preparation. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 6, 2018

Tesla to outfit 50K Australian homes with solar+storage for 250 MW virtual power plant

The electric car company wants to build what it calls the world's largest virtual power plant, harnessing 250 MW of solar power and 650 MWh of energy storage.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 5, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

The Energy Transition to Renewables

Rising demand for power is continuing to drive demand for renewables, but policy uncertainty and mixed signals from the Trump administration add to existing challenges.

By Utility Dive staff

NextEra sues NEI after refusing to renew trade group membership

NextEra Energy and Entergy both moved to exit the nuclear trade group last month after NEI advocated for approval of a DOE coal and nuclear subsidy proposal. 

By Robert Walton , Gavin Bade • Feb. 5, 2018

White House withdraws Hartnett White nomination for CEQ

Democrats had pledged to oppose other key confirmations, including the No. 2 slot at EPA, unless the controversial nominee was pulled. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 5, 2018

DC Circuit rejects bid to block Mountain Valley pipeline construction

An environmental group argued FERC uses tolling orders to avoid judicial oversight of its pipeline siting decisions. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 5, 2018

ISO-NE players split over 2-part capacity auction proposal

New England power stakeholders filed comments on the new capacity auction proposal last week at FERC. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 5, 2018

FERC's resilience order may suggest reliability tweaks, rather than novel solutions

Determining whether resilience is a stand-alone concept or just a component of reliability has real world implications, Duke University's Kate Konschnik and Brian Murray write.

By Kate Konschnik & Brian Murray • Feb. 2, 2018

New Hampshire rejects Northern Pass transmission, throwing project into doubt

The decision is sparking concern in Massachusetts, which just last week selected the project to help meet state clean energy goals. 

By Robert Walton • Feb. 2, 2018

Sempra secures support of all stakeholder parties to Oncor transaction

The energy company says the settlement agreement includes ratepayer protections left out of previous failed bids to purchase the Texas utility.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 2, 2018

Lawmakers from 9 states vow to put a price on carbon

Officials are hoping to tackle emissions and carbon tax issues at the state level. Thus far only one state, California, has put an economy-wide cap on carbon dioxide emissions.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 1, 2018

DC Circuit ruling could halt Sabal Trail pipeline construction

In a rebuke to FERC's pipeline approval process, judges declined to review an August ruling that the agency did not properly assess carbon impacts of the pipeline. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 1, 2018

In 2017, solar policy debates took the industry's future to higher ground

Utility leaders and solar advocates are struggling at state commissions across the country to answer hard questions about solar’s value to customers and the distribution system.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 1, 2018

Report: Trump budget seeks 72% cut to DOE clean energy research

Electric vehicle research would take an especially big hit, The Washington Post reports, cut to $56 million from $307 million. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 1, 2018

For utilities, the new corporate tax cuts are a double-edged sword

Reports from Brattle and Moody's say tax cuts will squeeze utility cash flows, potentially hurting credit quality. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 1, 2018

California Gov. Brown outlines plan for 5M ZEVs by 2030

A new report from think tank Next 10 says the governor's goal "could be inhibited if charging infrastructure doesn't keep pace."

By Kristin Musulin • Jan. 31, 2018

Trump touts end of 'war on beautiful, clean coal' in State of the Union

The president's short energy statement hints at the administration's shifting definition of "clean" when it comes to coal.

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 31, 2018

Pruitt: No decision yet on carbon endangerment finding challenge

The EPA administrator is still weighing whether to conduct a "red team, blue team" review of climate science, he told a Senate committee Tuesday.

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 30, 2018

DOE report touts small modular reactors, but hurdles remain

The department highlights the resiliency of SMRs for federal facilities, recommending their use by the Tennessee Valley Authority at a site in Oak Ridge, Tenn., adjacent to a national nuclear and security facility.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 30, 2018

Energy storage has an upstream swim in the Pacific Northwest

The dominance of low cost hydropower in the region, along with policies that favor large power plant development over distributed energy resources, present challenges for the resource.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 30, 2018

Arizona regulator proposes 80% clean energy mandate, 3 GW storage target

The Clean Peak Standard from Arizona regulator Andy Tobin would require utilities to deliver an increasing portion of their renewable energy during peak demand hours. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 30, 2018

The best laid plans of state regulators are now aimed at building a better distribution system

Regulators are pushing utilities to plan for the rising penetrations of distributed energy resources, but they're doing it in many ways.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 30, 2018

New Jersey to rejoin RGGI in new executive order

Former Gov. Chris Christie withdrew the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in 2012, causing it to fall behind on emission targets. 

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 29, 2018

FirstEnergy: Davis-Besse nuke will soon close absent Ohio subsidies

The leader of the utilities committee in the Ohio Senate said separately he has no plans to move a plant subsidy bill. 

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 26, 2018

EPA loosens Clean Air Act rules for major pollution sources

The agency is rescinding the "once in, always in" policy that made major pollution sources permanently subject to tougher emission control standards.

By Gavin Bade • Jan. 26, 2018

Ohio Supreme Court sides with FirstEnergy in $43M renewable credit refund case

The court said the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio erred in a 2013 order directing the utility to return the money to ratepayers, finding it would amount to "unlawful retroactive ratemaking."

By Robert Walton • Jan. 25, 2018