Solar & Renewables

Hydrogen startups aim to enter market with partnerships, products to drive down costs

Founders behind emerging hydrogen startups showcase new technologies at MIT startup event, while industry leaders urge importance of cooperation.

By Emma Penrod • Jan. 19, 2021

Deep Dive

Hawaii finalizes utility regulation considered potential template for US power system transformation

Stakeholders agree the final performance-based regulation order from the state's regulators includes opportunities and safeguards that can be lead to a new regulatory paradigm.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 19, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

Trendline

Wholesale Markets

Wholesale market operators' drive to ensure reliability continues to clash with state decarbonization goals, but new proposals are emerging to better integrate emerging resources and share them across borders.

By Utility Dive staff

Following Google's footsteps, Des Moines pledges 24/7 clean electricity by 2035

The city's resolution may make Des Moines one of the first U.S. communities to achieve 24/7 carbon-free electricity.

By Emma Penrod • Jan. 15, 2021

California releases final root cause analysis of August rolling blackouts

Renewables and storage advocates said the report shows California should invest more aggressively in long-term energy storage, to ensure power from intermittent resources, such as solar, can be available during peak hours.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 15, 2021

Arizona grants 'innovative' electric rate schedule for Nikola green hydrogen project

Citing the need for economic development and demand management, the Arizona Corporation Commission has approved a discounted rate schedule for power sold to Nikola's electrolysis project.

By Emma Penrod • Jan. 14, 2021

Duke fights to get SEEM proposal in front of FERC as North Carolina regulators mull authority

The utility argued state regulators do not need to approve its proposal to form a centralized energy exchange market before Duke files it with federal regulators.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 14, 2021

Global corporate solar funding rises 24% to $14.5B in 2020, after 25% drop in first half: Mercom

Despite a disappointing first half of the year, investments and acquisitions in the sector recovered significantly, with a record 39.5 GW of large-scale projects changing hands in 2020, compared to 26.1 GW in 2019.

By Leslie Nemo • Jan. 14, 2021

Deep Dive

2021 Outlook: Will hydrogen experience a breakthrough?

Industry analysts say 2021 could be the year U.S. policy on hydrogen catches up with the EU and China, but other key milestones could take longer.

By Emma Penrod • Jan. 14, 2021

Wind, solar to make up 70% of new US generating capacity in 2021 while batteries gain momentum: EIA

The U.S. is on track to set a new record for solar deployment this year, according to a federal report, while increased interest in solar-plus-storage projects will quadruple the nation's storage capacity.

By Emma Penrod • Jan. 13, 2021

Deep Dive

2021 Outlook: 10 power sector trends to watch

A new administration under a new party is one of many signs that 2021 will look different for policymakers, regulators, utilities and other stakeholders, but the continuation of some older trends is expected as well.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 13, 2021

New transmission approaches can cut billions in decarbonization costs: MIT, clean energy coalition

Interstate coordination and transmission expansion can reduce the system cost of electricity in a 100%-renewable U.S. power system by 46% compared with a state-by-state approach, according to two MIT researchers.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 13, 2021

Deep Dive

2021 Outlook: The DER boom continues, driving a 'reimagining' of the distribution system

The rise of distributed resources will require a renewed distribution system that gives utilities more visibility of what's going on at the customer level to cut costs and protect reliability. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 12, 2021

Renewables, storage stocks soar as Democrat-led Congress improves environment for green investments

In response to favorable investment conditions, renewables and energy storage companies' stocks — including Sunrun, Tesla, Bloom Energy, Eos Energy and First Solar — have seen significant gains lately.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 08, 2021

Democrats to take Senate majority after Georgia victories. Here's how it could impact the power sector.

Analysts and stakeholders say the implications of a Democrat-majority Senate could be consequential for renewables and electric vehicle deployment, as well as broader carbon reduction policies.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 07, 2021

Massachusetts Gov. Baker vetoes climate legislation, citing unsupported mandates

The bill sets a statewide net zero limit on greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, includes new renewable energy targets and efficiency standards, and codifies environmental justice provisions into state law.

By Robert Walton • UPDATED: Jan. 15, 2021 at 10:09 a.m.

Deep Dive

Two barriers to utility and customer savings with flexible loads and how regulators can help

Utilities, regulators and load flexibility authorities say better distribution system control technologies and compensation are needed to increase the use of flexible customer-sited resources.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 06, 2021

Top Utility Trends of 2020

Amid significant disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the power sector's transition to a cleaner, more distributed future continues.

By Larry Pearl • Jan. 05, 2021

Deep Dive

Want to know how to pick an energy market? Watch the Mountain West power providers

Xcel Colorado just joined California’s imbalance market, SPP will offer imbalance services, and researchers have proposed a Colorado-centric system. But what do power providers want?

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 04, 2021

Deep Dive

The search for the next net metering policy takes center stage in California

California’s utilities and solar advocates agree a forward-looking successor tariff must use the state’s nation-leading rooftop solar penetration to address its increasingly dynamic system needs with storage.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 23, 2020

Opinion

To build a zero-carbon grid, we first need to model it accurately

Many of the planning models used by utilities and their regulators are not well-suited to consider the role of long-duration energy storage and multi-day load flexibility as a complement to variable renewable generation, the authors write.

By Scott Burger, Marco Ferrara, Roderick Go, and Arne Olson • Dec. 23, 2020

Dominion files plans with federal regulators for 2.6 GW offshore wind project, largest in US to date

The filing with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management follows Dominion's construction of the first offshore wind turbines approved by regulators in federal waters.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 22, 2020

Federal stimulus includes wind, solar tax credit extensions, adds first US offshore wind tax credit

The legislative package will also reduce the costs of short-term, long-term, seasonal, and transportation energy storage technologies through a $1.08 billion investment over five years.

By Catherine Morehouse • Dec. 22, 2020

FERC's Clements: 'Grave threat' of climate change will 'underlie my approach as a commissioner'

Regulators are obligated to ensure just and reasonable rates and avoid unfair discrimination, but the factors that influence those decisions "have become significantly more numerous and complex" over the past few decades, she said.

By Catherine Morehouse • Dec. 18, 2020

Deep Dive

APS's plan for closing coal plants could be a gamechanger, analysts say, but who will pay?

The company's current rate case includes $144.45 million for communities impacted by its proposed coal closures, the biggest-ever such U.S. utility commitment, but customers would pay over 80% of the plan.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 18, 2020

Utility interest in hydrogen 'beyond staggering': GE

"You may not see it publicly yet, but we've talked with customers, and privately they've shared to us that when they make their next filing, [hydrogen] will be part of their filing," GE executive Jeffrey Goldmeer said in an interview.

By Catherine Morehouse • Dec. 16, 2020