Hawaii Electric improvising with microgrids as lava stalls resiliency efforts

The utility operator on Hawaii's big island is "handling the situation as well as anyone could," according to the state's PUC.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 18, 2018

Public power utilities face growing risk from renewables shift, says Moody's

Credit risks for utilities with a higher share of coal power in their generating mix, such as municipal utilities, center on the potential for stranded assets.

By Peter Maloney • May 18, 2018

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

California regulators see signs of a new energy crisis — can they prevent it?

As the state's customer choice movement expands, energy sector stakeholders continue to struggle with what CPUC President Michael Picker calls "scar tissue" from the 2000-2001 energy crisis.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 18, 2018

Illinois can do without Vistra coal plants, greens claim

Shutting eight plants in Southern Illinois and replacing them with other options could save up to $14 billion, says a new report by Vibrant Clean Energy for NRDC and Sierra Club.

By Robert Walton • May 18, 2018

FERC chair restarts PURPA review, pledging 'open mind'

Federal energy regulators also approved a new pipeline proposal and reviewed summer reliability conditions at their May open meeting.

By Gavin Bade • May 17, 2018

APS: Controversial RFP does not violate Arizona gas moratorium

Reliability concerns about energy storage prompted Arizona Public Service to limit its role in a pending contract request, executives said. 

By Gavin Bade • May 17, 2018

Cypress Creek cancels 1.5 GW as solar tariffs take toll

But the Energy Information Administration expects tariffs to have only a moderate impact on final system costs by 2025.

By Robert Walton • May 16, 2018

High values are blowing in offshore winds; policymakers may need more

In some locations, energy, capacity and REC prices could give offshore wind the edge over onshore wind, but policymakers need to see economic benefits.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 15, 2018

Nevada regulators allow utilities to own EV charging stations

The Public Utilities Commission also approved funding for storage and a low income solar program.

By Robert Walton • May 15, 2018

Competitive solar-plus-storage moves closer to reality

Incentives and economics result in more pairings of solar power and energy storage.

By Peter Maloney • May 14, 2018

'Stunning' APS RFP could violate Arizona gas moratorium, critics say

The request for 800 MW of peaking capacity limits renewables and energy storage to 100 MW, which clean energy advocates say could run afoul of a regulatory pause on gas investments.

By Gavin Bade • May 14, 2018

GE to buy Alstom out of joint ventures for $3.1B

The three joint ventures, which focused on renewables, nuclear and the grid, were developed in 2015 when GE purchased Alstom's energy business.

By Robert Walton • May 10, 2018

How two value-of-solar studies add up to no clear value of solar

Valuation studies for Montana and Maryland demonstrate the complications of trying to use rooftop solar’s costs and benefits to settle net energy metering disputes.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 10, 2018

Connecticut lawmakers pass sweeping energy bill

While the bill will raise the state's renewables goals, rooftop solar supporters say provisions could stall the industry's growth.

By Robert Walton • May 10, 2018

New Hampshire rethinks distributed generation-only pilots for non-wires alternatives

Stakeholders said that without including other distributed energy resources, like energy storage, efficiency and demand response, any study of DER value would not yield much useful information.

By Robert Walton • May 10, 2018

EnSync's solar+storage to allow energy sharing in Hawaii

By combining solar energy and storage to share power, the company says it can increase system efficiency and lower costs.

By Peter Maloney • May 10, 2018

California to require rooftop solar for new homes

The state is the first to mandate that new homes be built using advanced energy efficiency measures and rooftop solar, starting in 2020.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 9, 2018

PG&E taps EVBox to build up to 2.5K charging stations

The California utility announced its first supplier of charging stations, which it will own as part of its CPUC-approved electric vehicle charging program.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 9, 2018

Washington utilities need better carbon cost estimates in IRPs, regulator says

Washington utilities file an integrated resource plan every two years. Regulators want to see a more robust assessment of climate change risks in the next one.

By Peter Maloney • May 9, 2018

Virginia regulators reject Dominion's 100% renewables tariff

The Virginia State Corporation Commission determined the proposed tariff would give Dominion "extraordinary discretion" and the rates would be subject to "uncertainty and subjectivity."

By Robert Walton • May 8, 2018

Tesla's Musk talks 'gigawatt-hour scale' storage project

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is thinking big and bigger, building on the success of the company's 129 MWh South Australia project.

By Peter Maloney • May 8, 2018

EIA: Gas to outpace renewables for 2018 US gen additions

For the first time in five years, renewables are expected to make up less than 50% of capacity coming online.

By Robert Walton • May 7, 2018

South Carolina eyes expanded net metering as Vermont cuts rates

South Carolina is moving to expand the state's net metering cap from 2% to 4% of peak load. Vermont's move would cut the value of rooftop systems.

By Robert Walton • May 7, 2018

Solar has transformed into solar-plus-storage: What will net metering become?

Two prominent policy actions that could drive a more innovative use of solar-plus-storage are time-of-use rates and three-part rates with demand charges.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 7, 2018

As California energy markets modernize, regulators worry about repeating the past

A new report from staff of the California Public Utilities Commission concludes the state could drift back into another power crisis without careful planning as markets and technologies evolve.

By Robert Walton • May 7, 2018