Tesla, Vestas pair up to develop ways to combine storage and wind

The deal moves the market for Tesla's batteries beyond its electric vehicles and Powerwall batteries designed for use in homes and businesses.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 5, 2017

The elusive art of predicting energy storage savings in the real world

The need to predict the financial value of solar-plus-storage projects has spawned numerous energy storage analysis tools. But some tools ignore key decision factors.

By Sean Kiernan • Sept. 5, 2017

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

DOE grid study helps set the table at FERC

Former FERC Commissioner Tony Clark analyzes how the Energy Department's grid study impacts the agency.

By Tony Clark • Sept. 1, 2017

DOE grid study will shift and accelerate energy regulatory initiatives

R Street Institute's Devin Hartman analyzes the DOE's grid study's impact on regulatory agencies and nationwide energy initatives. 

By Devin Hartman • Aug. 31, 2017

Resilience or flexibility? DOE's grid report lays bare the struggle between past and future

Energy Innovation's Mike O'Boyle analyzes how the DOE grid study's recommendations could help flexibility.

By Mike O'Boyle • Aug. 30, 2017

Sunrun, Comcast team up to market residential solar systems

Comcast plans to begin marketing the solar company’s services to its customers on a selective basis later this year.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 30, 2017

Rocky Mountain Power, Utah solar advocates reach net metering settlement

Current net metering customers will be grandfathered through 2035. After Nov. 15, new customers will receive export credits of $0.092/kWh during a three-year period until new rates are established.  

By Robert Walton • Aug. 30, 2017

Xcel Energy proposes shuttering 2 Colorado coal plants

The agreement, reached with about a dozen stakeholders, could also lead to $2.5 billion in clean energy investments in rural Colorado.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 30, 2017

Policymaker support key to offshore wind prospects in US

A Department of Energy report found the resource could cost-effectively deliver twice the nation’s electricity needs, but experts say it needs the right policy support. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 30, 2017

How Ocracoke Island's microgrid kept (most of) the lights on during last month's outage

At the height of the summer season, a construction accident severed the island's power. While backup generation failed, most residents still had power.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 29, 2017

Duke proposes 700 MW of solar, 50 MW of storage in revised Florida settlement

The settlement, originally approved in 2013, would include additional investments in smart meters and 500 EV chargers, while ending the proposed Levy Nuclear Project. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 29, 2017

Delaware Gov. Carney establishes working group to study offshore wind development

The working group is scheduled to submit a report to Gov. John Carney by Dec. 15 that recommends strategies for developing the state’s offshore wind resources.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 29, 2017

Case study: APS invests in microgrid as Phoenix metropolitan area grows

The 63 MW microgrid can swiftly pivot into operating on solar and storage. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 28, 2017

When the power goes out, sometimes the lights stay on

Microgrids are best known for the backup generation they provide, but the evolving electric grid means there are many more uses.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 28, 2017

Duke proposes to pull plug on Lee nuclear project, raise rates to cover coal ash cleanup

The North Carolina utility wants to cancel its Lee Nuclear project in the wake of Westinghouse Electric's financial demise. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 28, 2017

Michigan muni will retire coal plant in 2025

Lansing Board of Water & Light plans to replace the Erickson Power Plant with renewables, efficiency and natural gas.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 25, 2017

DOE grid study sparks mixed reviews from power sector

The study's findings did not go against the broad industry consensus, as some feared they might. But the study still drew mixed reactions and disappointment, especially with its recommendations.  

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 25, 2017

IHS Markit raises global solar installation forecast by 14% over Chinese solar boom

The consulting group predicts 90 GW of solar panels will be installed this year, with 45 GW of those installations in China.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 25, 2017

Report: Global solar capacity nearing nuclear

New analysis from GTM Research indicates that within five years, global solar capacity could more than double nuclear capacity available today.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 25, 2017

Duke Energy warns ITC against solar panel tariff

A letter from Duke Energy indicates that large utilities are now joining the fight over worries higher solar module prices could tamp down on utility-scale solar projects. 

By Robert Walton • Aug. 25, 2017

RGGI states propose to cut power plant emissions another 30%

The proposal would set the regional cap at 75.1 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2021, which will decline by 2.275 million tons of CO2 in each succeeding year. 

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 25, 2017

NREL: Solar-plus-storage could be competitive by 2020

The findings are specific to a variety of circumstances, including how the storage system is coupled to the solar arrays and the overall degree of solar penetration.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 24, 2017

Power sector's response to solar eclipse highlights need for flexible resources

As intermittent energy resources grow, the U.S. electric grid will need to become more flexible and resilient.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 24, 2017

DOE releases highly anticipated grid study, faults natural gas for baseload retirements

The study found cheap natural gas to be the greatest driver of plant retirements — and most notably, did not find renewables to be a threat to grid reliability. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Aug. 23, 2017

California nets $640M for greenhouse gas fund in latest cap and trade auction

All allowances in the state's greenhouse cap and trade auction are sold above minimum prices.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 23, 2017