Report: South Carolina residential solar installations boomed last year

In the low country of the Palmetto State, permits for solar installations jumped from 100 in 2015 to about 1,400 last year thanks to favorable solar policies. 

By Robert Walton • March 8, 2017

EIA: Wind outpaces hydro to lead U.S. renewable energy capacity

Wind has more nameplace capacity on the system, but analysts still expect hydro to generate more electricity this year.

By Robert Walton • March 8, 2017

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

How ConEd's mobile battery REV demo could build a new storage business model

The company may not break even on a pilot to deploy mobile battery systems to stressed parts of the grid, but sees the project as a test of new market models for utilities and private vendors alike. 

By Peter Maloney • March 7, 2017

Pennsylvania stakeholders gear up for lengthy solar planning process

Increasing solar power by 10% would be an "aspirational" goal, according to the state's Department of Environmental Protection. 

By Robert Walton • March 7, 2017

Report: Lack of mandates, incentives holding solar+storage back in New York City

Ancillary service rules in the NYISO market were also listed as an impediment to battery deployment in the new report from CUNY and NREL. 

By Peter Maloney • March 6, 2017

Tesla quietly halts sales of its DC Powerwall 2 outside US

In Europe and Australia, Tesla will only offer an AC version of its residential battery, which includes a built-in inverter. 

By Peter Maloney • March 6, 2017

ZEN Energy of Australia proposes 50 MW storage project to counter blackouts

With a large battery system in place, rolling outages in South Australia last month "would not have happened," company leaders told government officials. 

By Peter Maloney • March 3, 2017

Solar advocates eye Maine's legislature to settle net metering debate

Regulators approved a plan earlier this year to phase down net metering, but so far it appears to have pleased no one. 

By Robert Walton • March 3, 2017

Commodities giant Vitol taps NEC to build 50 MW UK storage project for National Grid

NEC will build two battery facilities with a combined capacity of 50 MW, 35 MWh to provide frequency response to the U.K. utility. 

By Peter Maloney • March 3, 2017

SolarCity shed 20% of staff in 2016 amid poor financial reports

The company will make reductions to marketing and operations in an effort to preserve cash. 

By Robert Walton • March 3, 2017

E.ON to build nearly 20 MW of battery storage at Texas wind farms

The two energy storage projects will be sited at E.ON’s Pyron and Inadale wind farms and are slated to come online by the end of 2017. 

By Peter Maloney • March 2, 2017

Tesla wants to double fast charging stations in North America by end of 2017

The company currently has more than 2,600 charging stations at 370 locations.

By Robert Walton • March 2, 2017

SimpliPhi Power, CivicSolar team up to target California's behind-the-meter storage market

The companies plan to take advantage of the re-opening of California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program this April. 

By Peter Maloney • March 1, 2017

Arizona Public Service, solar industry reach critical rate case settlement

The deal reduces rooftop solar compensation and lets customers choose from a variety of rate designs, including time-of-use and demand-based rates.

By Krysti Shallenberger • March 1, 2017

Indiana Senate votes to end retail rate net metering

The bill to lower rooftop solar compensation now heads to the state's Republican-controlled House of Representatives. 

By Robert Walton • March 1, 2017

Kentucky utilities team up with EPRI for battery storage testing

A 1 MW battery sited at a Mercer County coal plant will allow the utilities to evaluate the potential benefits of utility-scale battery technologies.

By Peter Maloney • March 1, 2017

Minnesota bipartisan effort would double renewables mandate to 50% by 2030

Lawmakers are touting the economic benefits of clean power in a new push to double the state's renewable portfolio standard. 

By Robert Walton • March 1, 2017

ARPA-E 2017: Optimism turns to tension as sector prepares to protect energy R&D funding

The prospect of Trump budget cuts hung over the federal government's clean energy research summit this year.

By Krysti Shallenberger • March 1, 2017

Younicos to install 3 MW storage system on Kodiak Island, Alaska

The new lithium-ion batteries will replace a lead-acid system installed in 2012. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 28, 2017

Duke says North Carolina PURPA solar contracts too expensive

Duke Energy says its avoided costs for power in North Carolina have plummeted and wants regulators to reduce compensation for projects covered by PURPA.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 28, 2017

SolarCity to focus on profitability, not growth in 2017 after Tesla buyout

Though Tesla reported a loss, the SolarCity deal brought $214 million in cash to bolster cash flows. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Feb. 24, 2017

SDG&E, AES bring world's largest lithium ion battery storage online in California

The 30 MW, 120 MWh storage facility in Escondido and a smaller, 30 MWh battery array were part of the utility's Aliso Canyon storage solicitation. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 24, 2017

Pushing for scalability, utilities look to new hybrid models for microgrid deployment

Utilities are searching for standardized microgrid models that allow both end users and the wider grid to benefit.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 23, 2017

Ohio universities test new software to optimize building energy use with solar, batteries

The University of Toledo and Case Western Reserve University will work with a DOE lab to automate energy management for campus buildings. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 23, 2017

Michigan, Utah researchers say new compound could extend flow battery life

University researchers say computer modeling has helped them find a promising candidate for the battery anolyte that is based on pyridinium.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 23, 2017