Hawaii Electric aims to hit 100% renewables 5 years early with new power supply plan

HECO's third version of its renewable energy transition plan aims to phase out fossil fuels by 2040.

By Robert Walton, Gavin Bade • Jan. 2, 2017

Rooftop solar permits in Honolulu fell 40% in November

Solar permits for the first 11 months of the year were also down 32% from the same period in 2015.

By Peter Maloney • Dec. 23, 2016

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

New Mexico co-op poised to go 100% renewables for summer peak demand by 2023

Kit Carson Electric Cooperative will enter into contracts with solar developers to construct 30 MW of renewable power over the next six years.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 23, 2016

The top 5 solar policy trends of 2016

Net metering and rate design weren't the only sticky subjects for solar this year.

By Krysti Shallenberger • Dec. 22, 2016

Nevada PUC approves restoring retail net metering to Sierra Pacific customers

A year after ending retail net metering, a new-look PUC restored it for about 1,500 customers in the north of the state.

By Krysti Shallenberger • Dec. 22, 2016

How the Illinois energy reform 'fixed' the state's RPS, promising a renewables boom

A convoluted renewables standard stalled investment for years, but the new law aims for over 4 GW of wind and solar through a streamlined program.

By Peter Maloney • Dec. 22, 2016

MISO integrates first solar project into its wholesale market

The Midcontinent ISO has many solar arrays, but only North Star is currently participating in its wholesale market.

By Peter Maloney • Dec. 21, 2016

Updated: Arizona regulators end retail net metering in value-of-solar proceeding

But regulators put off setting rooftop solar compensation rates, saying that will happen in upcoming rate cases. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Dec. 21, 2016

Maine regulators push net metering decision into 2017

Regulators were vague on the dates for next year. 

By Robert Walton • Dec. 21, 2016

Statoil wins $42M bid to develop NY offshore wind farm

If successful, the wind facility will be far bigger than Rhode Island's Block Island project, which just began operations.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 21, 2016

2016: A 'transitional year for storage,' industry set to break records

Diverse storage deployment and investments on pace to surpass last year's numbers, analysts say. 

By Peter Maloney • Dec. 20, 2016

How Microsoft and a Wyoming utility designed a data center tariff that works for everyone

Collaboration on corporate rate design makes Black Hills Energy "a banner for what utilities should be," but work remains to be done on renewables procurement. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 20, 2016

Renewables challenge natural gas plants on price in latest Lazard analysis

Wind and solar are now well within the cost range of combined cycle plants, but still need generators or storage to support them on the grid.  

By Peter Maloney • Dec. 20, 2016

Sky's the limit? Reducing wind energy costs through increased turbine size

A new Berkeley Lab study shows significant potential for further turbine scaling, write LBNL researchers. 

By Ryan Wiser, Joachim Seel, Bentham Paulos, Maureen Hand • Dec. 19, 2016

Proposed Massachusetts air regulations target 80% decarbonization by 2050

The new rules would require utilities to source 80% of their power from non-emitting resources by midcentury and limit GHGs from transport and fossil fuel extraction.

By Robert Walton, Gavin Bade • Dec. 19, 2016

FERC proposes changes to large generator interconnection process

The Commission's notice focuses on large plants but also asks whether it could be expanded to distributed energy. 

By Peter Maloney • Dec. 19, 2016

FERC rejects Montana decision to suspend PURPA rates for small solar farms

FLS Energy turned to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission after Montana suspended guaranteed rates for small solar projects at the request of NorthWestern Energy.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 19, 2016

MIT report calls for regulatory, market reforms to accommodate DERs

The lengthy paper argues regulators must be as innovative as the companies they oversee to unlock the potential of distributed resources. 

By Peter Maloney • Dec. 16, 2016

Down to the wire, Michigan passes sweeping renewable energy, retail choice reforms

After a scramble to reach a compromise, lawmakers came together to overhaul Michigan's energy marketplace on the last day of the legislative session.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 16, 2016

PG&E hits California net metering cap

The utility now has more than 2,400 MW of private rooftop solar capacity installed on its grid.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 16, 2016

The new guide to the community solar galaxy

A new policy guide outlines five categories of best practices to spur growth in shared renewables. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 15, 2016

Sunrun rolls out its solar + storage system to California

Sunrun's offering will use LG Chem and Tesla batteries. 

By Peter Maloney • Dec. 15, 2016

Hawaii regulators nix bid to raise caps on grid-supply rooftop solar incentive

Until regulators devise a new compensation scheme, the self-supply option is the only one for new rooftop solar customers in Hawaii. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Dec. 15, 2016

Wind industry to Trump: Transmission vital to sustain record growth

Wind builders want the Trump White House to see transmission as vital infrastructure, and having Rick Perry at DOE could help. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 15, 2016

Michigan lawmakers scramble for energy bill compromise after late-night session

Legislators and Gov. Snyder worked until 5 a.m. and are still trying to finalize changes to the state's retail market and renewables goals. 

By Robert Walton, Gavin Bade • Dec. 15, 2016