A storage bubble? High investment in nascent industry sows fears of a battery bust

Market reforms and continued innovation will be needed to see storage reach its potential, experts say.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 3, 2017

Ormat moves into storage, demand management with $35M Viridity acquisition

The geothermal developer will gain a platform to expand its project development experience into virtual power plants. 

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 3, 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

How will Rick Perry run the Department of Energy?

Some Texas energy veterans fondly remember an engaged, pro-business governor, while others say his approach is more "pay-to-play."

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 3, 2017

All solar trackers are not created equally

Selecting trackers that are robust and reliable enough to withstand inclement weather without failing over their 30-year lifespan is imperative.

Jan. 3, 2017

Clean Line pulls 500-mile transmission application in Iowa pending court decision

The Illinois Supreme Court has agreed to consider disputes regarding the proposed 3,500 MW transmission line.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 3, 2017

Massachusetts DOER will set energy storage mandate targets by July

A law signed in August required the Department of Energy Resources to determine if a storage mandate is prudent for the state, which it did on Dec. 27.

By Peter Maloney • Jan. 3, 2017

Report: Electric vehicles, energy efficiency help drive Hawaii's energy transformation

The state plans to source 100% of its power from renewable energy by 2045.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 3, 2017

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

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