Amid IPO rumors, Sonnen secures $85M in equity capital

The German storage company announced a new round of funding as Bloomberg reported it is considering an IPO filing in the next two years.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 18, 2016

California military bases start sipping Arizona solar in largest government renewables deal

The purchase is part of a larger plan under which the Navy and Marines will source 50% of their energy needs from renewables by 2020.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 18, 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

SolarReserve proposes 2 GW concentrated solar plant with storage in Nevada

The CSP project would be the second in the U.S. with molten salt energy storage and would sell power into the California market. 

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 17, 2016

Sonnen taps AutoGrid software to broaden uses for its battery systems

The systems can be used as a virtual power plant and help customers participate in demand response programs.  

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 14, 2016

Xcel to replace 1.4 GW of coal with renewables, gas as Minnesota regulators approve IRP

Environmentalists praised most of the plan, but said new gas generation could be avoided with enhanced demand response and efficiency. 

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 14, 2016

BNEF: Green energy investments stall as renewable energy costs drop

Global investment in renewable power will be lower this year than last, but that doesn't mean less clean energy.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 14, 2016

US Navy, California energy agency to partner on renewable energy projects

The Navy and Marine Corps will lease more than 200 new electric vehicles and develop storage and solar projects.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 14, 2016

California lawmaker petitions FERC supporting Klamath River dam decommissionings

Pacificorp has filed an application with FERC to decommission four hydropower dams in the Northwest, the largest such removal thus far.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 13, 2016

Big Sky solar: On the long, hard road to net metering reform in Montana

Years of legislative wrangling have achieved little lasting reform, but recent utility talks behind closed doors could point a way forward.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 13, 2016

EIA: Carbon emissions from US power sector lowest in 25 years

Coal-to-gas shifting and mild weather across the nation meant U.S. emissions dropped to the lowest level seen since 1991. 

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 13, 2016

GE to move wind blade design in-house with $1.65B acquisition

GE officials said the purchase Denmark-based LM Wind Power will help them design cheaper, more efficient wind turbines. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 13, 2016

Amid rancorous solar rate debate, APS first non-California utility to surpass 1 GW of solar capacity

APS says it has invested a total of about $2 billion in solar power.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 12, 2016

Solar split: How a new petition is dividing rooftop and utility-scale installers in SEIA

Rooftop installers want a bigger voice in the trade group, but leaders on both sides stress unity is still the priority. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 12, 2016

Siemens project to test heated rocks for large-scale, low-cost thermal energy storage

A new demonstration project in Germany will employ a 5 MW, 36 MWh storage facility attached to a steam turbine, with larger projects slated for 2019.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 12, 2016

First Missouri IOU jumps on community solar, signaling spread from rural co-ops

Following approval by state regulators, Ameren Missouri will build at least one—and possibly two—500 kW community solar gardens.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 12, 2016

Arizona draft order seeks shorter-term value of solar calculation

A recommended order from an Arizona administrative law judge pushes a five-year window for assessing the avoided costs of rooftop solar generation.

By Krysti Shallenberger • Oct. 11, 2016

Spanish researchers explore molten silicon for more efficient solar energy storage

Molten silicon could be prove to be a cheaper and more abundant storage medium than the molten salt used in most CSP plants.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 11, 2016

Utah's largest public utility approves new solar fixed fees

Rooftop solar customers in Provo, Utah will pay $3/kW fee on new and existing solar systems.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 11, 2016

Xcel's Colorado solar settlement nets broad support as regulators eye approval next month

The settlement makes almost 20 MW of low-income rooftop and community solar capacity. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 11, 2016

Borrego Solar launches megawatt-scale energy storage division

The company will offer both stand-alone and solar-integrated storage solutions to utilities and other large customers.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 10, 2016

Pew: Renewable energy enjoys wide support while fossil fuels divide national opinion

The overwhelming majority of Americans support development of more wind and solar energy, but less than half want new fracking, coal mining or offshore drilling.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 10, 2016

Stem connects Hawaii's largest behind-the-meter storage at theme park

Hawaii's plentiful solar generation and high electricity prices make storage especially appealing, but large BTM batteries are catching on in other states as well.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 10, 2016

Report: RWE renewables spinoff Innogy targets US in global expansion plans

Innogy, listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange for the first time last week, is eyeing electric vehicle charging and grid modernization efforts in the U.S., according to a German weekly.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 10, 2016

Solar group: Georgia Power not on track to meet 100 MW solar target by year's end

The Georgia Solar Energy Industries Association says the utility stopped evaluating and awarding projects last month.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 7, 2016

Hawaii solar sector on the 'brink of collapse' as employment dips 42%

Hawaiian Electric Co. has reached caps on the grid-supply program that replaced net metering, meaning new customers no longer have an option to sell excess capacity back to the grid. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 7, 2016