Feds move offshore wind lease areas from North to South Carolina

The shift came after North Carolina officials raised concerns about wind projects' effects on ocean views and whale habitat. 

By Herman K. Trabish • April 22, 2016

The 3 factors that determine solar plant performance

Just three variables determine 92% of the performance variation between solar plants, according to a new LBNL study.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 21, 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

Declining prices, stable outlook drive utilities, large companies to wind power

Natural gas is the new power sector leader, but utilities are increasingly looking to renewables, especially wind, as a hedge against long-term gas price volatility and future environmental regulations.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 21, 2016

SolarCity ends support for watchdog group investigating Arizona regulators

The watchdog group Checks and Balances project had sought to expose communications between Arizona regulators, utility executives, and members of an outside political group. 

By Herman Trabish, Gavin Bade • April 21, 2016

San Francisco will require new buildings to install solar panels

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to require solar panels be installed on new residential and commercial buildings constructed in the city.

By Robert Walton • April 21, 2016

Citing favorable policy climate, Sunrun expands operations in South Carolina

Solar supports put in place by 2014's Act 236 made the South Carolina decision an easy one, company officials said. 

By Herman K. Trabish • April 20, 2016

Former ACC chair leads push for Arizona ballot measure to protect solar

A new constitutional amendment pushed by solar installers would preserve retail rate net metering and prevent solar-specific rate changes through 2022.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 20, 2016

SDG&E 'ahead of the curve' to meet California's 50% RPS with help from storage

Ahead of schedule in meeting RPS targets, San Diego Gas & Electric looks to storage and energy efficiency to accommodate more renewables.

By Peter Maloney • April 19, 2016

FERC seeks input from ISOs on possible market barriers to energy storage

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has given wholesale market operators until May 2 to docment barriers that may exist to adding energy storage resources to their grids.

By Peter Maloney • April 19, 2016

'Graceful transition': ISO-NE's CEO on how wholesale markets can ease decarbonization

A well-designed capacity market can help ensure reliability at high levels of renewable energy penetration, argues ISO-New England's Gordon van Welie.

By Gavin Bade • April 19, 2016

SEIA President Rhone Resch steps down after 12 years

The national trade group for solar companies grew from 65 members to more than 1,000 under Resch's leadership.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 19, 2016

North Carolina regulators reject solar third party ownership test case from green group

Duke Energy welcomed the decision, which sees it preserve its status as a monopoly electricity provider in its service area.  

By Herman K. Trabish • April 19, 2016

FirstEnergy offers 100% wind energy for 1,000 Ohio customers at no extra charge

The "Switch2Green4Free" offer is limited to the first 1,000 residential customers to enroll, but observers question how much of an impact the offering will make.

By Robert Walton • April 18, 2016

Maine lawmakers near approval of solar incentive bill, but still lack votes for veto override

Gov. Paul LePage, a frequent critic of renewable energy policies, is expected to veto the bill. 

By Gavin Bade, Herman Trabish • April 15, 2016

Video: NV Energy-backed group launches media campaign to keep solar net metering rates

A new statewide ad buy aims to counter efforts from solar installers to overturn lower net metering rates approved by regulators at the end of last year.

By Gavin Bade, Herman Trabish • April 15, 2016

Kicking the can: Massachusetts solar law buys time, but full incentive plan remains elusive

Massachusetts' new law lifts solar caps that stalled growth, but plans for a comprehensive incentive system are still in their early stages.

By Krysti Shallenberger • April 14, 2016

Wind installed more capacity than any other generation source in 2015, industry says

Increasing buy-in from non-utility customers marked strong growth for the sector last year.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 14, 2016

Southern California Edison led utility solar installations with over 1.2 GW in 2015

New numbers from SEPA show which power providers installed the most solar last year.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 14, 2016

Report: One-third of solar installers offer energy storage, number set to rise

More than a fourth of the installers not offering storage told researchers they plan to offer it this year.

By Peter Maloney • April 14, 2016

Inside Hawaiian Electric's new plan to get to 100% renewables

Liquefied natural gas, the NextEra merger and the role of DERs are the major sticking points emerging from the utility's new power supply plan.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 14, 2016

Utility-backed solar group raised over $7M to counter TPO proposal in Florida

While money troubles sunk the proposal that would have legalized third party ownership, the utility-backed measure created to counter it is cleared to appear on the ballot.  

By Herman K. Trabish • April 13, 2016

Stakeholders debate expanding storage's role in MISO markets

Discussions under way at MISO could expand storage into the medium-term market.

By Peter Maloney • April 12, 2016

Minnesota report points to flaws in Xcel's community solar installations

An independent engineer appointed by the PUC says the utility mishandled cost estimates, interconnection processes, and cooperation with developers in a community solar project.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 12, 2016

'Straight uphill': Power sector reforms face tough path in gridlocked Illinois legislature

Three utility-backed bills to support, nuclear generation, renewables and efficiency did not pass in the last session of the General Assembly. Stakeholders are now trying to role them into a single law.

By Peter Maloney • April 12, 2016

Nebraska legislature advances bill to ease wind development

The bill would remove impediments to developing some of the biggest wind potential in the United States. 

By Herman K. Trabish • April 12, 2016