Sunverge unveils inverters to help Hawaii Electric solar+storage technology

Sunverge has introduced inverters designed to meet Hawaii Electric's strict solar installation standards and serve the state's solar + storage market driven in part by Hawaii's 100%-by-2045 renewables mandate. 

By Peter Maloney • April 27, 2016

Texas co-op signs deal for 15 MW of distributed community solar

 Pedernales Electric Cooperative will contract for power from 998 kW customer sited-arrays and sell to individual solar buyers.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 27, 2016

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 Stories from Utility Dive

Power demand is rising amid dramatic shifts in federal energy policy, but technology and markets continue to push the grid toward cleaner, more distributed resources. 

By Utility Dive staff

New York City launches Solarize program targeting 350 MW of new distributed solar by 2025

Solarize campaigns, started in Portland in 2009, help communities leverage group buying power to go solar.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 27, 2016

Oregon regulators set ambitious timeline for clean energy programs

An Oregon Public Utility Commission timeline for tackling an array of energy issues all but guarantees a hectic couple of years for state regulators.

By Robert Walton • April 27, 2016

Renewables in China & India: How two Asian giants struggle with inflexible power system operations

The "merit order" that ranks available generation resources according to marginal cost is largely absent in both countries, RAP analysts write, leading to higher emissions and lower renewable energy utilization.

By Max Dupuy and Ranjit Bharvirkar • April 26, 2016

Sierra Club files to stop retrofit of Arizona Public Service gas plant

The environmental group says the way the utility plans to use the new generators would produce about as much carbon dioxide pollution as a coal plant. 

By Herman K. Trabish • April 26, 2016

Tesla's 2016 storage sales to SolarCity could dwarf entire US behind-meter market for 2015

A filing from Tesla indicates it expects to sell substantially more behind-the-meter storage capacity to SolarCity in 2016 than the entire U.S. market deployed last year, GTM Research reports.  

By Peter Maloney • April 26, 2016

What the Hughes v. Talen Supreme Court decision means for state power incentives

A narrow ruling means big questions still remain for renewable energy and recent power subsidies approved in Ohio.

By Robert Walton • April 25, 2016

Biomass amendments in energy legislation spark debate over 'carbon-neutrality'

Dozens of environmental groups say they cannot support the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016 because of how it treats carbon emissions from biomass generation.

By Robert Walton • April 25, 2016

Arizona utilities back initiative to counter SolarCity-supported ballot proposal

Days after solar advocates announced a ballot proposal to protect net metering in Arizona, a state lawmaker has a competing proposal she says has the support of the state's regulated utilities. 

By Herman K. Trabish • April 25, 2016

ComEd touts new solar incentives in Illinois legislative push

The utility has a slate of proposals in front of state lawmakers and on Friday, announced new rebates for solar customers to accompany proposed rate changes.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 25, 2016

As utilities build toward RPS standards, costs, carve-outs raise concerns

An LBNL report shows utilities are largely meeting their renewable energy targets, but new challenges are emerging.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 25, 2016

On Earth Day, natural gas is the power sector's biggest environmental problem

Gas played a big role in stabilizing U.S. emissions, but the world will need to look beyond the fuel if it wants to hit the goals laid out in the Paris Climate Accord.

By Gavin Bade • April 22, 2016

Weaker winds slowed wind energy output growth in 2015

The 5.1% increase in wind energy output last year was the smallest since 1999, EIA reports, thanks to slow wind speeds in the West.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 22, 2016

The US used less energy in 2015 with less waste, new report shows

Overall, Americans last year used 0.8 quadrillion BTU of energy less than in 2014, according to new data from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

By Robert Walton • April 22, 2016

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

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