Florida regulators approve first community solar program for Gulf Power

The Southern Co. subsidiary’s program will let customers without suitable roofs buy solar and receive bill credits — for a fee.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 4, 2016

AEP taps GE software for new distribution management system

As utilities shift to a future with more distributed assets on the grid, finding systems to manage them as one is paramount.

By Peter Maloney • March 4, 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

Diary of a Grid Defector: Waiting for spring and a community solar group that wants to get into your basement

As reporter Robert Walton tries to figure out how to keep himself occupied living off the grid, he talks to a community solar organizer pushing for incentives and adoption of modern heat pumps.

By Robert Walton • March 4, 2016

Virginia lawmakers push back slate of clean energy bills into 2017

Virginia lawmakers have largely stopped consideration of more than a dozen renewable and storage measures, but are still making progress on a bill to support Dominion's construction of utility-scale solar projects.

By Robert Walton • March 3, 2016

ARPA-E 2016: 4 takeaways from the Energy Innovation Summit and 1 grand narrative

Clean Power Plan's freeze could pose big hurdles for clean energy tech investment in the U.S. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • March 3, 2016

Xcel Energy's Colorado renewables plan to include 401 MW of solar

The company said it is "moving Colorado forward as a leader in energy innovation and economic development."

By Robert Walton • March 3, 2016

EIA: Solar to lead utility-scale capacity additions in 2016, followed by gas, wind

The forecasted 9.5 GW of solar capacity additions would be slightly higher than the 9.4 GW added in the three previous years combined.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 3, 2016

Oregon bill to curb coal, set 50% RPS heads to governor after Senate passage

Gov. Kate Brown is expected to sign the bill to set a 50% renewable energy standard and eliminate coal from the state's power mix. 

By Herman K. Trabish • March 3, 2016

As Xcel pushes non-wire alternatives, solar+storage pilot sparks utility ownership debate

Everyone loves that Xcel Minnesota is considering DERs instead of traditional infrastructure, but not that the utility wants to own them itself.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 3, 2016

Solar fight turns to presidential-style bare-knuckle campaign tactics

The presidential election season means hardball politics, but TASC's Bryan Miller argues utilities have used dirty tactics to stifle rooftop solar for years.

By Bryan Miller • March 2, 2016

Long live the duck — and may he fly flat

In this guest post, Jim Lazar, senior advisor at the Regulatory Assistance Project, offers new techniques to combat the dreaded Duck Curve

By Jim Lazar • March 2, 2016

Mass. Sen. Markey to push extension of 30% ITC for offshore wind to 2025

Long lead times for offshore wind facilities means many developers can't take advantage before current incentives phase out in the early 2020s. 

By Herman K. Trabish • March 2, 2016

Oregon bill to curb coal use, set 50% renewables mandate heads to Senate after House passage

After an earlier version of the bill was caught up in weeks of partisan wrangling, backers say they expect a quick passage in the Senate before the end of the week.  

By Herman K. Trabish • March 2, 2016

NJ Senate committee passes bill for 80% renewable energy standard

A nearly identical bill passed the full New Jersey Senate last year, but failed to come to a vote in the lower house.

By Robert Walton • March 2, 2016

The sector favorite: Storage tops utility tech picks for second year running

Utility Dive's third annual survey of electric utility professionals shows even greater interest in energy storage.

By Peter Maloney • March 1, 2016

France's EDF will offer solar+storage product via US-based subsidiary

The giant French utility announced plans to enter the residential solar and storage market in an ribbon-cutting for a utility-scale battery project in the PJM region.

By Peter Maloney • March 1, 2016

Wind on track to top hydro as the leading U.S. renewable after 2017

Fueled by the PTC extension, wind growth barrels ahead as hydro expansion remains more modest.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 1, 2016

'Only a matter of time': U.S. offshore wind struggles to get off the ground

The U.S. offshore wind industry still lags far behind Europe and China but it has its first steel in the water and sees growth in its future.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 1, 2016

Consistent change: How utility professionals view the evolving power mix

The new resource mix will meet federal regulations and state mandates with wind and solar supported by natural gas and DERs.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 29, 2016

Montana-Dakota Utilities drops demand charge push after deal with solar advocates

Under deals struck with solar advocates and consumer groups, MDU rates would go up about 13% but there will be no solar-specific demand charge.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 29, 2016

Nevada utility backs legal challenge to solar ballot initiative to restore retail net metering

Following the state's decision to lower the rate paid to solar customers, applications to connect new systems are down more than 90%.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 29, 2016

Hawaiian Electric gears up to test EV charging station with storage

Hawaiian Electric is testing a fast charging EV station that incorporates energy storge.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 26, 2016

Nevada PUC greenlights Las Vegas, NV Energy partnership in plan to go 100% renewable energy

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said most people are surprised to find out how sustainable the city is, especially compared with its Epicurean image.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 26, 2016

SolarCity rolls out storage, smart tech system for Hawaii's self-supply option

SolarCity's new product offers “demand flexibility" and could give solar owners ability to consume 90% of their generation.  

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 26, 2016

HECO cancels 3 solar contracts with SunEdison

Hawaiian Electric Companies move to cancel three SunEdison contracts put the solar developer's $336 million debt restructuring deal in doubt, and sparked the ire of Hawaii's Public Utilities Commission Chair Randy Iwase. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 25, 2016