Maine utilities, solar advocates back new bill to replace net metering, grow solar

Under the new bill, utilities would act as "standard buyers" for solar of all types, aggregating multiple generation facilities and bidding them into electricity markets. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 25, 2016

Compromise in Mississippi partially restores state regulators authority over co-ops

The amended legislation still allows cooperatives to set net metering rates and design efficiency programs.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 25, 2016

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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

Wind energy broke records across central US in late February

Grid operators for ERCOT, MISO, and SPP are all handling wind penetrations that top 40%. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 25, 2016

Sunvault-Edison Power solar+storage project in Delaware could use graphene technology

A small solar + storge project in Delaware is vying to be one of the first to incorporate graphene storage technology.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 25, 2016

New York regulators chart course to reach 50% renewables by 2030

Last year New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) directed the state to source half its power from renewable energy by 2030, and now staff of the Public Service Commission have issued a white paper laying out a plan.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 25, 2016

Washington state solar incentive bill set for Senate hearing after House passage

The bill would extend the state's solar incentives until 2021 and boost the size of the program.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 24, 2016

Maryland regulators provide initial guidance on rules for community shared solar

Under the proposed rules, community solar subscribers would earn retail rate credit on their utility bills for power generated by their portion of a central station array. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 24, 2016

Geothermal energy bill waits for New Mexico governor's sign off

New Mexico lawmakers have passed a measure designed to boost and shift authority over geothermal resources to the New Mexico Energy Conservation and Management Division.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 23, 2016

Cheapest power in the US? Palo Alto muni eyes solar at under $37/MWh

Representatives from the municipal utility say the proposed PPA would be the lowest price ever for electricity in California, and possibly the nation.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 23, 2016

Partnering for success: Utilities leverage innovative vendor relationships at the grid edge

From smart meters to distribution automation and residential storage, opportunities abound for utilities bold enough to reach out to innovative third parties. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 23, 2016

ERCOT sets another wind record, with over 14 GW serving 45% of system load

Over 45% of the system load for the Texas grid operator was served by wind-generated electricity on Feb. 18. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 23, 2016

Warren Buffett's Rocky Mountain Power offers its first community solar program

The Subscriber Solar program offers 200 kWh blocks of solar generation to customers without rooftop arrays.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 23, 2016

JuiceBox enters residential storage fray with new solar partnerships

The most recent solar+storage partnership combines JuiceBox and Simmitri, a solar designer and installer, following a similar deal inked in January. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 23, 2016

U.S. solar industry built a record 7.3 GW of new capacity in 2015

Residential solar grew 66% and the utility-scale sector notched its largest build ever as solar added more new capacity than natural gas. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 22, 2016

First do no harm: Michigan researchers publish storage sustainability guidelines

University of Michigan researchers publish guidelines for the sustainble use of energy storage systems.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 22, 2016

Taming the Wild West: CAISO begins study of a full regional electricity market

The California ISO is beginning a landmark study on whether a regional grid will ease the state's transition to 50% renewables by 2030. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 22, 2016

South Dakota bill to clarify utilities' solar payment

South Dakota utilities pay the avoided cost to customers with solar panels, but just how they determine that rates varies and is often inscrutable to the average eye, say critics.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 21, 2016

SolarCity moves away from its MyPower solar loan product

The company says it has a new, less complicated way for homeowners to finance solar ownership.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 19, 2016

New York needs 4 GW of storage by 2030 to meet REV goals, advocacy group says

Advocacy and advisory group NY-BEST also calls for standardized safety requirements, locational pricing in new report. 

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 19, 2016

Arizona rural utility proposes demand charge, more fees on rooftop solar users

UniSource Energy Services wants a lower net metering credit and impose a mandatory demand charge on solar customer customers to help recover fixed costs. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 19, 2016

Is a national high voltage transmission system the cheapest way to cut emissions?

NOAA researchers say a national plan to efficiently connect clean energy resources to demand centers can cut power sector GHGs 80% with no electricity price bump.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 19, 2016

A rational look at the value of solar

Comparisons of value of solar studies can often be misleading, industry veteran Ben Norris argues. 

By Ben Norris • Feb. 18, 2016

Beyond net metering: How location can help put a value on DERs

Finding the precise locational value of distributed energy resources is key to ongoing and future value-of-solar proceedings, a report said. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 18, 2016

SolarCity selects Tesla batteries for Kauai solar+storage project

SolarCity, as widely expected, picked Tesla to suppy the batteries for its Kauai solar-plus-storage project, which it says will be the first fully-dispatchable solar PV project in the nation.

By Peter Maloney • Feb. 18, 2016

As Oregon House passes clean energy bill, utility regulators say they were shut out

A bill to eliminate coal imports and institute a 50% RPS is attracting crticism from a number of regulators, including the head of NARUC.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 18, 2016