Energy storage takes a hit among investors while solar continues to soar

Energy storage, like much of the U.S. economy, has seen interest from investors decline, according to data from Mercom. But solar investment continues to grow.

By Emma Penrod • May 2, 2023

Coming EPA power plant rules will put carbon capture to the test, but better oversight is needed, critics say

New CCUS has the policy, private sector and regulatory support to end claims it underperforms, but only if new EPA rules require verification through strong federal oversight, advocates and opponents agreed.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 2, 2023

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

House passes resolution to end pause on SE Asia solar panel tariffs, Sen. Manchin co-sponsors Senate version

“I cannot fathom why the administration and Congress would consider extending that reliance any longer,” Manchin said.

By Diana DiGangi • May 1, 2023

Southwest Power Pool study could inform Texas efforts to shore up reliability: PUCT commissioner

A Southwest Power Pool working group is studying development of a reliability standard based on expected unserved energy, with varied requirements for at least two different seasons.

By Robert Walton • May 1, 2023

Let’s not forget about how renewables will impact the distribution grid

As many more zero-carbon generation sources connect to the grid, the urgency of grid modernization programs will continue to increase. Discover how the rise of renewables will drive the need for upgrades on our distribution systems.

By Luke Ezell, PE, Account Manager, Burns & McDonnell • May 1, 2023

Xcel Energy touts commitment to affordability, energy transition amid outcry over high natural gas prices

After reporting a 10% increase in earnings, and following protests against high energy bills in Colorado, company executives affirmed their commitment to an affordable energy transition.

By Emma Penrod • April 28, 2023

The IRA made hydrogen affordable, but more policy is needed to ensure adequate demand exists: report

Green hydrogen could play a key role in the future of the chemical, steel and cement industries, but transitioning these industries will be costly, according to the Renewable Thermal Collaborative.

By Emma Penrod • April 27, 2023

Rep. Casten, ex-FERC chairs eye DERs, more power sector competition to achieve net zero goals

"We're not going to get to where we need to go with a zero-carbon electric grid unless we have distributed demand-side resources supporting what we need to do on the supply side,” said former FERC Chair Jon Wellinghoff.

By Diana DiGangi • April 27, 2023

BOEM explores offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine, where deeper waters pose added challenges

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is requesting input on maintenance and infrastructure for offshore wind farms in deeper water and with greater transmission distance.

By Diana DiGangi • April 27, 2023

‘Billions of dollars sitting on the sidelines’: NextEra executives cite big plans for renewables, hydrogen

NextEra’s solar and wind projects are back on track following an effort to move its supply chains out of China, and the company is now aggressively pursuing a stake in the green hydrogen and renewable natural gas sectors.

By Emma Penrod • April 26, 2023

IRA to accelerate renewables but financial challenges still acute: Bank of America, Ørsted Americas

Despite growing demand for renewable energy in the wake of the Inflation Reduction Act, many projects are running into costly delays, panelists said Monday during the BNEF Summit in New York.

By Emma Penrod • April 26, 2023

Clean energy projects welcome tax credits, but finding sites to plug into the grid is a challenge: ICF

“Many projects languish for years waiting for interconnection approval and others are canceled due to insurmountable transmission upgrade costs,” says consulting firm ICF.

By Diana DiGangi • April 25, 2023

Multifamily buildings: An untapped opportunity for managing load shifts

Hear how utilities like LADWP, Austin Energy, Seattle City Light and Alliant Energy are successfully engaging with this underserved audience.

April 24, 2023

North Carolina eases transition from fixed to variable net metering rates for some Duke Energy customers

Solar panel installers worried that the variable rate would discourage customers from installing solar panels because variable rates are less predictable.

By Patrick Cooley • April 21, 2023

Maine jury clears Avangrid’s 145-mile transmission line, reversing ballot vote that blocked project

Building clean-energy transmission lines won’t be possible with “this much of a fight for all involved,” said Amy Boyd of the Acadia Center.

By Stephen Singer • April 21, 2023

Solarcycle CEO, fresh off $31.5M in public and private funding, discusses solar recycling’s future

Solarcycle recently raised series A funding and received a U.S. Department of Energy research grant. CEO and co-founder Suvi Sharma said his company is scaling up as the solar industry begins to seriously contend with circularity.

By Jacob Wallace • April 21, 2023

DOE offers Sunnova $3B partial loan guarantee for low-income solar, storage

It would be the first time that the agency’s Loan Programs Office has guaranteed a collection of small assets, LPO Director Jigar Shah said. 

By Diana DiGangi • April 21, 2023

US firms behind global counterparts on clean hydrogen initiatives but will catch up by 2030: report

A broad swath of U.S. companies say they see potential in low-carbon hydrogen, with most looking to produce the fuel for sale to overseas customers.

By Emma Penrod • April 20, 2023

IRS guidance ‘appears to overestimate’ extent of energy communities under IRA: Charles River Associates

“At this time, I think we want to be careful not to say that the IRS was wrong per se, but that there is definitely a need for further diligence on this topic, and it should be monitored closely,” said CRA Associate Ryan Iyer.

By Diana DiGangi • April 19, 2023

Private equity to play growing role in renewable energy, storage and other cleantech: S&P Global

“This phase of acceleration in the energy transition may be the first major industrial and technology investment cycle that occurs primarily in opaque private markets,” S&P analysts said in a report released Wednesday.

By Ethan Howland • April 19, 2023

With looming EV load spikes, PG&E, Duke, other utilities adopt new rate design and cost recovery strategies

New dynamic time-varying rates and demand charge adjustments from California to the Carolinas could align customer usage with utility costs to make EVs a system benefit, rate design experts said

By Herman K. Trabish • April 18, 2023

Renewable energy PPA prices continue to rise despite Inflation Reduction Act relief: LevelTen

Renewable energy prices continued their two-year climb after a brief reprieve at the end of 2022, according to the latest data from LevelTen’s energy marketplace.

By Emma Penrod • April 18, 2023

Modernizing the last mile: Distribution is key to resilient power grid

Extreme weather continues to be a major threat to grid reliability and resilience.

April 17, 2023

Global wind energy set to hit 1 TW in 2023 and double in 8 years: WoodMac

Wind energy’s growth reflects an overall trend of big leaps in clean energy capacity that grid transmission and interconnection capabilities are struggling to keep up with, says the managing director of Advanced Energy United.

By Diana DiGangi • April 13, 2023

Price stability of residential solar may attract consumers amid high power prices: solar executive

The average person’s electric bill “may have increased 30 to 40%, while the cost of solar is an extra 10 to 15% versus what it was a year ago,” says Empower Energy Solutions owner and President Asim Hafeez.

By Diana DiGangi • April 13, 2023