Solar VC funding down 74% in H1 2020 amid COVID-19 impacts: Mercom

The sector is not fully recovered from the impacts of the pandemic, but some analysts say the headwinds will only exist for the short term.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 13, 2020

Audit of Hawaiian Electric sends a postcard about the future of regulation

The utility's restructuring has supported and streamlined Hawaii's ongoing "transition to a 100% renewable future," the audit reported. But "costs and staffing levels have also increased," often without "a clear role or purpose."

By Herman K. Trabish • July 13, 2020

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

3 major policy trends to watch for in China's renewable energy market

National policies have laid a foundation for an open and competitive power market in China, the authors write. 

By Cihang Yuan and Daniel Riley • July 10, 2020

Deloitte: Intermittent renewables pass COVID-19 grid reliability test

Through mid-June this year, wind and solar energy made up 12% of the total U.S. generation average, up from 10% in 2019, while distributed energy resources and storage is one of the "primary areas" for building new capacity over the midterm.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 9, 2020

Coal retirements spur 8% drop in 2019 power sector carbon pollution after Duke, Vistra top 2018 emitters: Ceres

Vistra has already retired or announced the retirement of nine coal plants since 2018, a sign of how rapidly the power sector shifted last year

By Catherine Morehouse • July 8, 2020

Sunrun closes $3.2B Vivint Solar acquisition

After completing the acquisition in October, Sunrun said it is now working to consolidate costs and realize scale benefits to save about $90 million annually.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated Oct. 8, 2020

Momentum grows for piloting Netflix-like fixed subscription rates, but not everyone's on board

For customers who want predictable bills, pairing automated smart distribution technologies with flat rates can resolve the overuse challenge of traditional fixed bills.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 7, 2020

Interior Department to streamline offshore wind permitting, nix unsolicited leasing

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management plans to issue proposed rules this month to deregulate offshore wind and facilitate more development, according to the Trump administration's Spring Regulatory Agenda.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 6, 2020

Taking Charge: Wisconsin's newest utility commissioner on the state's 'utility-scale changeover'

Wisconsin Public Service Commissioner Tyler Huebner spoke to Utility Dive about the state's transition from coal and toward a greener, more distributed grid.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 6, 2020

NERA counters broad opposition to FERC net metering petition, reveals utility-linked member

Attorneys for the New England Ratepayers Association have revealed one of its members — the president and founder of energy consulting firm Brant Energy, whose clients include National Grid, Eversource and DTE Energy.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 2, 2020

Trump officials address prospects and challenges of California offshore wind development

A group of stakeholders have identified potential leasing areas off the West Coast that don't interfere with Department of Defense activities.

By Kavya Balaraman • July 2, 2020

Florida's customer-sited solar reaches new heights as regulators oppose federal petition to upend net metering

The Florida Public Service Commission joined other states to oppose a national petition in support of state-led net metering policies.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 1, 2020

House Democrats release sweeping climate proposal calling for net-zero US emissions by 2050

The proposal does not eliminate natural gas fracking and leaves the door open for carbon capture technology.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 1, 2020

Battery energy storage is getting cheaper, but how much deployment is too much?

As renewable penetrations rise, batteries are the answer to variability, but it is not clear when buying more storage stops increasing reliability.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 30, 2020

Consumer demand prompts aggressive shift toward renewables, storage at Tucson Electric Power

Solar, wind and energy storage systems will account for 70% of TEP's generation capacity by 2035, according to the utility.

By Emma Penrod • June 30, 2020

Federalizing net metering is unequivocally anti-conservative

If the conservative movement is to achieve more victories at the energy regulatory margin, it needs to coalesce, move past generic posturing and start diving deep into institutional contexts, the author writes.

By Devin Hartman • June 30, 2020

House Democrats unveil major clean energy bill as Senate GOP mulls timeline for economic stimulus

Democrats' clean energy push has not gained traction, but Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., says Republicans will come to the table eventually.

By Catherine Morehouse • Updated July 2, 2020

Tesla program aims to cut costs, sell solar like a household appliance

Tesla promises the lowest-cost solar on the market with standardized sizing, but analysts say the program's success will hinge on consumer acceptance.

By Emma Penrod • June 29, 2020

A short-term vision for sustainable recovery

A new report from the International Energy Agency envisions a green economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, but the plan lacks long-term vision, the author writes.

By Saara Kujala • June 29, 2020

Wells Fargo signs multiyear solar energy deal with Shell as banks continue green push

The 150-megawatt purchase boosts Wells' green profile, even if the other party is an oil company. The Rainforest Action Network blasted the bank for financing $198 billion for fossil fuel companies and projects since 2015.

By Dan Ennis • June 25, 2020

Amazon $2B climate pledge draws praise, skepticism as total carbon footprint rises

The venture capital announcement was welcomed by developers in the clean energy space, but Green America said the company's plans are overly vague.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated June 25, 2020

Hard truths about net metering and the perils of regulatory nihilism

Due to poor retail rate design, full retail net metering as calculated today is overwhelmingly regressive, former FERC Commissioner Tony Clark says.

By Tony Clark • June 24, 2020

US localities signed 335 renewable energy deals since 2015: report

A new renewables action tracker details the energy transactions made by local governments in the last five years, and the complementing efforts to influence renewable energy policy.

By Chris Teale • June 24, 2020

LF Energy announces open source substation project to better handle variable renewables, EVs

CoMPAS should enable grid operators to manage the transition to clean energy, handling fluctuations in supply from renewable resources and demand from electric vehicles, according to LF Energy and its partners on the project.

By Guy Burdick • June 24, 2020

The truth about the future of gas: We don't need to build anymore

"Let’s clear away the myths about gas, renewables and the grid," writes UC Berkeley professor David Wooley, co-author of a recent report that said a 90% clean electricity system is feasible in the U.S. by 2035. 

By David Wooley • June 22, 2020