FERC schedules technical conferences on carbon pricing, offshore wind integration challenges

The meetings will examine whether the regulatory body has the legal authority to implement carbon pricing, as well as how grid operators can better address transmission concerns for offshore wind.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 19, 2020

This is not the way to move beyond net metering

If NERA succeeds, it will hand control of DER compensation to federal regulators and thereby stymie ongoing state-level efforts to realize DERs' potential benefits, the authors write.

By Justin Gundlach and Burcin Unel • June 18, 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

SCE, Sunrun partner on solar+storage virtual power plant pilot to drive down peak demand

The utility hopes to encourage greater buildout of residential solar+storage through the initial 300 customer program.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • June 17, 2020

Vectren bucks Indiana legislature with plan to reduce coal mix 78% to 12% by 2025

The utility will add up to 1,000 MW of solar + storage, among other renewable resources, bringing its energy mix to 64% renewable energy plus demand response in the next five years.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 17, 2020

Toward a clean recovery: Rebooting the federal energy demonstration portfolio

The federal government should help fund projects that will demonstrate the real-world viability of large-scale, capital-intensive, zero-emissions technologies, an endeavor that is typically too risky for private companies to take on alone.

By Robert Rozansky and David M. Hart • June 17, 2020

Utilities remain mute on FERC net metering petition, leave filing to face overwhelming opposition

Pacific Gas and Electric, Xcel Energy, Duke Energy and others filed motions to intervene, but ultimately elected not to comment, while bipartisan federal and state political leaders, regulators and others expressed strong opposition.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 16, 2020

It's time for a green stimulus: Here's how a small Vermont utility can show the way

Burlington Electric Department has a plan to help boost local economic activity, support its customers with energy-saving technologies, and make progress on the city's Net Zero Energy goal.

By Darren Springer • June 15, 2020

Minnesota Power to reach 50% renewables in 2021 with Canadian hydropower

The utility energized a $700 million 224-mile transmission line last week that will bring 250 MW of hydropower from Manitoba to Minnesota.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 15, 2020

California regulators establish SCE, PG&E as central procurement buyers, to the dismay of CCAs

Despite the growth of community choice aggregators, regulators feared allowing numerous entities to buy small amounts of local resource adequacy would create market concerns.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • June 15, 2020

Utility-scale solar to soar in 2020, despite COVID, while coal decline accelerates, SEIA, EIA project

Solar growth is projected to be largely driven by utility-scale projects as residential installations take a larger hit due to the coronavirus pandemic.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 12, 2020

Stimulus spending on electricity decarbonization: The role of corporate renewable buyers

Recent developments in corporate renewable procurement suggest one promising strategy for aligning the political odds in favor of stimulus spending that accelerates grid-greening and renewable transitions.

By Zdravka Tzankova • June 11, 2020

Alabama regulators greenlight nearly 2 GW of gas for Southern, punt on solar+storage

Regulators said 400 MW in solar and storage facilities should be considered in a separate docket, but did approve 200 MW in demand side management programs.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • June 10, 2020

Energy storage market for microgrids may exceed $40B by 2030, Guidehouse finds

Nearly 37 GW of new energy storage for microgrids capacity is expected to be installed globally over the next 10 years, according to  a report released June 9.

By Guy Burdick • June 10, 2020

Massachusetts' Clean Peak Standard — A trailblazer in the nation's clean energy transition

As the standard comes into effect, it could play a substantial role in bringing additional clean energy technologies to the state. And adoption elsewhere could improve prospects of meeting aggressive renewable goals.

By Roger Lin • June 9, 2020

Falling renewable, storage costs make 90% carbon-free US grid feasible by 2035, UC Berkeley finds

Building out renewables and storage to achieve this target will add more than 500,000 jobs per year as well as $1.7 trillion in investments into the economy, without raising customer bills, a new report concludes.

By Kavya Balaraman • June 9, 2020

NYSERDA moves to launch program targeting brownfields and other less desirable sites for renewables

The move is part of a statewide effort to jumpstart New York's mandate of 70% renewable energy by 2030. 

By Guy Burdick • June 9, 2020

Missouri cities shine on the national climate action stage

While coastal cities typically drive climate action, Kansas City and St. Louis are demonstrating what Heartland cities are capable of in the fight against climate change.

By Ashok Gupta • June 9, 2020

Amid uncertainty, an opportunity for utilities to better serve large customers' renewable energy needs

In today's climate, utilities have an opportunity to help large customers meet renewable energy goals.

By Amanda Mortlock VP of Utility Partnerships, 3Degrees • June 8, 2020

Renewables' potential depends on transparent and fair policies, not special interest giveaways

FirstEnergy spinoff Energy Harbor is receiving a $1 billion taxpayer bailout while also enriching its shareholders with an $800 million stock buyback. This is crony capitalism at its worst, the author writes.

By Michael K. Dorsey • June 5, 2020

Utilities stay silent on proposal to federalize net metering as states call it a 'threat' to solar policy

States have spent years examining distributed generation compensation policies, and upending those efforts for "one-size-fits-all federalization" is "irritating," Arkansas Public Service Commission Chair Ted Thomas said.

By Catherine Morehouse • Updated June 4, 2020

The 3 key challenges to expanding the West's real-time energy market to day-ahead trading

Driven by new Western state renewables and zero emissions mandates, the 11 active participants and nine new applicants in the Energy Imbalance Market are pushing to expand it to day-ahead trading.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 3, 2020

As utility solar costs drop 82%, US renewables, storage leaders target majority generation share by 2030

In 2019, renewable energy sources often beat the cheapest coal competitors on cost, a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency finds.

By Guy Burdick • June 3, 2020

Businesses, lawmakers urge $22B in federal clean energy investment as sector job losses top 600K

In a letter to Congressional leaders, dozens of companies and advocacy groups proposed $22 billion in federal spending over five years to improve the safety, energy efficiency and resilience of critical public facilities.

By Robert Walton • June 3, 2020

Is subnational carbon pricing the off-ramp for MOPR?

FERC's April ruling refines the applicability of MOPR to green industrial policy and clarifies that it does not apply to voluntary private behavior and environmental policy, opening the door to emissions-based policies, the author writes.

By Devin Hartman • June 2, 2020

Cities need more expertise, utility support in 100% renewables push: report

The authors said local leaders should invest more time to find ways that ensure the energy transition is equitable and does not leave marginalized communities behind.

By Chris Teale • June 1, 2020