Utah PSC slashes rooftop solar export rates, triggering doubts about residential solar's future there

Regulators denied PacifiCorp's requests for new fees and an 84% cut to the state's provisional solar tariff — but slashed the export rate anyway, which solar advocates say will add more uncertainty to a flailing market.

By Emma Penrod • Nov. 3, 2020

Election 2020: What's at stake for Congress, FERC, DOE and the states

The transformation of the U.S. power sector will continue after the 2020 election is over, though the outcomes will likely impact the speed of change.

Nov. 2, 2020

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Power demand is rising amid dramatic shifts in federal energy policy, but technology and markets continue to push the grid toward cleaner, more distributed resources. 

By Utility Dive staff

Google, GM, other REBA members push to expand organized wholesale markets to spur renewables

Without such markets, "companies have been forced into virtual PPAs that force them to procure energy far away from where their load actually is," said REBA President Miranda Ballentine.

By Emma Penrod • Nov. 2, 2020

Hydrogen is having a moment, and power generation is leading the way

Green hydrogen fuel could facilitate decarbonization across a wide swath of industries, but experts say the utility sector will be the first to transition.

By Emma Penrod • Nov. 2, 2020

Election 2020: Xcel Energy, municipalization advocates face off in Boulder

On Nov. 3, voters in the Colorado city must choose whether to trust Xcel’s commitments or the promise of a municipal utility.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 30, 2020

GE Renewable Energy reports $5M profit in Q3 despite falling wind turbine orders

CEO Larry Culp predicts a "steep market decline" for the rest of 2020 and "a likely multi-year recovery," with GE's hopes for a turnaround riding on a recovery in the company's renewables and power divisions.

By Emma Penrod • Oct. 29, 2020

Green stimulus could create $280B in economic benefits: C40

The C40 Global Mayors Recovery Task Force said investing relief money in solutions to fight climate change could prevent 270,000 premature deaths globally and create over 6 million jobs in the U.S. alone.

By Chris Teale • Oct. 28, 2020

Election 2020: For DOE, staffing, renewables spending, transparency at stake Nov. 3, analysts say

A Biden administration could refocus the U.S. Department of Energy on clean energy, transparency and environmental justice. Under Trump, expect more of the same push for deregulation. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 28, 2020

Biden win could double annual solar deployments, increase financial impacts to utility customers: S&P

While U.S. utilities are expected to continue a clean energy transition to renewable energy regardless of the election's outcome, policies proposed by Biden could speed up adoption of solar, nuclear and offshore wind.

By Emma Penrod • Oct. 28, 2020

National Grid to develop 600 MW offshore wind RFP for Rhode Island

The state had 933 MW of wind and solar as of Q2 2020 as it aims to meet 100% of electricity demand with renewables by 2030.

By Larry Pearl • Oct. 28, 2020

MidAmerican enlists wind turbine maker Vestas to find 'root cause' of 4 blade failures

In mid-October, MidAmerican Energy was forced to idle 46 wind turbines after a Vestas blade snapped off following a lightning strike.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 28, 2020

Wind remains cheaper, but solar's costs are falling faster, Lazard finds

The average levelized cost of wind, at $26/MWh, has fallen about 5% annually over the past five years, while the average cost of utility-scale solar, at $31/MWh, has declined about 11% a year over the same period.

By Emma Penrod • Oct. 28, 2020

Election 2020: Trump's FERC may need to shift course on clean energy, though Biden's road will not be easy

No matter what happens Nov. 3, the agency will have no choice but to address the industry's transition, even if it means backing away from some of its more controversial policies under the Trump administration, analysts say.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 27, 2020

Election 2020: Climate policy faces a tough road through Congress regardless of electoral outcomes

A Democratic Senate will attempt to pass Joe Biden's clean energy standard in the face of an expected Republican filibuster, while bipartisan support exists for more R&D spending on carbon-cutting technologies.

By Matthew Bandyk • Oct. 26, 2020

AVANGRID-PNM merger seen as step forward for New Mexico's untapped renewable potential

By purchasing New Mexico's largest utility, the Iberdrola subsidiary can bring its access to capital to bear to invest in renewables and transmission in the state and region.

By Matthew Bandyk • Oct. 23, 2020

As conflict rises over utility DER ownership, a Duke Florida program could offer a way forward

Regulators must decide how to separate regulated and private markets as both see ownership of rooftop and community solar.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 23, 2020

Cities' GHG emissions reduction efforts, by the numbers

A new Brookings report assessed the nation's many climate action plans to check if cities are meeting their emissions reduction commitments.

By Kristin Musulin • Oct. 23, 2020

NextEra wind, solar backlog passes 15 GW as it looks to replicate renewables strategy with hydrogen

The renewable energy leader wants to capitalize on opportunities it sees with hydrogen and expects its current momentum to continue no matter who wins on Nov. 3, CFO Rebecca Kujawa said Wednesday.

By Larry Pearl • Oct. 22, 2020

Musk promises to reinvent batteries as Tesla reports record Q3 solar and storage deployments

Tesla's CEO envisions “batteries that cost half as much” within a few years as the company's continued emphasis on manufacturing and cutting costs delivers a fifth consecutive quarter of profitability.

By Emma Penrod • Oct. 22, 2020

US corporate buyers will drive 44 GW to 72 GW of new renewables over next 10 years: Report

Simultaneously, PPA offer prices "are on the rise for both wind and solar projects," according to new research from LevelTen Energy.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 21, 2020

AVANGRID, PNM Resources announce $8.3B merger to create 'one of biggest clean energy companies' in US

The combined entity would own 10 regulated utilities in six states, and would have renewable energy operations in 24 states.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 21, 2020

2019 US wholesale solar prices more than double wind, gas as renewables use reaches record levels: EIA

High prices in California, where roughly one-third of U.S. solar capacity is located, drove up the average wholesale price for solar energy to $83/MWh.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 20, 2020

PNM and Albuquerque, NM, break ground on 50 MW solar field on tribal lands

The array, through a partnership with utility PNM and the Jicarilla Apache Nation, will help the city get 88% of its electricity from renewable energy by the end of 2021.

By Chris Teale • Oct. 16, 2020

New York expands state clean energy standard, moves to boost renewables use in the Big Apple

Regulators created a new program within the Clean Energy Standard to value the environmental attributes that renewable resources give to the city, while advancing an upstate transmission project.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 16, 2020

FERC PJM order muddies state subsidy definition under MOPR, potentially hinders renewables, Glick says

Commissioner Richard Glick said the order is further evidence that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is overreaching when it comes to state clean energy policies.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 16, 2020