Tripling virtual power plant capacity by 2030 could save $10B, meet 20% peak demand: DOE

With electric vehicles and other distributed resources surging, virtual power plants may be at an inflection point, the Department of Energy said Tuesday.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 13, 2023

Geothermal energy storage is cost competitive with lithium-ion batteries, pumped hydro: pilot

While the pilot tested the technology for up to 18 hours of storage, Sage Geosystems is confident it could operate on a weekly cycle, or even provide seasonal storage, CEO Cindy Taff said. 

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 13, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Virtual Power Plants

Virtual power plants and their ability to balance energy supply and demand are increasingly sought by utilities as electricity demand increases, but their lack of standardization remains a barrier.

By Utility Dive staff

EPA’s proposed carbon rules omit both the peaker problem and the peaker solution

The EPA completely overlooked co-located battery storage as a “best system of emissions reduction” in its latest proposal to reduce carbon emissions from fossil-fueled power plants.

By Shelley Robbins • Sept. 12, 2023

ESS delivers 3 MWh iron flow battery systems to Sacramento utility as part of larger 2 GWh deal

The technology’s 10- to 12-hour duration was an important factor, a Sacramento Municipal Utility District official said.

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 12, 2023

As Google, Meta eye clean energy buys, researchers find widely used strategy has scant carbon benefits

Compared with annual matching, 24/7 green power procurements can drive “significant” cuts in carbon emissions and spur emerging technologies like long duration storage, Princeton University researchers found.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Sept. 13, 2023

Salt River Project taps Germany’s CMBlu Energy to develop 5-MW, 10-hour storage project

The Electric Power Research Institute will support performance monitoring of the project and “help validate the real-world performance of the technology in Arizona’s hot and dry climate,” SRP said.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 5, 2023

How flexibility redefines utility battery investment strategies

With renewable penetration and electrification on the rise, flexible assets that can adapt and shift duty cycles are getting utilities’ – and the DOE’s – attention.

By Matt Harper, Chief Commercial Officer, Invinity Energy Systems • Sept. 5, 2023

Eos Energy lands $400M DOE conditional loan guarantee for long-duration battery plant

Eos — with a $9.7 billion, 37 GWh project pipeline — expects a Department of Energy loan guarantee will spur customer interest in its long-duration battery systems.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 1, 2023

Peregrine Energy bags $700M financing agreement to fund 7 GW storage and renewables pipeline

The funding will help Peregrine bring its project portfolio into operation and enable the firm to capture market arbitrage opportunities and expand into new areas, the company said

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 1, 2023

Vermont PUC lifts caps on Green Mountain Power battery storage programs with Tesla, others

Demand for GMP’s Tesla-based and “bring your own device” energy storage programs has outstripped annual caps in the wake of winter storms and summer floods.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 29, 2023

France’s Engie to buy battery storage in Texas, California from Broad Reach Power

The deal includes 350 MW of operating grid-scale battery storage and another 880 MW under construction, primarily in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas territory.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 29, 2023

Focusing on hardware to stop fires at energy storage projects

Prioritizing energy storage systems’ IP rating, cooling systems and surge protection mechanisms—within a broader, integrated fire safety strategy—manufacturers can ensure the reliability and safety of their projects.

By Dewei Guan, Mechanical Engineer, Product Development, Wärtsilä ES&O and David Frye, Engineering Manager, Electrical Design, Wärtsilä ES&O • Aug. 28, 2023

American Clean Power asks FERC to hold conference on capacity accreditation

Improving the patchwork approach to measuring the reliability value of power plants, energy storage and other resources would bolster the grid, according to the trade group.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 25, 2023

2 Tesla virtual power plants cleared to provide energy to Texas electric grid

The pair of aggregated Powerwalls are the first of eight virtual power plants participating in an Electric Reliability Council of Texas pilot project.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 24, 2023

Closed-loop pumped hydro storage tech least likely to contribute to global warming: NREL

The analysis examines the global warming potential of different technologies that provide both short-duration and long-duration energy storage.

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 22, 2023

Expanding your solar business? Here are 4 questions you have to answer about home battery storage

Learn how to answer common questions so you can facilitate solar adoption and grow your customer base.

Aug. 21, 2023

New York bets on long-duration energy storage with $15M award to Form Energy, others

Form Energy’s project will be the first demonstration of its technology in New York and the only multi-day battery storage project in the state.

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 19, 2023

DOE lab develops new models to address inverter faults, avoid grid disruptions

Electromagnetic transient domain analysis may be key to stopping inverter-based resources from tripping offline or reducing output in response to grid events, according to research from Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 18, 2023

GM invests $60M in Mitra Chem to develop low-cost EV batteries

Mitra Chem says its technology can reduce electric vehicle battery development times by 90%.

By Eric Walz • Aug. 17, 2023

IRA drives $12.4B into US storage as investments ‘juice’ an already strong market: Freyr exec

Since the Inflation Reduction Act passed, 210 major new clean energy projects have been announced, which have the potential to drive up to $86.3 billion in private investment, says E2. 

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 15, 2023

Utility-owned storage becomes point of contention in New Jersey incentive program proposal

State regulators are requesting additional public input on the proposal, which would include only private storage devices and doesn’t allow for utility-owned and operated ones.

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 15, 2023

A community solar boom will test Xcel, other utility plans against developer, customer needs: analysts

New state and federal funding and initiatives for community solar can bring equity and system reliability to the emerging energy transition, analysts say.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 10, 2023

Energy Vault signs gravity energy storage license agreement with US renewable developer

The company still plans to continue directly building energy storage projects itself, particularly in North America, Chairman and CEO Robert Piconi said on an earnings call Tuesday.

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 9, 2023

Eos Energy pushes back against short-seller report raising concerns about its 2.2 GWh backlog

A July 27 report by Iceberg Research called into question the backlog, which Eos Energy valued at $535 million at the end of March, saying it is “100% confident that the backlog is fake.”

By Kavya Balaraman • Aug. 8, 2023

FERC interconnection rule may not speed process in much of US: experts

Many transmission providers already use the just-issued rule’s central reform, dampening its effect in large parts of the U.S., lawyers and industry experts say.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 4, 2023