EPS Ep. 9: DOE renewables chief vows support for office amid proposed budget cuts

Assistant Secretary Dan Simmons used to work for an organization that advocated the elimination of the office he currently heads. Now he says he supports DOE's renewable energy mission.

By Gavin Bade • March 19, 2019

Trio of federal energy storage bills avoid tax credits

The legislation comes amid rising interest in the technology, with an increasing number of state targets, a new House bipartisan storage caucus and increased funding in the President's latest budget request.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 19, 2019

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

NYSERDA targets retail and bulk storage incentives as state aims for 3 GW by 2030

The New York State Energy and Research Development Authority's plan allocates $130 million and $150 million to the retail and bulk storage markets, respectively.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 13, 2019

Insurer Munich Re offers 10-year warranty on battery storage performance

The company backed the flow battery developed by ESS with a decade-long performance guarantee, a first in energy storage technologies.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated March 13, 2019

Trump budget again seeks deep cuts to EPA, DOE renewables research

The budget would eliminate ARPA-E and cut the DOE energy efficiency and renewables office by more than two-thirds — proposals Congress has already twice rejected.

By Gavin Bade • March 11, 2019

Efficiency leads 2019 energy job growth prospects

Energy efficiency employers project a 7.8% growth rate for jobs this year, more than double the increase last year, in what the latest U.S. Energy and Employment Report deemed the "toughest hiring climate."

By Robert Walton • March 7, 2019

Deploying more renewables now through an energy storage-centric Clean Peak Standard

Policies that encourage energy storage to be paired with solar or wind power can have an outsized impact because these grid assets can together deliver firm capacity into peak periods when customer costs are the highest.

By Ronald DiFelice • March 7, 2019

US energy storage market expected to more than double in 2019, report says

Wood Mackenzie analysts say the market nearly doubled in 2018 and expect even greater growth this year, with utilities projected to add more than 1.6 GWh of storage. 

By Gavin Bade • March 6, 2019

New York moves to phase out older peaking plants as it targets 100% clean energy

A new state proposal would set lower thresholds for emissions of nitrogen oxides, and allow plant owners to meet the new standards in part by installing renewable or batteries.

By Robert Walton • March 1, 2019

California regulators tee up changes to utility distributed storage programs

A proposed decision from an Administrative Law Judge would direct utilities to allow independently owned projects to compete with utility-owned proposals when procuring distributed storage.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 28, 2019

New York utilities, NYISO to collaborate on allowing storage in state's wholesale and retail markets

Following through on its approval of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's 1.5 GW by 2025 target, the Public Service Commission laid out priorities for a working group on integration and market design for energy storage.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 26, 2019

SEU 2019 survey: Uncertainty mounts in the clean energy transition

Utilities are still moving to a cleaner, more distributed power system, but our annual survey shows they are increasingly unsure about what types of regulation and market structures they want to foster the transition.

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 26, 2019

Designing Liberty Utilities' New Hampshire residential storage program

A closer look at the decision to pair distributed energy storage with time-of-use rates.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 25, 2019

Enabling storage integration through market-driven procurements

Early renewables procurements that reverse traditional auctions with one utility buyer and multiple renewables-plus-storage sellers have lowered storage costs and grown capacity.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 25, 2019

Massachusetts house speaker introduces plan to allocate $1B for efficiency, renewables

The plan would give communities easier access to funds to install energy storage, solar grids, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and more.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 25, 2019

APS to install 850 MW of storage, 100 MW of solar in major clean energy buy

The utility also signed a seven-year contract for natural gas peaking capacity, which it hopes will be replaced by renewables and storage in the mid 2020s. 

By Gavin Bade • Feb. 21, 2019

Storage + efficiency for C&I demand management

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) adds 26% efficiency and sheds 300-500 kW for 13 hours/day in commercial & industrial facilities.

Feb. 21, 2019

De-energize and DERs: The tough options wildfires pose for California utilities

California IOUs’ wildfire mitigation plans will cost billions and take years, but distributed generation can give customers power during protective shutoffs.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 20, 2019

Developer eyes world's largest solar+storage facility for Texas

Listed in the ERCOT interconnection report, the project would combine 495 MW of solar with 495 MW of energy storage in 2021, if completed.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 19, 2019

Ameren files $6.3B grid transformation plan with Missouri regulators

The largest line item in the proposal is a $1.9 billion investment in "smart, reliable grid operations," which covers a wide range of initiatives, including distributed solar and energy storage.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 19, 2019

As New York utilities file storage plans, interconnection hurdles loom

Utilities laid out "reasonable" timelines for procuring the rights to schedule and dispatch storage by 2022, but NYISO needs to address the long interconnection process, according to industry-focused coalition NY-BEST.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 14, 2019

PGE, NextEra team up for largest wind-solar-storage project in US

The 300 MW wind, 50 MW solar and 30 MW storage project "will be a model for integrating renewable generation and storage" to economically reduce emissions and maintain reliability, PGE CEO Maria Pope said.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 14, 2019

Tesla, others question storage hourly requirements, charges in FERC Order 841 compliance plans

As the comment period on FERC Order 841 compliance fillings closed, various utilities and regulators also asked to play larger roles on storage interconnection requirements.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 13, 2019

Hawaiian Electric works against the clock to add storage, renewables

While the utility is eager to secure new generation to replace retiring plants, state regulators have hit pause on the process while they consider how to move forward and prepare guidance for the utility.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 13, 2019

AEP to buy Sempra Renewables for $1B, including 724 MW wind and battery assets

The acquisition follows parent-company Sempra's announcement last summer that it plans to spin off its nonutility operating renewable assets.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 13, 2019