Big tech companies are becoming the top buyers of green energy to meet data needs: BNEF

About 1% of the world's electricity consumption goes to power data centers, which can require three times more energy in developed nations.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 15, 2018

Amazon turns to Tesla for battery storage at UK distribution centers

The 3.6 MW solar array will be paired with an estimated 2 MW of battery storage, marking the latest example of a tech giant partnering with clean energy resource developers.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 13, 2018

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

Lazard: Renewables can challenge existing coal plants on price

The firm's latest findings underscore a number of recent utility moves to replace coal with wind, solar and gas.

By Gavin Bade • Nov. 12, 2018

NantEnergy acquires Sharp Electronics energy services, storage business

Sharp's energy systems business has an active project pipeline exceeding 60 MW of commercial and industrial solar-plus-storage installations in the United States, the companies said.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 9, 2018

Storage will replace 3 California gas plants as PG&E nabs approval for world's largest batteries

Installation of more than 2,200 MWh of storage will be the first time a utility directly replaces multiple major fossil fuel generators with batteries.

By Gavin Bade • Nov. 9, 2018

Texas generators, utilities square off at PUC over storage ownership

The Texas regulatory docket will determine which companies get to own battery storage and other non-traditional grid technologies in the state. 

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 6, 2018

BNEF raises forecast for global battery deployment to $1.2T by 2040

In 2016, the research firm estimated the energy storage market could be valued at $250 billion or more by 2040 with 25 GW of the devices deployed by 2028.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 6, 2018

Tesla community storage pilot launches 3 months early in Australia

The project utilizes a 105 KW / 420 KWh Tesla Powerpack battery system and will store solar energy during the day, providing power during peak demand times.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 6, 2018

Sonnen prepares its next step in aggregating residential storage

Sonnen has turned residential energy storage into virtual power plants in Germany, but has to adapt to do that in the U.S.

By Peter Maloney • Nov. 6, 2018

Engineering microgrids for municipalities

How cities can build on the benefits of an electrified fleet of vehicles

Nov. 5, 2018

Will Lime's battery concerns spark a recall ripple effect?

Lime has recalled approximately 2,000 scooters from California cities due to reports that some batteries have smoldered or caught fire.

By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 2, 2018

NV Energy questions need for Nevada storage target

The Nevada Public Utilities Commission is considering establishing an energy storage target, but utilities say it could be counter-productive.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 2, 2018

Blink, Hubject partner to advance EV-charging network communications

The pair want to build "seamless charging interoperability" for all drivers participating in Hubject's iplatform, which could lead to two-way communications between the charging networks and vehicles.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 30, 2018

ISO-NE looks to incorporate storage into real-time energy markets

Grid operators are developing rules to accommodate energy storage after FERC's decision earlier this year opened the "floodgates" for the resource, as one analyst said.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 30, 2018

Innovation in energy storage

Today, energy producers are turning to system integrators to combine multiple generation assets, balance loads and optimize the energy produced.

Oct. 30, 2018

Salt River Project, NREL team up to assess value of distributed energy storage

The Arizona utility began offering an $1,800 incentive in May to the first 4,500 customers who purchase lithium-ion storage services systems and agree to participate in the study.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Oct. 29, 2018

Tesla's 'historic' quarter included gains in storage, solar

The company expects to triple energy storage deployments, installing 239 MWh of energy storage and 93 MW of solar in the third quarter.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 26, 2018

Longer lasting storage needs cheaper chemistries, MIT prof says

Market design and cheaper chemistries will be key to developing energy storage to support renewables, experts said at California ISO's Stakeholder Symposium.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 25, 2018

Optimizing natural gas generation with energy storage

A gamechanger for the transition to a cleaner and more affordable power sector as the deployment of renewables plus energy storage accelerates exponentially across the country.

By Janice Lin • Oct. 25, 2018

#UtilityDiveLive Twitter chat calls out utilities advancing DER

We partnered with the Smart Electric Power Alliance to talk about the opportunities and pitfalls of getting to the grid of the future.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Oct. 25, 2018

NextEra: Wind will be competitive after PTC sunset due to price declines

"Taller towers, longer blades, better electronics" will help wind prices continue to decline over time, according to Armando Pimentel, president and CEO of NextEra Energy Resources.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 24, 2018

Puerto Rico considers move to 100% renewables, ending PREPA monopoly

The Puerto Rico House and Senate will hold a hearing this week to consider ending the monopoly status of the island's utility and generating 100% of its electric power from renewables by 2050.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 24, 2018

New York energy storage: destination clear, road unsure

Stakeholders see different paths to reaching 1,500 MW of energy storage by 2025.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 23, 2018

Even in Indiana, new renewables are cheaper than existing coal plants

Eliminating coal generation by 2028, and replacing it with renewables, storage and demand management, will be cheaper than keeping the plants online or converting them to gas, says Northern Indiana Public Service Co.

By Gavin Bade • Updated Oct. 25, 2018

DOE, industry partner to improve lead-acid batteries for power grid, cars

The batteries are well established in automotive and industrial settings and have been used for utility energy storage. But they've fallen behind competing technologies, particularly lithium-ion.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 18, 2018