Minnesota co-op breaks ground on first major storage projects in state

The 10 MW of solar joined with 30 MWh of batteries will be the largest combined facility owned by a U.S. co-op and is expected to save Connexus Energy $4 million a year through peak shaving. 

By Catherine Morehouse • Aug. 7, 2018

Berkeley lab challenges grid community to improve interoperability

The Plug & Play DER Challenge is a call for concepts to the smart grid community, seeking "visionary" ideas focused on improving interoperability on an increasingly-connected electric grid.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 6, 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

Musk sees 'insane' fast growth for Tesla's energy storage business

Tesla executives predicted growth levels in 2019 of 300% to 400% for its energy storage business.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 2, 2018

Advocates hail passage of Massachusetts clean energy bill but want to take it further

The state's final energy bill is a watered down version of the one passed by the Senate in June.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 2, 2018

Electric vehicle and stationary storage batteries begin to diverge as performance priorities evolve

As the stationary energy storage market matures, lithium-ion battery makers are beginning to adapt.

By Peter Maloney • Aug. 1, 2018

Energy storage could take off in Massachusetts with proposed compromise on capacity ownership

The tentative deal would allow owners of residential solar and storage facilities to retain the right to bid the resulting capacity into ISO New England's forward capacity market, if state regulators approve it.

By Peter Maloney • July 31, 2018

NextEra's renewables backlog grows to 7.4 GW as customers anticipate lower costs

The company's record backlog includes many energy storage and solar projects slated for years in the future, as prices are expected to drop in the 2020s.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 27, 2018

Los Angeles considers $3B pumped storage project at Hoover Dam

The city's municipal utility is studying the potential of using the dam as a giant pumped hydropower plant run by renewables.

By Peter Maloney • July 26, 2018

Residential storage hits new record, deploying 36MWh in Q1

Changing policies in California and Hawaii led to 74% of the nation's residential storage deployments in the past quarter, according to GTM Research and the Energy Storage Association.

By Peter Maloney • July 25, 2018

Tesla batteries save $500K for Green Mountain Power through hot-weather peak shaving

The utility said its residential battery storage project implemented in Vermont last year reduced peak demand and saved half a million dollars during the July heat wave.

By Robert Walton • July 23, 2018

High power costs spur 42 MWh of storage deals in Ontario

Electricity prices in Ontario have spurred innovation in energy storage as commercial and industrial customers look for ways to cut energy costs.

By Peter Maloney • July 23, 2018

Massachusetts power players scramble for deal in critical storage, DER docket

Utilities and developers aim to reach a compromise this week over who owns the capacity rights for storage and renewable resources — a question central to their future growth.

By Peter Maloney • July 23, 2018

DOE rolls out $2B loan guarantee program for renewable energy on tribal lands

Solar-plus-storage projects could be the focus of the DOE's new loan guarantee program.

By Peter Maloney • July 19, 2018

PG&E projects set new bar for battery size but fall short on transparency

The California utility proposed energy storage to replace peakers, but comparisons are difficult without more data on costs.

By Peter Maloney • July 17, 2018

Massachusetts House approves study of mobile storage as grid resilience tool

Although it doesn't match the ambitious scope of the state Senate's energy omnibus, the Massachusetts House passed a bill last week advancing energy storage research and its applications.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 17, 2018

Arizona regulators open first US transactive energy docket

Other utility reform dockets have considered elements of transactive energy, but the Arizona Corporation Commission is the first to address the issue in a specific proceeding. 

By Gavin Bade • July 17, 2018

California regulators approve 2nd SoCal Ed pilot to test DER over gas

The state's Public Utilities Commission authorized Southern California Edison to recover the costs of 19 contracts for preferred resources, including solar+storage.

By Robert Walton • July 16, 2018

New investor-backed campaign targets a trillion dollars for US renewables

The right policies could bring significant investment to renewables by 2030, but first the White House must see such clean energy resources as the right politics for Trump country.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 13, 2018

Duke boosts solar in North Carolina, but storage addition brings controversy

The utility launched two programs July 10 that are expected to significantly increase solar power in the state — an RFP for 680 MW of renewable resources and a $62 million solar rebate program.

By Peter Maloney • July 11, 2018

New York's energy storage target could end up at 3 GW by 2030

The state's target could go beyond the 1,500 MW goal, but the roadmap outlined key regulatory recommendations necessary to foster investment and deployment.

By Peter Maloney • July 10, 2018

Arizona regulator seeks efficient path for 80% clean energy rule

Commissioner Andy Tobin proposed July 5 to merge his Arizona Energy Modernization Plan into the state's existing Renewable Energy Standard and Tariff framework.

By Robert Walton • July 7, 2018

Taming the duck: Arizona Public Service seeks 106 MW storage for solar plants

APS is looking for batteries to soak up midday sun and help alleviate its duck curve problem.

By Peter Maloney • July 5, 2018

PG&E to replace 3 gas plants with world's biggest battery projects

The projects would eliminate the need to keep three Calpine plants running as reliability must-run resources and shore up congestion issues.

By Peter Maloney • July 3, 2018

Nevada regulators approve NV Energy's first EV infrastructure program

NV Energy partnered with the state on a joint initiative to increase access to charging infrastructure between major urban centers and to mitigate customers' range anxiety.

By Robert Walton • July 3, 2018

Can California avert new gas plants with distributed resources? SoCal Ed offers a test case

Regulators will soon decide between two paths regarding SCE's proposed pilot — one where DER remains secondary to natural gas and another where they move to transform the distribution system.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 28, 2018