Updated: Illinois Power Agency seeks comments on new procurement rules

IPA is seeking comment on revisions to net metering policies, a new rebate for smart inverters for photovoltaic projects and new compliance obligations for Alternative Retail Electric Suppliers.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 6, 2017

Puente gas plant should not be approved, California energy committee says

A California Energy Commission committee said the proposed NRG Energy project would spark "significant unmitigated environmental effects" and fail to align with several policies and laws. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Oct. 6, 2017

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

Elon Musk says Tesla can help rebuild Puerto Rico's grid. Governor says 'let's talk.'

Elon Musk issued another Twitter challenge saying his company could rebuild the island's decimated grid with solar-plus-storage systems. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Oct. 6, 2017

California grid operator urges less fossil-fuel use in new report

The decline of gas-fired generation, decentralizing electrical service and regional coordination are among the eight trends identified by CAISO.

By Krysti Shallenberger • Oct. 5, 2017

ENGIE and Massachusetts utility team up for 6 MWh energy storage project

Holyoke Gas & Electric's solar-paired facility will be the largest battery storage facility in the state, according to the company.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 5, 2017

California energy storage siting bill signed into law

Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed the measure aiming to speed the siting of energy storage projects in state counties and cities. 

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 4, 2017

Energy storage good option for frequency response, group says

The technology could find expanded uses if federal regulators agree with the Energy Storage Association.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 3, 2017

Sonnen pledges to build microgrids in Puerto Rico

The announcement comes as rival battery provider Tesla says it will deliver "hundreds" of its residential battery systems to the island in the coming weeks. 

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 2, 2017

Tesla pledges 'hundreds' of Powerwall battery packs for Puerto Rico

Only 5% of the U.S. territory's grid is working right now, The New York Times reports, and it could take up to six months to fully restore power. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Oct. 2, 2017

Why it's time to fully embrace America's energy grid diversification

U.S. regulators should help drive more distributed resources into the grid, ICF's Philip Mihlmester writes, recommending how they can do so to the benefit of energy consumers and utilities.

By Philip Mihlmester • Sept. 29, 2017

Trio of new bills in Congress aims to support energy storage deployment

Industry leaders hope to cast energy storage as a resource that "helps everyone," avoiding the partisan divides of energy resource politics on Capitol Hill. 

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 28, 2017

GTM: Grid-tied residential storage to outpace off-grid deployments in 2017

Utilities are encouraging homeowners to deploy grid-connected storage as a way to reduce the effect of high solar penetration on the grid.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 28, 2017

Imagining the Utility of the Future

How National Grid is evolving to put customers at the core of all that it does.

By Chris Warren • Sept. 27, 2017

Hybrid compressed liquid air storage technology could be coming to the US

The company is “engaging with utilities” in the U.S. for sites and applications for its next installation and hopes to initiate its first commercial projects in the next 12 months.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 26, 2017

San Francisco studying solar-plus-storage systems to boost local resiliency

The city is studying alternatives to diesel generators to help in earthquakes and other major disasters.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 26, 2017

CAISO proposes load-shifting product for energy storage

The program aims to reduce the need to curtail solar power during peak generation hours, combating negative prices.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 25, 2017

Xcel considers splitting off North Dakota operations

Divergent state renewable energy policies are pushing Xcel to consider separating its North Dakota and Minnesota operations.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 22, 2017

Reporter's notebook: Utility pilot projects could soothe contentious regulatory proceedings

Utility Dive reporter Herman Trabish says pilot projects can bridge divides between utilities and stakeholders. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 21, 2017

Battery storage could help New York City's ambitious energy, climate goals, report says

Within the next five years, 30% of the city's generation fleet will be past typical retirement age, according to a new study by Strategen Consulting.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 21, 2017

Duke to build its first utility-scale regulated battery storage projects

The utility pledged $30 million to install a 9 MW lithium-ion battery system and a similar 4 MW system near two towns in western North Carolina 

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 21, 2017

Storage gets boost as 100% renewables, grid expansion fail in California

The state isn't yet following Hawaii and its mandate to achieve a 100% renewable electric sector, but the Los Angeles area got an energy storage stimulus.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 19, 2017

An inside look at using energy storage to integrate renewable resources

Soaking up solar power during the day and dispatching it in the evening is often cited as a renewable-enabling use for energy storage, but in practice it's often not so simple.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 18, 2017

PJM task force heads into the next stage of capacity market redesign

The grid operator's capacity construct group will begin evaluating 10 proposals for market reforms this week.

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 18, 2017

DOE awards $20M to commercialize new energy technologies

More than 50 projects at 12 national labs will receive funding to help them bridge the gap to commercial use. 

By Peter Maloney • Sept. 15, 2017

Alectra Utilities CEO: 'Someone's going to cannibalize our business — it may as well be us'

"Someone's going to eat our lunch. They're lining up to do it," CEO Brian Bentz told Utility Dive. Here's how the Canadian utility is moving aggressively into DERs.

By Gavin Bade • Sept. 14, 2017