San Diego Water issues RFP for 500 MW pumped hydro storage project

The San Diego County Water Authority said the project would help integrate more variable generation resources, assisting electric utilities in meeting California's 50% renewables mandate. 

By Peter Maloney • July 20, 2017

Vermont regulators to examine grid modernization

The staff of the Public Service Board will lead an initial workshop in August.

By Robert Walton • July 19, 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

Sonnen inks deal to install batteries in new Arizona homes

The contract is part of Sonnen's efforts to replicate its residential solar community approach in the U.S.

By Peter Maloney • July 19, 2017

Canadian company seeks new source for lithium, a key battery ingredient

MGX Minerals wants to extract lithium ion from oil and gas wastewater. 

By Peter Maloney • July 18, 2017

Flow battery developer ViZn Energy says it can pair solar and storage for 4¢/kWh

If successful, the company could beat a previous price benchmark set by an Arizona utility, which signed a solar-plus-storage contract for less than $0.045/kWh.

By Peter Maloney • July 17, 2017

AES CEO Andres Gluski on how his new storage venture will enable the 'network of the future'

The founding of Fluence will allow AES to market its batteries to third parties and apply storage to its other business units, from renewables to conventional generation.

By Gavin Bade • July 14, 2017

California Assembly pulls residential storage rebate bill off agenda, delaying it until 2018

SB 700 aimed to create a 10-year rebate program to boost residential energy storage deployment throughout the state. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • July 14, 2017

Southern will test Tesla batteries in 1 MWh pilot for Gulf Power subsidiary

Southern wants to study the batteries for two years in hopes of eventually offering storage to C&I customers. 

By Peter Maloney • July 14, 2017

Skylar Resources brings 2 MW storage system online for California muni

Glendale Water & Power says the energy storage system will delay the need for infrastructure upgrades. 

By Peter Maloney • July 12, 2017

After sector outcry, Massachusetts energy chief defends 200 MWh storage target

Some storage interests expected a higher target, but DOER defends it as a first step in a comprehensive plan

By Peter Maloney • July 11, 2017

Going beyond 'net zero' to passive house

Understanding that the grid is not a bank is key to recognizing that current ‘net zero’ accounting could lead to suboptimal building design outcomes.

July 11, 2017

Report: Minnesota storage+solar could be more cost-effective than peaking plants after 2022

The report from Energy Transition Lab highlights storage's role in growing Minnesota's renewable industry, but environmental benefits must be considered for it to currently pencil out.

By Robert Walton • July 11, 2017

Siemens, AES form new energy storage joint venture Fluence

The companies each hold a 50% stake in the venture, which can lay claim to more than 460 MW of storage worldwide.

By Peter Maloney • July 11, 2017

How wholesale power markets and state environmental policies can work together

Analysts from The Brattle Group lay out three paths for making state energy goals work in electricity markets.

By Sam Newell, Johannes Pfeifenberger, Judy Chang and Kathleen Spees • July 10, 2017

California bill seeks to help local governments permit storage systems

AB 546 would direct cities to create online resources for permitting energy storage systems and establish limits on what communities can charge for permits.  

By Peter Maloney • July 10, 2017

Tesla has 100 days to build a 129 MWh storage plant in South Australia

In March, Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla could solve Australia's power crisis in 100 days or less. Now, he's getting his chance.

By Peter Maloney • July 10, 2017

AES closes $2B financing for 1.2 GW gas plant with storage

Southern California Edison signed a 20-year power purchase agreement for the project awarded through a 2014 competitive solicitation.

By Peter Maloney • July 7, 2017

North Carolina wind moratorium threatens hard-won solar compromise

Duke Energy and solar advocates worked for months on reforms to PURPA, third-party ownership and net metering. A last-minute hold on new wind projects could unravel the whole bill. 

By Herman K. Trabish • July 6, 2017

Hawaiian Electric proposes new, cheaper grid modernization plan

A previous grid modernization plan was rejected in December for being too costly.

By Peter Maloney • July 6, 2017

Pressed duck: Clipping the curve with energy storage

Building on Arizona's cheap solar-plus-storage PPA could present a new way to mitigate the duck curve, but the utility that signed it is skeptical. 

By Peter Maloney • July 5, 2017

Cypress Creek to develop 12 solar + storage projects for North Carolina co-op

The PPA will allow the Brunswick EMC to purchase solar at the avoided cost rate and still benefit from the capacity capabilities of the batteries.  

By Peter Maloney • July 5, 2017

Massachusetts targets 200 MWh of energy storage by 2020

The state passed an energy storage mandate more than a year ago and told energy regulators to craft the final target. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • June 30, 2017

CAISO defers proxy demand response resource sought by storage companies

Storage companies want the California ISO to speed completion of a bidirectional proxy demand resource product that would allow battery resources to consume excess renewable energy.

By Peter Maloney • June 30, 2017

McKinsey: Cheaper batteries present imminent threat of load defection for utilities

Battery storage is already cost-effective for commercial customers and further price declines could lead some to cut their utility ties entirely, a new McKinsey report warns. 

By Peter Maloney • June 30, 2017

Southern Co. unit forms alliance with Advanced Microgrid Solutions

Southern will bring its experience at designing and building distributed generation solutions, mostly to commercial and industrial customers, to the partnership.

By Peter Maloney • June 28, 2017