DOE's new $25M solar fund seeks development of distributed energy grid solutions

The ENERGISE program, part of the Department of Energy's SunShot initiative, seeks to fund grid technologies to manage high penetrations of distributed energy on utility systems.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 4, 2016

ACC approves TEP plans for renewables, storage, but not utility-owned solar

Arizona regulators approved an expansion in renewable energy investments and two storage pilot projects, but deferred a decision on utility-owned rooftop and community solar projects to TEP's general rate case.

By Gavin Bade • May 4, 2016

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

Puerto Rico energy storage project tests load shifting capabilities of hybrid batteries

An energy storage project in Puerto Rico will test the ability of hybrid batteries to shift load in response to the territory's storage mandate. 

By Peter Maloney • May 3, 2016

Oklahoma utility proposes demand charges to cover distributed energy costs

Oklahoma Gas & Electric is seeking approval to change its rate structure in order to adapt to accommodate distributed resources.

By Peter Maloney • May 3, 2016

Iowa electric co-op looks to buy RECs to go '100% carbon-free'

The Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative in Iowa plans to reduce its carbon footprint to zero.

By Peter Maloney • April 29, 2016

Aquion installs storage for microgrid at California winery and farm

Aquion Energy is supplying its aqueous hybrid ion batteries for the project, which will use Ideal Power's 30-kW multi-port power conversion system to help make the California winery and farm more self-sufficient. 

By Peter Maloney • April 29, 2016

Beyond pilots: Duke Energy looks to install storage in regulated market

The utility has previously completed pilots but now says the time is right for a commercial storage facility operating in a regulated market.

By Robert Walton • April 28, 2016

Sunverge unveils inverters to help Hawaii Electric solar+storage technology

Sunverge has introduced inverters designed to meet Hawaii Electric's strict solar installation standards and serve the state's solar + storage market driven in part by Hawaii's 100%-by-2045 renewables mandate. 

By Peter Maloney • April 27, 2016

For grid flexibility, utilities pushed to think beyond gas plants and storage

There are more cost-effective methods to enhance the power system's responsiveness, a new paper reports.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 27, 2016

First-of-its-kind rail energy storage project targets role in CAISO ancillary services market

A California startup is targeting ancillary services as the use for the first grid-scale rail storage project to win approval from the Bureau of Land Management.

By Peter Maloney • April 26, 2016

Community Storage Initiative touts diverse backers, including EEI, NRECA, APPA

The group is calling for more information sharing and collaborative development of distributed storage solutions.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 26, 2016

Tesla's 2016 storage sales to SolarCity could dwarf entire US behind-meter market for 2015

A filing from Tesla indicates it expects to sell substantially more behind-the-meter storage capacity to SolarCity in 2016 than the entire U.S. market deployed last year, GTM Research reports.  

By Peter Maloney • April 26, 2016

Tesla unveils pricing details for Powerpack system

Tesla unveils pricing and online ordering details for its Powerpack commercial and utility scale battery.

By Peter Maloney • April 25, 2016

Lockheed Martin pushes into storage market with lithium, flow battery offerings

The aerospace and defense giant is targeting utilities and C&I customers for its lithium option while trying to commercialize flow batteries for long-duration uses.

By Peter Maloney • April 25, 2016

Exelon to double its storage capacity with 10 MW Ohio project

Exelon Generation will provide frequency regulation into the PJM Interconnection market with this 10 MW project. 

By Robert Walton • April 21, 2016

SDG&E 'ahead of the curve' to meet California's 50% RPS with help from storage

Ahead of schedule in meeting RPS targets, San Diego Gas & Electric looks to storage and energy efficiency to accommodate more renewables.

By Peter Maloney • April 19, 2016

FERC seeks input from ISOs on possible market barriers to energy storage

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has given wholesale market operators until May 2 to docment barriers that may exist to adding energy storage resources to their grids.

By Peter Maloney • April 19, 2016

AES teams up with Panasonic for India's first utility-scale storage project

AES Storage and Panasonic are building a 10-MW storage facility in Haryana, India.

By Peter Maloney • April 19, 2016

Report: One-third of solar installers offer energy storage, number set to rise

More than a fourth of the installers not offering storage told researchers they plan to offer it this year.

By Peter Maloney • April 14, 2016

Stakeholders debate expanding storage's role in MISO markets

Discussions under way at MISO could expand storage into the medium-term market.

By Peter Maloney • April 12, 2016

Graphene: Energy storage's silver bullet or a promise stretched thin?

Graphene's remarkable properties could revolutionize energy storage, but commercial deplyment could be years off.

By Peter Maloney • April 12, 2016

'Straight uphill': Power sector reforms face tough path in gridlocked Illinois legislature

Three utility-backed bills to support, nuclear generation, renewables and efficiency did not pass in the last session of the General Assembly. Stakeholders are now trying to role them into a single law.

By Peter Maloney • April 12, 2016

Aquion battery to meet overnight needs of Puerto Rican solar farm

An Aquion battery is being deployed at a 16 MW Puerto Rican solar farm to meet overnight needs.

By Peter Maloney • April 11, 2016

SolarCity closes $150M securitization for commercial solar+storage

SolarCity continued a string of securitizations with a $150-million financing from Credit Suisse.

By Peter Maloney • April 8, 2016

The Tesla killer? Sonnen's CEO on its US energy storage market strategy

The German storage company's CEO talks to Utility Dive about U.S. storage markets, partnerships with utilities and the competition with that other residential battery provider.

By Gavin Bade • April 5, 2016