Technology

Top Utility Trends of 2020

Amid significant disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the power sector's transition to a cleaner, more distributed future continues.

By Larry Pearl • Jan. 05, 2021

FERC proposes incentives for voluntary cybersecurity investments, in race to secure nation's electric grid

Experts say offering incentives for utilities to invest in cybersecurity could help shore up the grid much faster than developing new mandatory standards.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 22, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Trendline

Electrification and EVs

The trend toward increased electrification in transportation, buildings and other sectors continued to increase in 2020, but while momentum is growing, various challenges lie ahead.

By Utility Dive staff

Energy executives call for dramatic increase in federal funds for hydrogen, carbon capture research

To achieve decarbonization, the American Energy Innovation Council said the energy sector requires financial and government support of emerging technologies.

By Emma Penrod • Dec. 21, 2020

DOE confirms its systems were compromised by SolarWinds hack

The electric sector is scrambling to assess its vulnerabilities. Experts say the sophisticated intrusion means hackers could have access to U.S. power plants and other grid systems.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 18, 2020

Sponsored by Oracle

The time is now for decarbonization

APS, CPS Energy and National Grid are taking energy-saving steps today to afford more "climate value" tomorrow.

By Brad Langley, Director of Marketing, Oracle Utilities Opower • Dec. 14, 2020

GE announces first US wind turbine blade recycling program with Veolia

The blades were the only part of the turbines not getting recycled, and will now be shredded to replace raw materials currently used for cement manufacturing, resulting in lower CO2 emissions.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 09, 2020

Dive Awards

Regulator of the Year: Neil Chatterjee, FERC

It's hard to imagine an agency that has had more effect on the power sector this year than the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and it's impossible to divorce that impact from its now-former chairman: Neil Chatterjee.

By Utility Dive Team • Dec. 09, 2020

IoT cyber bill clears Congress — what's next for industry players?

Long awaited legislation is seen as a springboard to widespread adoption of standards across the booming connected devices industry, including smart thermostats and other items.

By David Jones • Dec. 04, 2020

Vineyard Wind hits pause on offshore wind federal permitting after selecting GE as turbine provider

The developer tapped GE Renewable Energy for its 13 MW Haliade-X turbines, after having filed in its construction and operations plan that its 800 MW project would consist of up to 100 turbines ranging from 8 MW to 10 MW.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 03, 2020

NERC expands IT-focused cybersecurity program as hackers actively target grid operations tech

Previously focused on the IT-side of utility operations, the Cybersecurity Risk Information Sharing Program will now include two pilots scanning for threats to operational technologies.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 02, 2020

Design updates, financial shakeup prompt utilities to rethink structure of NuScale's $6.1B SMR project

A number of Western municipal utilities are trying to avoid getting locked into a first-of-a-kind nuclear project if its costs continue to go up.

By Matthew Bandyk • Nov. 25, 2020

Climate progress in power, 5 other sectors too slow to limit global warming: report

The World Resources Institute and ClimateWorks said efforts to bolster electrification and renewable energy must accelerate, while deforestation and agricultural production raised red flags.

By Chris Teale • Nov. 23, 2020

DOE R&D plan targets 'immediate risk' hackers present to renewable energy technologies

DOE has developed a long-term approach to improve the security of renewable energy facilities, manufacturing, buildings, and transportation, which it says are "increasingly interconnected and vulnerable to cyber-attack."

By Robert Walton • Nov. 19, 2020

Climate risks are accelerating. Here's what Duke, PG&E and 16 other utilities expect to pay.

Utility Dive took a closer look at how climate risks are threatening utilities — and how much it's going to cost to mitigate them.

By Utility Dive Editors • Nov. 18, 2020

'Somebody has to actually sit on the egg and hatch it' — Partnership aims to drive green hydrogen in the West

Regulators and other experts say that bringing down costs substantially will be key to deploying hydrogen at scale.

By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 18, 2020

Utilities one of most vulnerable industries as cybersecurity IT/OT threats merge, survey finds

Not only is operational technology connected to the internet now, cyberattacks can trickle through information technology environments.

By Samantha Schwartz • Nov. 17, 2020

PECO: Billions of investment at risk with Pennsylvania court's rejection of smart meter mandate

Exelon subsidiary PECO Energy installed more than a million smart meters in Pennsylvania, but a court's decision could allow customers to have them removed.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 13, 2020

Cummins and Navistar prototype hydrogen truck with 300-mile range

Werner will add the truck to its fleet and use it in regional and local delivery operations out of Fontana, California.

By Jim Stinson • Nov. 13, 2020

Fed flags climate change as financial risk, seeks transparency from banks

The declaration comes as TD Bank committed Monday to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 for the projects it finances.

By Dan Ennis • Nov. 10, 2020

Larger, vertically-integrated utilities better prepared to face cyber threats, says Moody's

Smaller, publicly-owned utilities are leaning on cybsersecurity insurance to mitigate risk, according to the ratings agency.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 06, 2020

Trump, Biden want strong cyber but differ on offense vs. defense

The presidential nominees understand the urgency around cyber efforts but are split on national data protection.

By Katie Malone • Nov. 04, 2020

Hydrogen is having a moment, and power generation is leading the way

Green hydrogen fuel could facilitate decarbonization across a wide swath of industries, but experts say the utility sector will be the first to transition.

By Emma Penrod • Nov. 02, 2020

Opinion

The US power sector has prevented millions of cyberattacks in 2020 — that takes 24/7 commitment

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, recent natural disasters and looming elections create the added risk of distraction — and opportunity for attacks, write Edison International CEO Pedro Pizarro and EEI President Tom Kuhn.

By Pedro J. Pizarro and Tom Kuhn • Oct. 29, 2020

Trump sanctions against Russian institute with malware ties to US power sector only scratch at recourse

The malware, launched against a Saudi Arabia-based oil refinery in 2017, also scanned and probed at least 20 electric facilities in the U.S. in 2019.

By Samantha Schwartz • Oct. 26, 2020

Trump administration funds projects to more efficiently charge and deploy electric buses

MIT, Utah State University and the Chattanooga (TN) Regional Transportation Authority each received $1.75 million grants to improve transit systems using "innovative vehicle technologies."

By Chris Teale • Oct. 26, 2020