PG&E announces microgrid awards for $43M as Sunrun joins its 2025 VPP

The nine microgrid projects will serve about 9,000 customers in disadvantaged or vulnerable Northern California communities, the utility said.

By Brian Martucci • April 2, 2025

Where battery and hydrogen-powered trains are coming to US commuter rail

Three global train manufacturers with zero-emission trains operating in Europe are vying for U.S. contracts.

By Dan Zukowski • April 1, 2025

Utilities should develop data center tariffs to protect consumers, decarbonize: SWEEP

Rising data center electricity demands threaten utility decarbonization efforts, potentially requiring fossil fuel generation and pulling renewables away from other electrification efforts, per a Southwest Energy Efficiency Project report.

By Robert Walton • March 28, 2025

GM Energy joins PG&E bidirectional EV charging pilot in California

Certain electric vehicle owners are now eligible for discounts on charging equipment that can be used to power homes during blackouts.

By Kalena Thomhave • March 28, 2025

Schneider Electric to invest $700M in US manufacturing

The investment will help expand production of electric grid equipment and research into microgrids and AI-driven automation.

By Kate Magill • March 27, 2025

Span unveils at-the-meter load control device for utilities

The SPAN Edge device will be used in a Pacific Gas & Electric residential customer virtual power plant this year.

By Ethan Howland • March 26, 2025

Renew Home to roll out new VPP features this summer

Renew Home will work with energy providers to incorporate up-to-date tariffs and grid or capacity constraints into an aggregated resource that can dispatch within five minutes, the company said.

By Brian Martucci • March 25, 2025

DOE withdraws, postpones multiple appliance energy efficiency rules

“We are returning freedom of choice to the American people,” Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said in a statement. Appliance efficiency advocates warn the agency is in “uncharted territory.”

By Robert Walton • March 25, 2025

Building performance standards set to proliferate, evolve in 2025

State and local governments continue to develop building standards that draw on existing frameworks and implement new metrics for measuring performance. 

By Joe Burns • March 25, 2025

UAlbany decarbonization project to cut fossil fuel consumption 16%

With geothermal wells, heat recovery and chiller replacements, the university will be able to shut off its gas-fired boilers during the summer, it says.

By Joe Burns • March 24, 2025

MISO proposes demand response rule changes to stem market fraud, gaming

The proposal is in response to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission enforcement actions involving Voltus, Ketchup Caddy, Big River Steel and Linde.

By Ethan Howland • March 24, 2025

Times demand a first-“rate” approach to affordability

Learn how the right tools can enable more rate options, helping utilities control costs and customers afford their bills.

By Julia Friedman, Director of Regulatory Affairs and Market Development, Oracle Utilities • March 24, 2025

Cloud data centers get bigger, denser amid AI building boom

AWS, Microsoft and Google accounted for 59% of all hyperscale compute capacity as the number of large facilities grew to more than 1,100 last year, Synergy Research Group said.

By Matt Ashare • March 21, 2025

Nissan, SK On announce $661M EV battery supply deal

The automaker will use the batteries for electric vehicles manufactured at its assembly plant in Mississippi.

By Kelly Stroh • March 20, 2025

Utility energy efficiency investment hit record $8.8B in 2023: ACEEE

Utilities are investing more than ever to reduce bills and cut emissions, but the increases are concentrated in just a few states, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy concluded in its policy scorecard. 

By Robert Walton • March 19, 2025

Schneider Electric, NVIDIA, ETAP collaboration set to advance data center efficiency, operations

The digital twins will analyze inputs, like those from mechanical, thermal and electrical systems, to help operators manage data center facilities in real-time, the companies say.

By Joe Burns • March 18, 2025

California PUC approves battery storage safety rules

The rules require battery storage facility owners to develop emergency response and emergency action plans.

By Robert Walton • March 17, 2025

Utilities should consider heat pump-specific rates to encourage adoption: ACEEE

Winter discounts and technology-specific electric rates can help homeowners save money with heat pumps, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy said.

By Robert Walton • March 12, 2025

21 House Republicans oppose cutting clean energy credits to pay for tax cuts

“Both our constituencies and the energy industry alike remain concerned about disruptive changes to our nation’s energy tax structure,” the letter led by Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., said.

By Lamar Johnson • March 11, 2025

Amazon expands use of in-house AI tools to conserve water, reduce energy use

The tools have helped identify underground water leaks, faulty energy meters and malfunctioning refrigeration equipment at its facilities, the company says.

By Brian Martucci • March 11, 2025

Avista, PG&E, Ameren AI demonstrations show great potential – but are other utilities ready?

New artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms can optimize complexities across the power system if utilities and regulators can make data more accessible — and protect it, experts say.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 7, 2025

Massachusetts cuts $500M from state’s energy efficiency program

Eversource Energy thanked state regulators “for listening to customer concerns about affordability and taking the difficult action.”

By Robert Walton • March 5, 2025

Massachusetts to deploy 100 bidirectional EV chargers in first-of-its-kind ‘V2X’ pilot

The program is available for residential, commercial, municipal and school customers and could add 1.5 MW of flexible grid capacity by September 2026, program partners said.

By Brian Martucci • March 4, 2025

10 years of grid modernization: Major progress, stubborn challenges

Improving energy affordability and grid reliability can guide the way on modernizing the grid for tomorrow’s challenges, according to Grid Forward’s Bryce Yonker.

By Bryce Yonker • Feb. 28, 2025

Grid equipment manufacturers anticipate 2% annual US load growth through 2050

Federal policy and incentives will play a key role in meeting the demand, according to National Electrical Manufacturers Association CEO Debra Phillips.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 26, 2025