The week in 5 numbers: DOE slashes clean energy funding following coal ‘investment’

Plus PJM’s data center woes, record storage deployment and new generation additions.

By Meris Lutz • Oct. 3, 2025

Utility conferences to watch in 2026

See our annual list of notable power-sector conferences where industry leaders will share knowledge in a rapidly-changing landscape. 

By Meris Lutz • Oct. 1, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Distributed Energy Resource Growth

Utilities' traditional reliance on large power plants is shifting to a model that includes distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar, battery storage, smart appliances electric vehicles.

By Utility Dive staff

Data center demand drives 33% jump in VPP deployments: Wood Mackenzie

But virtual power plant capacity rose more slowly than deployments last year, highlighting barriers to broader adoption, WoodMac said.

By Brian Martucci • Sept. 22, 2025

The future of virtual power plants is technology agnostic

Interoperability is crucial for deploying certain consumer technologies efficiently at scale, writes Molly Podolefsky, a managing director at Clarum Advisors.

By Molly Podolefsky • Sept. 19, 2025

Xendee and Eaton partner to expand microgrid solutions for facility, campus managers

Eaton took a minority stake in the microgrid optimization platform as part of the deal, which Xendee said would add services and functionality for microgrid designers, developers and end users.

By Brian Martucci • Sept. 9, 2025

Prominent groups launch coalition around distributed energy resources

Common Charge, under the leadership of acting Executive Director Katherine Hamilton, seeks to “drive consumers and policymakers to unlock the full potential of distributed assets."

By Meris Lutz • Sept. 3, 2025

The cheapest power plant is in your home

Households can help prevent blackouts and lower energy bills if we plan smarter and reward people for using power at the right time.

By Paul Hines • Aug. 25, 2025

Managed EV charging could generate $30B in annual savings by 2035: report

Carefully managing electric vehicle demand could cut all U.S. electric bills by 10% annually, regardless of whether a customer owns an EV, according to new research from ev.energy.

By Robert Walton • Updated Aug. 27, 2025

California’s virtual power plant could save $206M by 2028: Brattle

Advocates say the taxpayer-funded Demand Side Grid Support program is critical to reducing energy costs and managing the California grid, but it faces an uncertain future.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 20, 2025

Utilities: Don’t lose out on advanced metering infrastructure with a short-term vision

There is a revolution of grid-connected devices in the making, writes Laura Sherman, president of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council.

By Laura Sherman • Aug. 20, 2025

Multidirectional flows of power and information are the grid’s future

In the frenzy to meet rising energy demand, utilities and others often overlook the value of power system innovations, industry participants say.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 12, 2025

3 Arizona utilities set peak demand records

After years of stagnant demand growth, rising electricity consumption is showing up on the U.S. power grid.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 12, 2025

Sunrun battery attachment rate hits 70%, up 54% from year ago

Executives with the largest U.S. home energy systems installer said Sunrun is doubling down on energy storage and grid services to offset the loss of federal tax credits for residential solar arrays.

By Brian Martucci • Aug. 8, 2025

Solutions to the energy talent gap are hiding in plain sight

To meet clean energy hiring challenges, employers will benefit from working toward a strategic, industrywide vision for attracting talent.

By Janell Hills-Thomas and Courtney Haynes • Aug. 8, 2025

Move fast, adapt faster: A distributed generation playbook for turbulent times

Distributed generation can go from development to construction to operation in months, not years, even under compressed timelines.

By Goksenin “Goksi” Ozturkeri • Aug. 4, 2025

Aggregations and data centers: If a resource shows up when the grid is straining, make it count.

Allow AI data centers to participate in grid stress management, and the capital will flow to the solutions that enable flexible, grid-supportive outcomes.

By Arushi Sharma Frank • July 31, 2025

Data center flexibility can save money but may come with higher emissions: MIT

In Texas, where renewable energy is booming, data center emissions fell by up to 40% in the MIT modeling of flexible data center workloads. In other regions, however, emissions rose.

By Robert Walton • July 30, 2025

Reimagining the grid for the 21st century with virtual power plants

Why should we pay for new utility power plants when VPPs can meet our grid’s needs at far less cost?

By Richard Boehnke • July 28, 2025

Data centers seek flexible power solutions for resilience, sustainability

Flexible battery- or generator-based solutions can help data centers power up faster, reduce grid impacts and keep their owners’ sustainability goals within reach, experts say.

By Brian Martucci • July 25, 2025

Microgrid ‘energy parks’ could ease strain from rising power demand, report says

Several such sites are already in the works, including the $1 billion Meitner Project in Texas, which is developing wind, solar and hydrogen resources.

By Diana DiGangi • July 23, 2025

Booming solar and storage are propping up Puerto Rico’s grid this summer

What started as a modest pilot program is now the first virtual power plant of its kind in the region, advocates say.

By Meris Lutz • July 22, 2025

So you’re thinking about buying an electric school bus

From working with a utility to choosing a charger, five insights to improve the decision-making.

By Linda Margison, Ryan Henderson and Linda Stevens • July 16, 2025

Georgia Power’s new IRP keeps coal plants online to serve data centers

The integrated resource plan approved by regulators on Tuesday also calls for up to 4,000 MW of renewable resources by 2035 and more than 1,500 MW of storage.

By Robert Walton • July 16, 2025

Minnesota county faces challenge in decarbonizing well-maintained district energy system

Hennepin County “has done too good of a job” maintaining its 15-building steam and chilled water loops, leaving little room for incremental improvements, the project’s engineering consultant said at an industry conference.

By Brian Martucci • July 1, 2025

Electrical manufacturers publish ‘digital substation’ standards

“There are interoperability questions and there's a need for technical guidance for utilities interested in installing these ... self healing grid technologies,” NEMA Senior Vice President Patrick Hughes said.

By Robert Walton • June 27, 2025