Arkansas' solar future hangs in the balance as PSC begins net metering review

A familiar debate is shaping up in Arkansas as regulators tackle compensation requirements for rooftop solar customers. 

By Krysti Shallenberger • Oct. 24, 2016

AMS installs 3.65 MW of battery storage at California water agency

Water treatment facilities are prime targets for battery storage due to high electricity consumption and the opportunity to cut demand charges. 

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 24, 2016

Explore the Trendline➔

Distributed Energy Resource Growth

Distributed energy resources, including rooftop solar, battery storage and electric vehicles, are experiencing significant growth in the U.S. as the power sector evolves to a cleaner, less centralized future.

By Utility Dive staff

Hawaiian Electric rolls out TOU rate pilot program

The utility is beginning to sign customers up for a rate program designed to incentivize the consumption of solar energy during midday hours.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 24, 2016

Why Arizona's long-awaited value of solar schemes please no one

A year of hearings and a new recommended order leave the ACC right where it began — with utilities and solar at odds and an election looming.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 24, 2016

Zinc-battery storage developer Eos Energy raises $23M in funding

The uptick in funding showcases the growing interest in energy storage space beyond lithium ion battery storage. 

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 20, 2016

Keep it simple, states: Community solar developers say complex regulations stifle growth

Community solar is supposed to be a renewable energy panacea, but developers say extensive rules could constrain deployment in major markets.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 20, 2016

Fitch: Battery technology set to disrupt oil industry, boost renewables, autos

A new report from Fitch Ratings warns of disruption from advances in battery technology, particularly in transportation. 

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 20, 2016

Inching closer to climate goals, New York contracts for 300 EV charging stations

The state's ChargeNY program seeks to bring 3,000 charging stations online in the state by 2018.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 20, 2016

New Illinois interconnection standards could spur solar power

New interconnection standards in Illinois could spur solar power growth.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 19, 2016

PG&E teams up with Green Charge for aggregated grid storage project

Green Charge will develop and aggregate energy storage systems in San Jose to evaluate how they can support the grid during periods of high electric demand.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 19, 2016

How the coming boom in electric and self-driving vehicles will transform the grid

A new BNEF report imagines a world where fleets of autonomous electric vehicles provide services to the grid, but getting there requires utilities to be proactive. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 19, 2016

Time & place: How a new locational DER metric helps utilities defer grid investments

Central Hudson is using a simplified valuation scheme to deploy pilots and integrate distributed resources into utility planning.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 18, 2016

Will FERC toughen standards for energy M&A? What's behind the agency's market power review

FERC wants to account for incentives to exert market power, not just companies' ability to do so.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 18, 2016

Amid IPO rumors, Sonnen secures $85M in equity capital

The German storage company announced a new round of funding as Bloomberg reported it is considering an IPO filing in the next two years.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 18, 2016

Report: Tesla needs $12.5B through 2018 to fund SolarCity deal

Shareholders will vote next month on the company's proposed acquisition of SolarCity.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 17, 2016

Amid rancorous solar rate debate, APS first non-California utility to surpass 1 GW of solar capacity

APS says it has invested a total of about $2 billion in solar power.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 12, 2016

Solar split: How a new petition is dividing rooftop and utility-scale installers in SEIA

Rooftop installers want a bigger voice in the trade group, but leaders on both sides stress unity is still the priority. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 12, 2016

Spanish researchers explore molten silicon for more efficient solar energy storage

Molten silicon could be prove to be a cheaper and more abundant storage medium than the molten salt used in most CSP plants.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 11, 2016

Pew: Renewable energy enjoys wide support while fossil fuels divide national opinion

The overwhelming majority of Americans support development of more wind and solar energy, but less than half want new fracking, coal mining or offshore drilling.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 10, 2016

Stem connects Hawaii's largest behind-the-meter storage at theme park

Hawaii's plentiful solar generation and high electricity prices make storage especially appealing, but large BTM batteries are catching on in other states as well.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 10, 2016

Report: Fuel cell maker Bloom Energy quietly files IPO

The company reportedly filed a private IPO under a process sometimes used to attract interest for an acquisition. 

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 10, 2016

Maryland's REV: How utility regulators plan to tackle business model, DER reforms

New York and California have begun broad reviews of how the utility sector operates, but both those states operate their own marketplace. Maryland must deal with PJM, potentially complicating its transformation.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 10, 2016

Report: RWE renewables spinoff Innogy targets US in global expansion plans

Innogy, listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange for the first time last week, is eyeing electric vehicle charging and grid modernization efforts in the U.S., according to a German weekly.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 10, 2016

Solar group: Georgia Power not on track to meet 100 MW solar target by year's end

The Georgia Solar Energy Industries Association says the utility stopped evaluating and awarding projects last month.

By Peter Maloney • Oct. 7, 2016

Hawaii solar sector on the 'brink of collapse' as employment dips 42%

Hawaiian Electric Co. has reached caps on the grid-supply program that replaced net metering, meaning new customers no longer have an option to sell excess capacity back to the grid. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 7, 2016