Distributed Energy: Page 9
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Data centers, EVs drive PJM's long-term load growth forecast, but it expects some utilities to see declines
However, the grid operator on Friday trimmed its forecast for its next capacity auction year by 0.5%, reflecting slower than expected load growth.
By Ethan Howland • Jan. 4, 2022 -
Deep Dive
Duke, SCE, other grid modernization proposals faced big cost questions, more regulator scrutiny in 2021
Regulators facing new climate and reliability urgencies and nearly 500 grid modernization proposals are more often favoring phased advances toward a smarter system.
By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 4, 2022 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Kevork Djansezian via Getty ImagesTrendlineSustainability
Companies are pursuing increasingly ambitous sustainability goals around clean energy, but integrating rising amounts of renewables, minimizing environmental impacts, and achieving carbon reduction targets can be challenging.
By Utility Dive staff -
Component shortages hit EVs as Class 8 orders plummet
While a traditional truck needs up to 500 semiconductors, an electric one could require up to 5,000.
By Amanda Loudin • Dec. 14, 2021 -
California's proposed net energy metering update could hit distributed solar hard, industry warns
The solar industry said the changes proposed by the California Public Utilities Commission — including reducing monthly savings and adding new fees — would put rooftop solar out of reach for millions of the state's residents.
By Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 14, 2021 -
Deep Dive
New York’s landmark Reforming the Energy Vision framework remains both vital and unfinished, analysts say
New York's REV initiatives have given full value to distributed energy resources, but the utility business model transformation must be finished, regulators and other stakeholders agreed.
By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 9, 2021 -
Schroeder, Dennis. (2017). "Ivanpah Solar Project". Retrieved from NREL.
Nuclear and carbon capture companies seek $20B as DOE revives loan program
DOE loan office head Jigar Shah said he would like the office to issue at least $2 billion in loans for key emerging sectors, such as battery recycling and "green" hydrogen.
By Ethan Howland • Dec. 8, 2021 -
Duke net metering agreement with renewables advocates expected to increase North Carolina solar adoption
Clean energy advocates expect the proposed rates, similar to a Duke plan approved in South Carolina, to expand the distributed solar market for homeowners and businesses.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 1, 2021 -
Opinion
At the forefront: The biggest state clean energy legislative trends of 2021
States continue to act as laboratories of innovation, taking unique policy approaches and testing their own solutions to various clean energy policy issues, the author writes.
By Autumn Proudlove • Nov. 24, 2021 -
Opinion
Can the DOE's community solar target to power 5M homes be met? Not without state-level support
Without putting forth the resources and rewarding effective blueprints to pull off a monumental scaling effort of community solar, the DOE's new targets will not be met, the author writes.
By Mike Gordon • Nov. 24, 2021 -
Column
Taking Charge: Mary Powell on her new gig at Sunrun and the importance of ‘radical collaboration’
The former Green Mountain Power CEO says she's now in a seat "where I can scale solutions to climate change so much faster than even the most progressive, innovative utility in the country."
By Kavya Balaraman • Nov. 16, 2021 -
Officials urge flexibility, transmission upgrades to accommodate storage and DER buildout
Transmission is "just critical" to ensuring reliability and value for new resources, says EDF Renewable North America's Jamie Link.
By Jason Plautz • Nov. 5, 2021 -
Opinion
Stopping the utility profit grab and saving rooftop solar in California
We can dispense with the utility campaign's "cost shift" myth. It's based on bad math that does not account for the grid-stabilizing investment solar consumers make in their own systems and other factors, the author writes.
By Dave Rosenfeld • Nov. 4, 2021 -
Deep Dive
Unlocking the Transition: As Tesla, Ford and others invest billions in EVs, will the power system be ready?
The new White House zero emission vehicle target of 50% of new car sales by 2030 has a long way to go, a short time to get there, and big challenges along the way.
By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 3, 2021 -
Maine explores rate design changes to boost storage, EV deployment
The state must deploy 400 MW of energy storage by 2030, prompting regulators to explore time-of-use rates and other structures that could encourage residential and commercial deployment.
By Jason Plautz • Oct. 28, 2021 -
10 cleantech startups to watch
The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator fall 2021 cohort has companies whose efforts range from wildfire prevention to transportation electrification. CEO Matt Petersen discusses challenges startups face in working with the public sector.
By Cailin Crowe • Oct. 25, 2021 -
Sponsored by Camus Energy
For co-ops and munis, how early is too early for next-gen grid investments?
Learn why it may be better to wait to invest in a DERMS and which no-regrets investment you should make instead.
Oct. 25, 2021 -
Rocky Mountain Power's distributed battery grid management system puts Utah 'years ahead' of California
The program, which currently only supports sonnen batteries, encourages existing Utah solar customers to add energy storage that provides greater grid management capabilities for the utility.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Oct. 14, 2021 -
Extending Dominion's Millstone nuclear plant a 'critical' part of path to zero carbon, Connecticut finds
Connecticut's new Integrated Resources Plan finds the state's decarbonization goals are achievable. But it will require the expanded use of energy storage and demand management and continued reliance on nuclear energy.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 11, 2021 -
Deep Dive
As California's solar net metering battle goes to regulators, a focus on reliability may be the best answer
The reliability value of solar plus storage in ensuring resource adequacy might be the key to solar's future, according to Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies Executive Director V. John White.
By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 1, 2021 -
Opinion
How the Resilient Energy Subscription market mechanism will help finance community microgrids
The Clean Coalition is working with a Pacific Northwest utility to implement the approach, which could be followed as a standard for financing community microgrids around the country, the author writes.
By Craig Lewis • Sept. 22, 2021 -
New York nearly doubles goal for distributed solar installations on success of existing incentives
Building on the success of its NY-Sun program, the state will aim to install at least 10 GW of distributed solar energy by 2030, after previously setting a goal of 6 GW by 2025.
By Emma Penrod • Sept. 21, 2021 -
Deep Dive
Advancing the energy transition requires an honest discussion of costs, outages and land, analysts say
Customers will tolerate the power system transformation's problems and challenges if they understand stakeholders will be "careful about the transition," one analyst said.
By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 20, 2021 -
DOE funds $25M consortium to develop grid-scale inverters, standards
Decarbonized energy systems could use large-scale inverters to drive the grid. A new federally-funded consortium aims to develop the technology by 2035.
By Emma Penrod • Sept. 8, 2021 -
Tesla plan to sell electricity in Texas would cut out the 'middleman'
The company's move to leverage its solar and storage buildout could make it a unique player in Texas' electricity market, one analyst said.
By Jason Plautz • Sept. 1, 2021 -
Residential electric panels represent a nearly $100B 'roadblock' to full electrification, report finds
Up to 48 million U.S. homes may require electric panel upgrades in order to charge electric vehicles or switch away from appliances now running on natural gas or other fossil fuels, according to research from Pecan Street.
By Robert Walton • Aug. 31, 2021