CA utilities want distributed generation to count towards renewables mandate

SCE says not including distributed renewables “picks winners and losers,” and will drive up customer costs.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 10, 2015

Inside Minnesota's disputed community solar deal

No one seems completely happy about the deal to limit the size of community solar arrays, but the market is set to expand anyway.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 9, 2015

Explore the Trendline➔

Sustainability

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

Duke Energy Renewables buys into Texas wind project powering candymaker Mars

The utility will take half of the 211 MW Mesquite Creek Wind Farm powering the production of M&Ms and Snickers.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 9, 2015

NV Energy buys utility-scale solar at record low price under 4 cents/kWh

Just last week, Austin Energy reported the cheapest solar buy ever, but that record didn't last long.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 9, 2015

Facebook ramps up renewable targets, aims for 50% by 2018

Long term, the social network turned internet giant is looking to source 100% of its power from clean generation, but leadership wouldn't name a specific date.

By Robert Walton • July 9, 2015

Dominion Virginia moving ahead with controversial unlined coal ash storage pit

The utility and Virginia environmental regulators say the pit is safe, but environmentalists doubt an unlined pit can stop toxic leakage.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 8, 2015

National Grid nets $70M in customer savings with Opower efficiency program

The demand management company helped National Grid customers shed 300 million KWh through its energy efficiency program.

By Robert Walton • July 8, 2015

NRG, Ice Energy partner on 25.6 MW of behind-the-meter storage for SCE

SCE gets the jump on other California utilities in meeting AB 2514 storage requirements.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 8, 2015

New Georgia law cuts electric car rebates, raising concern about utility EV programs

The law ends a $5,000 EV tax credit and raises today’s $2.77 per gallon gas price to $2.86.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 7, 2015

How California's biggest utilities plan to integrate distributed resources

New plans filed with state regulators show where DERs should go and how much they are worth to utilities.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 7, 2015

Duke to upgrade 36 MW storage facility to better serve Texas grid

Duke plans to replace the lead acid batteries with lithium-ion technology next year.

By Robert Walton • July 6, 2015

SolarCity adds Tesla battery to its new solar-plus-storage home product

The new offering will provide backup power now and be a grid services tool in the future, company officials say.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 6, 2015

ITC offering transmission rights for Lake Erie Connector line

Line would tranverse Lake Erie to exchange electricity resources between Canada and PJM markets

By Herman K. Trabish • July 6, 2015

HECO files with regulators to cut solar net metering rates in half

HECO also wants to up the minimum monthly bill to cover a cost shift it says costs $53 million per year.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 2, 2015

Austin Energy gets record low solar bids at under 4 cents/kWh

Solar bids are getting cheaper so quickly that the utility is asking its oversight arm to slow down approvals so it can get the best deal possible.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 2, 2015

Puerto Rico utility reaches deal with creditors as island struggles to service debt

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority funded a $415 million payment with a mix of cash and debt, while striking a deal on short-term bonds to get through the next months.

By Robert Walton • July 2, 2015

What happened when NRG Energy disrupted its own business model

The country’s biggest independent power producer is going retail with rooftop solar, EV chargers, and connected consumer products.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 1, 2015

Georgia Power unveils rooftop solar installation offering

The utility will not yet offer leasing or loan financing and the solar arrays "will not be rate based assets," an executive told Utility Dive.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 1, 2015

DOE-backed floating wind project may lose funding as utilities reject power prices

Utilities they can buy onshore wind at a quarter of the price of WindFloat’s ocean wind electricity.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 30, 2015

Study: More than half of large US businesses generate power on site

Businesses are increasingly focused on keeping down energy costs, and a growing number are generating some portion of their own electricity needs.

By Robert Walton • June 30, 2015

With Minn. approval, Wisconsin Energy and Integrys complete merger

Minnesota regulators approved the deal last week, clearing the way for two companies to combine their assets under the name WEC Energy Group.

By Robert Walton • June 30, 2015

How America's largest power company plans to become a leading renewables developer

As Duke Energy's renewables business grows, it presents unique challenges in balancing the interests of its utilities with those of its unregulated subsidiaries. 

By Gavin Bade • June 30, 2015

Grid Edge Live 2015: The trends behind the explosion in distributed resources

Billions will go to DERs in the next three years, driven by changing policies and new utility opportunities.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 29, 2015

Energy Future reaches deal to hand Oncor to creditors, but Hunt is still fighting

The agreement puts an end to the bidding war between NextEra and Hunt Consolidated.

By Gavin Bade • June 26, 2015

Google to build data center on site of retired coal plant, power it with renewables

The Widows Creek coal power plant is shutting down this fall, and Google is going to build its newest data center on the site.

By Robert Walton • June 26, 2015