Fitch: Utility sector well postioned to manage near-term risks

Low gas prices will help electric cooperatives mitigate the impacts of environmental regulations.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 15, 2014

How utilities can plan for the future of transmission and distributed generation

PA Consulting’s Ron Norman explains how to choose a route to the grid’s future.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 14, 2014

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

PG&E CEO: A price on carbon can be good for utilities

A price on carbon would drive EV growth which would boost utility revenues.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 14, 2014

NREL partners with GE, EPRI on microgrid deployment project

Scientists will examine microgrids’ impacts on grid reliability during extreme weather.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 11, 2014

SolarCity partners with BofA for $400M solar financing program

Funding is expected to boost SolarCity’s sector-leading one-third market share of residential solar.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 11, 2014

Eggnog and efficiency: How the holiday season affects utilities

Holiday efficiency tips seem like small savings next to credit card bills that come due in January, but utilities say they can add up and keep demand down.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 11, 2014

How power companies can get to Utility 2.0 and beyond

New distributed generation and a new distribution system are at the heart of a whole new way to make and sell electricity.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 11, 2014

EIA: Rise in coal use in 2014 foreshadows a coming decline

EPA regulations and the falling price of natural gas seem are main contributors to the decline.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 10, 2014

First Solar buys into CEC, the leading U.S. community solar developer

The move puts one of the world’s biggest utility-scale developers into distributed solar.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 10, 2014

Maryland PSC staff urges conditions on Exelon-Pepco merger

Ratepayer and environmental advocates warn the deal could give the combined utility too much power while yielding few consumer benefits.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 10, 2014

U.S. solar grew 1.3 GW in Q3 to 16.1 GW

Q3 2014’s 1,354 megawatts, a 41% jump over Q3 2013, took U.S. PV to 16.1 gigawatts

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 9, 2014

Regulators approve Duke proposal to invest $500M in solar

Duke will build 128 MW of solar and contract for 150 MW to meet the NC renewables mandate.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 9, 2014

How virtual net metering will save low income Massachusetts residents $60 million

SunEdison is working with 16 housing authorities to supply solar energy below the prevailing cost of electricity.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 9, 2014

Accenture: Distributed generation and efficiency could slash utility revenues $48B

Most utility executives believe it will not be cost-effective for consumers to go off-grid without any subsidies until 2030 or beyond.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 9, 2014

Survey: Calif. advanced energy economy approaching half a million jobs

40,000 advanced energy businesses span the value chain from energy efficiency to energy storage.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 5, 2014

SunPower CEO: Low oil prices won't stop solar

The solar value proposition is too good to be undercut by the oil market, Tom Werner says.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 5, 2014

Critical Senate committee supportive of Obama's FERC nominee

Collette Honorable, a Democrat serving as chair of the Arkansas Public Service Commission, appears to have bipartisan support to serve as a FERC commissioner.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 5, 2014

Reactor trip takes Ameren's Callaway nuke offline

There was no danger to the public and officials are investing the cause of the irregularity.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 5, 2014

House responds to Obama veto threat with one-year wind PTC extension

The horse trading for a tax extenders package has just begun.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 4, 2014

Maryland PSC approves higher fees for smart grid opt-outs

BGE will consider charging more to customers who ignore multiple smart grid inquiries.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 4, 2014

Is the Kansas renewable standard in jeopardy?

After the midterm elections, Kansas House of Representatives may have enough conservative votes to overturn the state's green mandates.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 4, 2014

Study: Many utility customers would turn to Google or SolarCity for better services

Dissatisfaction with utilities rose from 43% to 55% in 18 months, according to a Shelton Group survey.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 3, 2014

Ariz. muni SRP proposes higher fixed charges for solar customers

SRP claims it is losing $51 per month to solar customers that non-solar owners have to cover.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 3, 2014

Florida utilities want ratepayers to foot the bill for gas exploration

The state's deputy public counsel says proposals to invest in shale gas should not be approved at ratepayer expense.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 3, 2014

NextEra Energy to buy Hawaiian Electric

The deal may offer NextEra the opportunity to solve utility death spiral issues—well before they hit the mainland.

By Davide Savenije • Dec. 3, 2014