PJM CEO Ott to retire amid RTO shake-up

The grid operator's Board of Managers formed a committee to search for a new CEO and approved five executive promotions proposed by Ott, who became eligible for retirement a year ago.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 29, 2019

What's the value of energy storage? Minnesota aims to find out

Storage-related provisions in the recently approved Omnibus Jobs and Energy Bill will also require utilities to consider storage in their long-term resource plans, and allow them to propose pilot projects.

By Robert Walton • May 29, 2019

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

Bloomberg to fund 'America's Pledge' report on US climate progress

The former NYC mayor will grant $2.3 million to the University of Maryland’s Center for Global Sustainability and the Rocky Mountain Institute for the study.

By Jason Plautz • May 28, 2019

Advanced technology revenues could grow $65B if market barriers removed: AEE

A new paper from Advanced Energy Economy highlights successes in growing wholesale market access for clean energy resources, while also pointing to a baker's dozen of remaining barriers to entry.

By Robert Walton • May 28, 2019

Hawaii adopts performance-based rate tools to accelerate clean energy transition

Regulators plan to issue another order in June, to develop new performance incentive mechanisms as part of an overhaul of traditional cost of service rates.

By Robert Walton • May 28, 2019

APPA: Deregulation has not achieved intended results

According to APPA's annual review of retail rates since 1997, customers in deregulated and regulated states have seen almost the exact amount of average rate increases.

By Paul Zummo • May 28, 2019

Securitization fever: Renewables advocates seize Wall Street's innovative way to end coal

New laws passed across the country allow customer-backed bonds to pay off stranded coal assets in favor of renewables, but utilities are hesitant.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 28, 2019

Ohio House advances nuclear subsidy bill, ditching renewable components

Proponents of the bill, which would give nearly $190 million a year to FirstEnergy Solutions' nuclear plants, are working to ensure the Republican vote is locked down as the legislation approaches a vote on the House floor.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 24, 2019

Senate targets nuclear, carbon capture support as pressure mounts for Republican climate response

While the Republican-led Senate is prioritizing baseload power generation and technologies that would clean up coal plants, both chambers are supporting energy storage.

By Catherine Morehouse • May 24, 2019

Storage advocates await leadership action as bipartisan bills pile up in Congress

"Senate leadership priorities depend on many moving parts ... separate from the bipartisan support that some energy storage policies have," said Energy Storage Association CEO Kelly Speakes-Backman.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 23, 2019

Texas passes first grid protection bills to boost cybersecurity monitoring and best practices

SB 475 establishes the Texas Electric Grid Security Council to develop grid security standards, prepare for grid-related security threats and amend the state emergency plan to ensure coordinated response and recovery efforts.

By HJ Mai • May 23, 2019

Carbon capture advocates, lawmakers call for effective 45Q tax credit implementation

Bipartisan legislation expanding the incentive for carbon capture technology became law more than a year ago, but so far companies have been unable to claim it.

By Robert Walton • May 22, 2019

National Grid says no new NYC gas customers until state approves pipeline

New York regulators denied a permit last week, ruling the Williams Cos' pipeline that would relieve natural gas congestion in the New York City Area could harm aquatic life.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 22, 2019

Murkowski questions need for renewables tax credits

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair questioned whether wind and solar technology could stand without the tax incentives that are phasing out or beginning to phase down at the end of the year.

By Robert Walton • May 22, 2019

Renewable energy ownership: A game plan for utilities

Utilities are pursuing models to compete with independent power producers for renewable ownership versus simply buying from them via power purchase agreements.

By Brian R. Murphy • May 22, 2019

Senators launch bipartisan initiative on long term solutions to expiring energy tax credits

Finance Committee task forces are expected to produce options by the end of June that can be enacted this year while clean energy advocates are pushing to also give storage access to tax credits.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 21, 2019

Want to know if California can make zero emissions by 2045? Here's what to watch

To reach a zero emissions economy, California needs to eliminate natural gas by regionalizing the Western grid and coordinating local and state system planning.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 21, 2019

New Hampshire Gov Sununu vetoes bill that would quintuple net metering cap

Legislators passed a bill in May to increase the cap from 1 MW to 5 MW and will now need to pass the bill by a two-thirds margin, again, to override the governor's veto.

By Catherine Morehouse • Updated June 4, 2019

When cooperative federalism becomes compulsory: FERC overreaches for storage

If FERC is empowered to do anything as broad as Order No. 841, so long as it’s a practice "affecting wholesale rates," then there are no bumpers on federal jurisdiction, because everything affects wholesale rates in some way.

By Tony Clark and Ray Gifford • May 20, 2019

FERC commissioners deny opportunity for state-by-state opt out of storage order

Chairman Neil Chatterjee said Order 841 will withstand legal scrutiny, after Commissioner Bernard McNamee brought up concerns over FERC's jurisdiction.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 17, 2019

WoodMac: Energy storage will move toward value stacking as industry matures

The global energy storage industry is experiencing significant growth, and capitalizing on all the technology's potential revenue streams will become increasingly important.

By HJ Mai • May 17, 2019

New York updates price signals to recognize full value, spur distributed energy resources

The Public Service Commission approved adjustments to standby and buyback service rates aimed at reducing peak demand and operating the electric grid more efficiently.

By Robert Walton • May 17, 2019

PG&E, Dominion, 11 other major companies push carbon tax in new climate initiative

On the same day the CEO Climate Dialogue was unveiled, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee said "a carbon tax is not the solution to address our environmental challenges."

By Robert Walton • May 17, 2019

DOE looking to save ailing Colstrip plant, fossil fuel chief tells Senate

"We're happy to work with Colstrip and see what opportunities there are to keep it open," Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy at the Department of Energy Steven Winberg told Sen. Steve Daines, R-MT.

By Catherine Morehouse • Updated May 17, 2019

PJM CEO Ott: Lowering storage durations in Order 841 response will displace demand response resources

The grid operator doesn't want to lower its 10-hour minimum storage duration requirement for capacity market participation at the risk of displacing demand response resources. 

By Iulia Gheorghiu • May 16, 2019