Dominion questions solar, praises coal, decries carbon rules in IRP filing

Dominion has filed its Integrated Resource Plan with Virginia regulators, but warned that the federal government's Clean Power Plan leaves the company in a state of uncertainty.

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

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

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

Inside the nation's first renewables-plus-storage microgrid

San Diego Gas & Electric constructed a microgrid to serve roughly 2,800 customers in an outage-prone area. Their power may never go out again.

By Robert Walton • July 6, 2015

White House rejects biomass as carbon neutral

In a policy statement opposing House efforts to undermine environmental reforms, the Obama administration said it opposed efforts to declare forest biomass fuels as 'carbon neutral.'

By Robert Walton • July 2, 2015

Hawaiian Electric delays energy storage project

The utility confirmed that a plan to install 200 MW of battery storage will be delayed a year and is likely to come online in 2018.

By Robert Walton • July 2, 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

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

Maine lawmakers override Gov. LePage's veto of value of solar bill

Huge bipartisan majorities send “Ratepayer Focused Strategy” for solar to state regulators, while LePage looks increasingly weak.

By Herman K. Trabish • July 1, 2015

EIA: Hawaii, Vermont lead nation in aggressive renewable standards

Hawaii is targeting 100% renewable energy by 2045, while Vermont hopes tom reach 75% by 2032.

By Robert Walton • June 30, 2015

Large utilities yawn as Iowa Gov. Branstad signs solar incentive bill

The governor signed a bill last week to expand solar incentives, applies only to systems with a capacity no greater than 1.5 MW, leaving some to question if investor-owned utilities will utilize the incentive.

By Robert Walton • June 30, 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

Despite declaring energy sales illegal, Duke will connect solar array owned by third party

Energy advocates and the regulated utility are on a collision course over rules restricting the sale of energy by third parties.

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

GTM: Solar generation could be 50% higher than federal data shows

The rapid growth of rooftop solar has made accounting for the total resource base difficult.

By Robert Walton • June 30, 2015

Minn. PUC approves Xcel-solar industry deal on community shared solar

State regulators limit co-located projects to 5 MW while Xcel promises to speed approvals.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 29, 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

New York Gov. Cuomo releases REV roadmap, seeks deep GHG cuts

A new state energy plan would mandate 50% renewables and cut building energy use 23% by 2030.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 29, 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

How utilities are leveraging new software to help customers go solar

A new Clean Power Research product helps customers choose the right size and rate for rooftop solar, and pick the right finance plan.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 25, 2015

Xcel, Minnesota solar co's reach compromise on community solar size, placement

Regulators could decide today how to limit the state's community solar program, possibly capping co-located projects at 5 MW.

By Robert Walton • June 25, 2015

GTM: US microgrid capacity set to double by 2020

Driven by the falling cost of storage and state subsidies, microgrids are spreading around the country and within five years will incorporate more than 25% renewable power.

By Robert Walton • June 25, 2015

Report: Solar's value is nearly 17 cents/kWh, utilities under-compensating

Eight of 11 studies reviewed by Environment America found the value of solar energy was higher than the average local residential retail electricity rate.

By Robert Walton • June 25, 2015