Danish company proposes over 100 floating wind turbines for Hawaii

The developer says the 400 MW installation could satisfy 30% of the energy needs for Oahu, Hawaii's most populated island.

By Robert Walton • June 4, 2015

Missouri regulators indicate they will reject Grain Belt Express transmission line

3 Commissioners say the benefits of new wires don't justify granting eminent domain.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 4, 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

BLM fast tracks permitting for 3 solar projects worth 440 MW on federal land

Streamlined permitting in pre-identified development zones shows the feds can move faster.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 3, 2015

Colorado co-op proposes solar demand charges, net metering rate cut

Intermountain Rural Electric wants a net metering rate cut from $0.123 to $0.065 per kWh.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 3, 2015

Growing public utility Sonoma Clean Power ousts PG&E from county

Three more communities in Sonoma County, Calif., have made the clean energy agency their default provider.

By Robert Walton • June 3, 2015

Central Hudson rate case will test REV rules on distributed resources

Central Hudson Gas & Electric included distributed energy resources in its new rate case, causing independent generators to question whether it violates state rules.

By Robert Walton • June 3, 2015

Inside Minnesota's legislative battle over utility rate structures and solar

A special legislative session is in the offing after the veto of a controversial rate structure bill.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 3, 2015

How the EPA Clean Power Plan will transform the US energy system

Carbon regulations will mean huge changes for solar, but how fast the market grows will depend on a number of policy choices and economic conditions.  

By Gavin Bade • June 3, 2015

How utilities can thrive through the 'all-encompassing evolution' of the grid

Over the next two decades, Navigant Research believes the global power distribution system will be fundamentally changed in ways that require utilities to re-examine their traditional business models.

By Robert Walton • June 2, 2015

PA regulators propose net metering cap at 200% of system owner's demand

Commission sees the need to limit net metered generation before it burdens the system

By Herman K. Trabish • June 2, 2015

Ballot initiative, falling costs, energy storage drive Florida utilities into solar

The right policies could make the Sunshine State a solar state, activists say.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 2, 2015

Texas renewables mandate repeal bill flounders in state House

Sen. Troy Fraser's SB 931 to end the Texas renewables mandate and defund a transmission build out is going nowhere.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 1, 2015

Kansas ends 20% renewables mandate, replaces it with voluntary goal

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback signed the bill last week, following a compromise between several different stakeholder groups.

By Robert Walton • June 1, 2015

What's solar worth? Inside Arizona utilities' push to reform net metering rates

APS and TEP want to boost the amount they can recover from solar owners when they reduce the electricity they buy from utilities.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 1, 2015

SCE&G, Duke reach settlements to add 190 MW of solar in South Carolina

SCE&G will add 84 MW, and Duke will construct 106 MW, each split equally between utility-scale installments, and residential, C&I, and community solar projects.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 29, 2015

Minnesota regulators approve state's largest solar project for Xcel

The Aurora Solar Project will generate 100 MW from 21 locations around the state.

By Robert Walton • May 29, 2015

How climate change threatens the Western grid, and what to do about it

Current estimates of reserve margins could be as much as 25% off, according to new research.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 29, 2015

Weak winds in Q1 hit utilities, developers in their pocketbooks

But, analysts say increased accuracy of long-term forecasts for bigger wind projects eases the short term concerns. 

By Herman K. Trabish • May 28, 2015

US Sens. Heinrich, King introduce national storage mandate legislation

The proposal would establish an energy storage portfolio standard for utilities, and would allow them to meet the goals with any combination of technologies.

By Robert Walton • May 28, 2015

Inside Hawaii activists' push to ditch HECO and transform the utility business model

Doubts about the NextEra merger are fueling calls for a co-op or muni for each island.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 28, 2015

Updated: Georgia Power moving into rooftop solar market this summer

The Southern Co. subisidary is looking to move into the market once a new third party ownership law is instituted in July.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 28, 2015

Westar Energy backs new 200 MW Kansas wind farm

The buy brings Kansas' largest utility to nearly 1,300 MW of renewable generation.

By Robert Walton • May 28, 2015

Buffett's BHE Renewables buys 655 MW of wind, 7 solar projects

Warren Buffett's unregulated renewables subsidiary acquires Nebraska, Minnesota, and Illinois holdings from Geronimo Energy.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 27, 2015

Nevada utility-solar compromise could raise state's net metering cap

The amended bill allows for 235 MW of more net metered solar and asks regulators for a long-term fix.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 27, 2015

SNL: Utility-scale solar installations plummet in Q1, rebound expected

The United States is in the midst of a solar boom, but you would not know it to look at first quarter utility-scale installation figures.

By Robert Walton • May 26, 2015