A short-term vision for sustainable recovery

A new report from the International Energy Agency envisions a green economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, but the plan lacks long-term vision, the author writes.

By Saara Kujala • June 29, 2020

Wells Fargo signs multiyear solar energy deal with Shell as banks continue green push

The 150-megawatt purchase boosts Wells' green profile, even if the other party is an oil company. The Rainforest Action Network blasted the bank for financing $198 billion for fossil fuel companies and projects since 2015.

By Dan Ennis • June 25, 2020

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

Amazon $2B climate pledge draws praise, skepticism as total carbon footprint rises

The venture capital announcement was welcomed by developers in the clean energy space, but Green America said the company's plans are overly vague.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated June 25, 2020

Hard truths about net metering and the perils of regulatory nihilism

Due to poor retail rate design, full retail net metering as calculated today is overwhelmingly regressive, former FERC Commissioner Tony Clark says.

By Tony Clark • June 24, 2020

US localities signed 335 renewable energy deals since 2015: report

A new renewables action tracker details the energy transactions made by local governments in the last five years, and the complementing efforts to influence renewable energy policy.

By Chris Teale • June 24, 2020

LF Energy announces open source substation project to better handle variable renewables, EVs

CoMPAS should enable grid operators to manage the transition to clean energy, handling fluctuations in supply from renewable resources and demand from electric vehicles, according to LF Energy and its partners on the project.

By Guy Burdick • June 24, 2020

The truth about the future of gas: We don't need to build anymore

"Let’s clear away the myths about gas, renewables and the grid," writes UC Berkeley professor David Wooley, co-author of a recent report that said a 90% clean electricity system is feasible in the U.S. by 2035. 

By David Wooley • June 22, 2020

Much of New York City's generation needs to be displaced to reach state renewables target, agencies say

New York City accounts for about a third of the state's energy use, with nearly all of the electricity generated within the city from fossil fuels, says a report from two state agencies detailing a path to 70% renewables by 2030.

By Robert Walton • June 22, 2020

Xcel to speed up $3B in clean energy spending in response to Minnesota prompt on COVID-19 recovery

The utility plans to aid the state's economic recovery through a variety of programs, including energy efficiency, renewables and storage, that would create an estimated 5,000 jobs.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • June 19, 2020

NARUC, NASEO team up to tackle distributed solar cyber risks as vulnerabilities grow

As distributed solar grows more common — and more interconnected — the new partnership aims to identify and promote best cybersecurity practices.

By Emma Penrod • June 19, 2020

FERC schedules technical conferences on carbon pricing, offshore wind integration challenges

The meetings will examine whether the regulatory body has the legal authority to implement carbon pricing, as well as how grid operators can better address transmission concerns for offshore wind.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 19, 2020

This is not the way to move beyond net metering

If NERA succeeds, it will hand control of DER compensation to federal regulators and thereby stymie ongoing state-level efforts to realize DERs' potential benefits, the authors write.

By Justin Gundlach and Burcin Unel • June 18, 2020

SCE, Sunrun partner on solar+storage virtual power plant pilot to drive down peak demand

The utility hopes to encourage greater buildout of residential solar+storage through the initial 300 customer program.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • June 17, 2020

Vectren bucks Indiana legislature with plan to reduce coal mix 78% to 12% by 2025

The utility will add up to 1,000 MW of solar + storage, among other renewable resources, bringing its energy mix to 64% renewable energy plus demand response in the next five years.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 17, 2020

Toward a clean recovery: Rebooting the federal energy demonstration portfolio

The federal government should help fund projects that will demonstrate the real-world viability of large-scale, capital-intensive, zero-emissions technologies, an endeavor that is typically too risky for private companies to take on alone.

By Robert Rozansky and David M. Hart • June 17, 2020

Utilities remain mute on FERC net metering petition, leave filing to face overwhelming opposition

Pacific Gas and Electric, Xcel Energy, Duke Energy and others filed motions to intervene, but ultimately elected not to comment, while bipartisan federal and state political leaders, regulators and others expressed strong opposition.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 16, 2020

It's time for a green stimulus: Here's how a small Vermont utility can show the way

Burlington Electric Department has a plan to help boost local economic activity, support its customers with energy-saving technologies, and make progress on the city's Net Zero Energy goal.

By Darren Springer • June 15, 2020

Minnesota Power to reach 50% renewables in 2021 with Canadian hydropower

The utility energized a $700 million 224-mile transmission line last week that will bring 250 MW of hydropower from Manitoba to Minnesota.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 15, 2020

California regulators establish SCE, PG&E as central procurement buyers, to the dismay of CCAs

Despite the growth of community choice aggregators, regulators feared allowing numerous entities to buy small amounts of local resource adequacy would create market concerns.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • June 15, 2020

Utility-scale solar to soar in 2020, despite COVID, while coal decline accelerates, SEIA, EIA project

Solar growth is projected to be largely driven by utility-scale projects as residential installations take a larger hit due to the coronavirus pandemic.

By Catherine Morehouse • June 12, 2020

Stimulus spending on electricity decarbonization: The role of corporate renewable buyers

Recent developments in corporate renewable procurement suggest one promising strategy for aligning the political odds in favor of stimulus spending that accelerates grid-greening and renewable transitions.

By Zdravka Tzankova • June 11, 2020

Alabama regulators greenlight nearly 2 GW of gas for Southern, punt on solar+storage

Regulators said 400 MW in solar and storage facilities should be considered in a separate docket, but did approve 200 MW in demand side management programs.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • June 10, 2020

Energy storage market for microgrids may exceed $40B by 2030, Guidehouse finds

Nearly 37 GW of new energy storage for microgrids capacity is expected to be installed globally over the next 10 years, according to  a report released June 9.

By Guy Burdick • June 10, 2020

Massachusetts' Clean Peak Standard — A trailblazer in the nation's clean energy transition

As the standard comes into effect, it could play a substantial role in bringing additional clean energy technologies to the state. And adoption elsewhere could improve prospects of meeting aggressive renewable goals.

By Roger Lin • June 9, 2020

Falling renewable, storage costs make 90% carbon-free US grid feasible by 2035, UC Berkeley finds

Building out renewables and storage to achieve this target will add more than 500,000 jobs per year as well as $1.7 trillion in investments into the economy, without raising customer bills, a new report concludes.

By Kavya Balaraman • June 9, 2020