Solar, energy efficiency to drive drops in load, peak demand over next 10 years, ISO-NE says

The region remains energy constrained, but the grid operator expects to have sufficient resources to meet electricity demand through 2028.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 1, 2019

Alliant Energy to add 1 GW of solar in Wisconsin by end of 2023

The utility teased out plans for its coal generation fleet in its clean energy plan, issued Oct. 31, and will release more information in early 2020.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 1, 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

Massachusetts to hit 1.6 GW offshore wind requirement with 804 MW from Mayflower Wind project

State officials said the combined energy output of the offshore wind projects selected so far represents approximately 12% of the annual energy demand.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 31, 2019

How utilities wield bad science to stunt clean energy

Big utilities are pulling out all the stops to block a transformational shift to planet-friendly power, two renewable energy advocates write.

By Greer Ryan and Emma Searson • Oct. 31, 2019

Austin SHINES: A working model for managing solar from both sides of the meter

See how we're revolutionizing the way utilities view and utilize the influx of distributed energy resources entering the grid.

Oct. 31, 2019

11 attorneys general urge FERC to respect state energy rights

Federal regulators must "promote market design choices that appropriately recognize the rights of states under the Federal Power Act to shape their resource mixes," they write.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 29, 2019

Report debunks contention that increased renewables worsen air quality

Scientists were concerned the frequent start and stop of gas plants filling in for intermittent resources in California were increasing overall air emissions, but found such operations are still cutting pollutants.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 28, 2019

Adding renewables and storage in LA is hard. Clean Power Alliance wants to change that.

Community choice aggregators like Clean Power Alliance are looking for local energy resources, but that has proven difficult in congested metropolitan areas where space is very expensive, such as Los Angeles County.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Oct. 25, 2019

Largest planned wind farm in US gets key federal approval

The Chokecherry and Sierra Madre wind farm, years in the making, would send 2,500 MW to 3,000 MW of wind power to California.

By Matthew Bandyk • Oct. 25, 2019

Amazon announces 265 MW in new solar, wind as part of 100% renewables pledge

Two of the three projects will be U.S.-based and the third is set to be the largest corporate power purchase agreement in the U.K.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 25, 2019

Tesla earnings surprise includes storage, solar growth

A surprise profit sent shares soaring. Beyond vehicle sales growth and cost cutting, the company boasted record 477 MWh storage installations and rebounding solar in Q3.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 24, 2019

Global offshore wind prices drop 32%: BloombergNEF

Benchmark prices hit $78/MWh for the second half of 2019, while prices for onshore wind, solar and storage all decreased as well.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 24, 2019

Utilities' failure to plan for DER surge promises missed opportunities, increased costs, analysts say

Utilities can use skyrocketing customer-owned DER to balance rising penetrations of variable renewables on their systems, if they take on the big work of distribution system planning.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 24, 2019

California urges energy providers procure additional 4 GW to avoid potential shortages starting in 2021

The procurement proceeding, part of an effort to overhaul utility integrated resource planning in the state, also recommends compliance extensions necessary to keep several once-through cooling units online.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 24, 2019

Lack of mega deals pressures quarterly utility M&A value to lowest since Q2 2017: PwC

While deal value in the North American utility sector declined to $7 billion in Q3, those deals reflect the diversity of opportunity in the energy sector, according to PwC analysis.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 24, 2019

State clean energy policies are upending generation risk profiles. Here's what you need to know.

Several factors are driving accelerated demand for renewables, and some of those factors may benefit more efficient, existing natural gas-fired assets in the near- to medium-term, three energy market experts from PA Consulting write.

By Ryan Hardy, Salem Esber and Dan Esposito • Oct. 23, 2019

New York climate law to drive $115B in utility-scale resource investment by 2040, report finds

As the state transitions from gas-dominated generation, solar and wind would make up 39% of New York’s energy capacity by 2030, and 83% by 2040, according to Energy Ventures Analysis. 

By Lynn Freehill-Maye • Oct. 23, 2019

Software's value to banks in an expanding solar industry

Price declines and significant improvements in technology have combined with increased financing sophistication to make large solar projects economically attractive.   

Oct. 23, 2019

DTE, Consumers Energy push back on Michigan legislators' plan to rewrite 2016 energy law

The 2016 statute "created needless challenges and roadblocks for the solar industry," according to one lawmaker, but Consumers says newly proposed legislation would unfairly create subsidies for private solar ownership.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 23, 2019

Hanging with the lab rats: NREL researchers lay groundwork to accelerate US clean energy transition

The DOE lab is examining the impacts of "turbulence" on wind turbines as well as how to integrate battery storage systems and hydrogen alongside electric vehicle technologies.

By Gloria Gonzalez • Oct. 22, 2019

Distributed solar to drive global renewable growth 50% by 2024: IEA

In its latest forecast, the International Energy Agency predicts a 1,200 GW increase in global renewable capacity from 2019 through 2024, with solar accounting for 60% of the rise.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 22, 2019

231 mayors ask Congress for solar tax credit extension

The bipartisan group is requesting a five-year extension of the solar Investment Tax Credit, which they say could bring 113,000 jobs and $87 billion in economic investment by 2030.

By Cailin Crowe • Oct. 22, 2019

Virginia signs largest state renewable energy contract in US with 420 MW Dominion deal

The utility will deliver the energy from a 75 MW wind project and four proposed solar projects, totaling 345 MW over the next three years.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 21, 2019

Duke VP likens gas plant buildout strategy to 15-year home mortgage on path to zero carbon

How the utility will manage its gas assets in a 2040 scenario is "an accounting question ... not a technological question," and one of many perceived risks as the utility heads toward 2050, according to its Vice President of State Policy.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 18, 2019

As PPA price drops slow for wind and solar, developers see PJM, ERCOT as top markets

Wind prices rose in Q3 across several U.S. markets, and developers are increasingly feeling the pressure of declining tax credits, according to LevelTen, which also sees strong potential in MISO.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Oct. 17, 2019