Eversource, United Illuminating, Connecticut Green Bank launch next phase of energy storage program

Commercial and industrial customers are eligible for upfront incentives to help reduce the cost of purchasing a battery system with a maximum incentive of 50% of the project cost.

By Stephen Singer • March 21, 2023

Treasury Department guidance urgently needed to tap IRA’s clean energy ‘gold mine,’ analysts say

Clarifications defining Inflation Reduction Act provisions on labor, domestic content, energy community, and clean hydrogen are urgently needed to put the “boldest action” by Congress to work, they say.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 16, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Virtual Power Plants

Virtual power plants and their ability to balance energy supply and demand are increasingly sought by utilities as electricity demand increases, but their lack of standardization remains a barrier.

By Utility Dive staff

Construction begins on Idaho Power’s first energy storage projects as it faces growing capacity shortfall

State regulators said “public convenience and necessity” require Idaho Power to acquire 120 MW of dispatchable energy storage.

By Stephen Singer • March 14, 2023

Energy Vault scales back 2023 revenue guidance on shift in 1-GWh customer contract

An analyst said the reduced guidance is due partly to supply chain problems and a “more thorough look” at the company’s initial two-year guidance, issued in November.

By Stephen Singer • March 9, 2023

DOE, partners announce agreement to speed commercialization of long-duration energy storage

The parties will back the DOE’s Long Duration Storage Shot that aims to reduce the cost of grid-scale energy storage by 90%.

By Stephen Singer • March 9, 2023

Energy storage made record gains in the US in 2022: Sustainable Energy in America Factbook

Despite supply-chain-related delays in project development, the U.S. remains the largest market for energy storage, said the report from BloombergNEF and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy.

By Stephen Singer • March 7, 2023

Energy storage can be a lifesaver for people with disabilities, but policymakers can do more

During climate disasters and extreme weather events, people with underlying health conditions and disabilities face global mortality rates that are four times higher than those without disabilities.

By Maria Chavez • March 6, 2023

Inside a federally-funded strategy to strengthen US lithium supply chains

The U.S. is behind in its goal to capture domestic production of battery materials. Here’s what one Energy Department-backed group says needs to happen to catch up.

By Kate Magill • March 2, 2023

DOE picks 10 winners of grid-scale storage innovation prize

Emerging technologies that disrupt or advance state-of-the-art storage research are the focus of the 10 winners of the American-Made Energy Storage Innovations Prize, which totals $300,000.

By Stephen Singer • Feb. 28, 2023

Synchronous condensers and battery energy storage form a powerful combination for grid support

Together they can stabilize the grid through increased short-circuit current, increased frequency support and system inertia, decreasing ROCOF, reactive power control and black-start capability.

Feb. 27, 2023

Federal incentives help drive $52B of investments in 17 EV battery production facilities: BofA

EV battery production capacity is expected to continue growing, according to BofA Global Research. “The orders from the new facilities are expected to be significant,” the firm said.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 23, 2023

Developing a revenue model is the next challenge as storage as a transmission asset advances: experts

Will the grid operator or utility pay for electricity not immediately discharged, asked Gabe Murtaugh, storage sector manager at CAISO. “Do we need to split this up somehow?”

By Stephen Singer • Feb. 21, 2023

New power system cybersecurity architectures can be ‘vaults’ against insider attacks, analysts say

Utility operations facing hackers now, and a future of minimally-protected distributed energy resources, will need smarter, more complex defenses, from control rooms to customer-owned devices, analysts said.

By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 17, 2023

Fire safety lags growth in utility-scale battery production, Duke Energy, other officials say

Batteries “don’t get rid of the energy,” challenging firefighters trying to extinguish a blaze, said Paul Hayes, general manager and fire protection engineer at American Fire Technologies.

By Stephen Singer • Feb. 15, 2023

200-MW Texas project is first to leverage IRA tax credit for stand-alone energy storage, Eolian says

A tax equity investment enabled by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and provided by a fund managed by Churchill Stateside Group helped make the project feasible.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 14, 2023

The US lags on battery sustainability and supply chain transparency — can a digital ‘passport’ be the answer?

A standardized means by which to track key indicators along supply chains can help the U.S. stay competitive in the race towards decarbonization while helping companies comply with new regulations.

By Emily Burlinghaus • Feb. 13, 2023

B2U reaches 25 MWh storage capacity at California facility with 1,300 used Honda and Nissan EV batteries

In addition to deploying the Honda and Nissan batteries at scale, B2U Storage Solutions said it has tested GM Bolt and Tesla Model 3 battery packs, showing that its system can be configured to operate any EV battery.

By Stephen Singer • Feb. 7, 2023

How mobile energy storage keeps corporate clean energy goals on track

Demand for clean energy is at an all-time high. Learn how corporations maintain clean energy goals with mobile energy.

Feb. 6, 2023

How inverter design contributes to long-term profitability of solar and storage

Attention is turning to lifetime system costs and how they affect the long-term profitability of large-scale DERs.

Feb. 6, 2023

ChargePoint, Stem strike EV charging and battery storage deal for highway corridor fast-charging networks

Combining charging, battery storage and AI-driven energy management will save money for EV site operators, the companies say.

By Stephen Singer • Feb. 1, 2023

‘No regrets’ approach to big batteries, green hydrogen and grid reliability urgently needed, analysts say

Advanced batteries and green hydrogen promise long-duration energy storage solutions for “net zero” system reliability, but only regulatory policy and market support can fulfill that promise, industry stakeholders say.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 31, 2023

DOE, other scientists assess alternatives to cobalt for lithium-ion batteries amid concerns

Researchers created and analyzed a material for a lithium-ion cathode that uses no cobalt and is instead rich in nickel.

By Stephen Singer • Jan. 31, 2023

A responsible supply chain and circular economy for batteries will be critical for EVs and electric utilities

Whether it’s advanced batteries for EVs or for energy storage to meet peak grid demand, foreign pressures on strategic resources and the global supply chain are directly at odds with our domestic energy policies and ambitions.

By Steve Christensen • Jan. 31, 2023

Xcel plans to install Form Energy’s multiday storage at retired coal plant sites, eyes green hydrogen pilots

The company is well-positioned to become a renewable energy exporter but needs longer-term storage solutions, officials said during a Thursday earnings call.

By Emma Penrod • Jan. 27, 2023

Demand for Tesla storage products exceeds supply as Q4 deployments rise 152% to 2.5 GWh

Tesla deployed 6.5 GWh of storage in 2022, “by far the highest level of deployments we have achieved,” the company said.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 26, 2023