IREC launches project to tackle storage interconnection challenges

The project aims to resolve regulatory and technical barriers to connecting storage projects to the distribution grid.

By Guy Burdick • July 23, 2020

Enel plans to deploy 1 GW storage capacity across renewable portfolio through 2022

The company started constructing its first North American utility-scale hybrid project in Texas.

By Kavya Balaraman • July 22, 2020

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

DOE unveils draft roadmap for US global energy storage leadership

The plan provides more details for the department's Energy Storage Grand Challenge and comes as the House Appropriations Committee approved a significant increase in DOE spending on energy storage.

By Larry Pearl • July 14, 2020

Largest US battery resource connects to CAISO grid, signaling next phase in California's storage growth

The project is "a turning point for storage on our system," according to California ISO President and CEO Steve Berberich.

By Kavya Balaraman • July 14, 2020

DC Circuit upholds landmark FERC storage order, rejecting claims it violates state authority

"I think 841 … [may be] one of the single most significant ... actions taken by a government agency to address carbon mitigation and the transition to a clean energy future," FERC Chair Neil Chatterjee told reporters.

By Catherine Morehouse • July 13, 2020

Sunrun closes $3.2B Vivint Solar acquisition

After completing the acquisition in October, Sunrun said it is now working to consolidate costs and realize scale benefits to save about $90 million annually.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated Oct. 8, 2020

Quidnet leverages drilling tech to provide pumped hydro type storage at half the price

The Houston-based firm secured $10 million in Series B financing and a contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for a commercial demonstration of its technology.

By Guy Burdick • July 6, 2020

Battery energy storage is getting cheaper, but how much deployment is too much?

As renewable penetrations rise, batteries are the answer to variability, but it is not clear when buying more storage stops increasing reliability.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 30, 2020

Consumer demand prompts aggressive shift toward renewables, storage at Tucson Electric Power

Solar, wind and energy storage systems will account for 70% of TEP's generation capacity by 2035, according to the utility.

By Emma Penrod • June 30, 2020

COVID-19 propels microgrids in healthcare sector, but regulatory, awareness hurdles remain

"If we think this is the last time we’re going to be dealing with something like this, I think we’re being foolish," said an executive at a Southern Company distributed power subsidiary.

By Kavya Balaraman • June 29, 2020

California's storage limbo: Over $300M in projects are stuck on a CPUC waitlist, but there's an easy fix

California has $600 million in idle funds that can be used to advance energy storage projects; reallocating them would be the shot in the arm the state needs now, the author writes.

By Ted Ko • June 25, 2020

Battery makers face looming shortages of high-quality lithium

The COVID-19 pandemic has also adversely affected financial markets that battery developers and producers rely on, according to developers.

By Guy Burdick • June 25, 2020

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

8 Maryland utility storage pilots get vote of confidence, suggestions on safety, solar integration

Stakeholders weighed in June 19 on four utilities’ proposals to the Maryland Public Service Commission for eight pilot energy storage projects that could launch in February 2022.

By Guy Burdick • June 23, 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

EnergyHub partners with Vivint Solar as utility incentives for residential energy storage ramp up

"We're seeing double-digit, month-over-month growth in the volume of customers and batteries participating in utility programs," EnergyHub CEO Seth Frader Thompson told Utility Dive.

By Robert Walton • 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

Fluence unveils intelligent, modular storage product with 800 MW/2,300 MWh of projects

The technology stack, which includes digital intelligence that can connect storage systems to energy markets and manage battery degradation, is being deployed by Enel, LS Power, SPower and Siemens.

By Kavya Balaraman • June 17, 2020

COVID-19 pushes energy storage leader out of market as competition intensifies

The energy storage market is both shrinking and growing, according to an analyst. As existing firms are swallowed by competitors, new ones emerge.

By Guy Burdick • June 16, 2020

California utilities, regulators aim to hasten microgrid deployment ahead of wildfire season

Pacific Gas and Electric plans to have 73 microgrids operational by the end of 2020, which are viewed by California commissioners as part of a multifaceted approach to wildfire preparation.

By Emma Penrod • June 15, 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

California CCAs seek offers for at least 4 GWh storage

A group of community choice aggregators issued a joint request for information on storage technologies with a minimum duration of eight hours, which could be necessary to meet the state's 2030 carbon reduction goals.

By Kavya Balaraman • Updated Oct. 16, 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

The 3 key challenges to expanding the West's real-time energy market to day-ahead trading

Driven by new Western state renewables and zero emissions mandates, the 11 active participants and nine new applicants in the Energy Imbalance Market are pushing to expand it to day-ahead trading.

By Herman K. Trabish • June 3, 2020

New waste-to-hydrogen processes could contribute to a carbon negative future

With the rise in production and sales of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and power generators, the technology is entering a new maturation point that could encompass both mobile and stationary storage options, the author writes.

By Jean-Louis Kindler • June 3, 2020