Grid edge

Smart thermostats are helping Arizona’s grid ride out brutal heat

Amid soaring temperatures, Arizona has seen success with utility programs that incentivize people to turn down the AC when the power grid is stressed.

By Jeff St. John . 14 September 2023

The sun rises behind a mountain range. Powerlines are shown in silhouette. A body of water is in the foreground. — The sun rises in Tempe, Arizona on July 12, 2023, which was the area's 12th consecutive day of temperatures over 110°F. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

Grid edge

EnergyHub buys Packetized Energy to get millions of thermostats and EVs to help balance the grid

Utilities need to orchestrate energy-smart devices at a massive scale. This startup's radically distributed approach could help.

By Jeff St. John . 3 March 2022
Grid edge

Virtual Peaker’s platform taps home devices to help utilities balance the grid

The scrappy Kentucky-based startup has landed $16.6M and a slew of big contracts.

By Jeff St. John . 25 February 2022
Electrification

New tools and tech to prep your electrical panel for an all-electric home

Solar, batteries, EVs and electric heat pumps can overload home electrical panels. Lots of companies are coming up with solutions.

By Jeff St. John . 22 February 2022
Grid edge

The country’s first neighborhood microgrid is coming online in Chicago

A network of solar panels, generators, batteries and more will boost resilience for Bronzeville, a historic Black neighborhood.

By Jeff St. John . 9 February 2022
Solar

PearlX has a plan to bring solar and batteries to apartment buildings

Multifamily housing lags single-family homes in solar and storage. A novel project aims to reach this market.

By Jeff St. John . 14 January 2022
Grid edge

Kohler Power buys startup that uses game-theory math to manage microgrids

Heila Technologies has a novel approach to balancing solar, EVs, batteries and generators.

By Jeff St. John . 12 January 2022
Grid edge

Smart meters were supposed to free your energy data. Arcadia wants to finish the job

The community-solar stalwart makes a move into the utility software space.

By Eric Wesoff . 10 January 2022
Grid edge

GE snaps up Opus One and its operating system for a fast-changing grid

Opus One is part of a new breed of software platforms that manage the rapid influx of renewables, batteries, EVs and more.

By Jeff St. John . 10 January 2022
Energy storage

Big batteries are booming in California, but the outlook for small-scale storage just got more uncertain

A new plan for solar net metering could slow adoption of home batteries — just when the state needs them most.

By Elizabeth McCarthy . 23 December 2021
Policy & regulation

The avoided-cost calculator: The controversial metric at the center of California’s solar net-metering fight

Tying rooftop solar payments to climate and grid benefits makes sense in theory. But in the real world, it could get very messy.

By Jeff St. John . 16 December 2021

Grid edge

Smart thermostats are helping Arizona’s grid ride out brutal heat

EnergyHub buys Packetized Energy to get millions of thermostats and EVs to help balance the grid

Virtual Peaker’s platform taps home devices to help utilities balance the grid

New tools and tech to prep your electrical panel for an all-electric home

The country’s first neighborhood microgrid is coming online in Chicago

PearlX has a plan to bring solar and batteries to apartment buildings

Kohler Power buys startup that uses game-theory math to manage microgrids

Smart meters were supposed to free your energy data. Arcadia wants to finish the job

GE snaps up Opus One and its operating system for a fast-changing grid

Big batteries are booming in California, but the outlook for small-scale storage just got more uncertain

The avoided-cost calculator: The controversial metric at the center of California’s solar net-metering fight