Utilities

Solar

Can solar developers and farmers find common ground?

Clashes over siting of solar projects are happening across the U.S., but collaboration is also taking root in many areas.

By Andy Kowalczyk . 12 August 2021
Climate crisis

Supercomputer forecasts are now helping utilities prepare for climate change and extreme weather

New York Power Authority will use a national lab's cutting-edge forecasts to target its multi-billion dollar investments. Other utilities are following suit.

By Jeff St. John . 10 August 2021
Solar

Why rooftop solar leader Sunrun chose a utility executive as its next CEO

Mary Powell, the former head of progressive Vermont utility Green Mountain Power, is ready to forge new partnerships between Sunrun and legacy power companies.

By Julian Spector . 9 August 2021
Batteries

Newsletter: How should you be compensated when companies tap your home battery?

Everyone wants to get paid, but a standard model hasn't yet emerged in this nascent industry.

By Julian Spector . 9 August 2021
Utilities

California's biggest utility plans to bury 10,000 miles of power lines. How much will that cost residents?

Wildfires and other climate disasters are pushing PG&E to put lines underground, but it's a notoriously expensive process.

By Elizabeth McCarthy . 6 August 2021
Climate crisis

Newsletter: California isn't ready for hot grid summer

The "fail fast" ethos doesn't work so well for avoiding grid outages.

By Julian Spector . 4 August 2021
Utilities

Top 10 utility regulation trends of 2021 — so far

Renewables, DERs and EVs are still top priorities for utility commissions, but extreme weather and Covid-19 are also shaping regulatory action in 2021.

By Noah Garcia . 30 July 2021
Solar

Can smart solar inverters help keep grid voltages in balance? Sunnova, SolarEdge and National Grid team up to find out

One of the largest tests of its kind will tap thousands of rooftop solar inverters in Massachusetts and Rhode Island — and examine what it’s worth to both utilities and customers.

By Jeff St. John . 27 July 2021
Transmission

New transmission can prevent power outages during extreme weather — and save tons of money

Transmission could have paid for itself in savings during big Texas blackout, a new report finds. But capturing that value is tricky.

By Jeff St. John . 26 July 2021
Long-duration energy storage

Stealthy storage contender Form Energy reveals secret formula: Iron and air

And it raised another $200 million to get to market.

By Julian Spector . 23 July 2021