Illinois

ENN

Technical, cultural hurdles slow efforts to make utility customer data useful

Smart meters offer a ton of information. Now advocates are trying to make it easier for customers to access and use.

By David Thill . 31 January 2019
ENN

Court blocks release of Illinois electric grid study until lawsuit is resolved

NextGrid could determine the future of the state’s grid policy, but the study’s own future now depends on an open lawsuit.

By David Thill . 17 January 2019
ENN

Intrigue continues around plans for shuttered Chicago coal plant site

By Kari Lydersen . 16 January 2019
ENN

Solar, storage and smart grid tech unlock demand response potential

Selling curtailment to the grid could bring in new revenue for customers with on-site solar panels and batteries.

By David Thill . 16 January 2019
ENN

This Chicago aquarium saved millions with an energy management dashboard

The custom-built software is now being rolled out to other building managers to help reduce energy consumption.

By Kevin Stark . 8 January 2019
ENN

Illinois accepting comments on study that could guide state’s energy future

Amid some disagreement, a draft of the Illinois NextGrid report is open for public comment online until January 10.

By David Thill . 7 January 2019
ENN

Sharing systems could help building owners get more from microgrids

In Chicago, a cluster of museums is exploring the case for combining energy systems, but thorny questions remain.

By Kevin Stark . 3 January 2019
ENN

Wild winter weather in Illinois presses the case for microgrid development

As climate change brings more frequent extreme weather to the Midwest, the resiliency case for microgrids improves.

By Kevin Stark . 13 December 2018
ENN

Solar and green jobs are rising around Chicago’s ‘toxic doughnut’

Altgeld Gardens will soon be the site of a city-sponsored green jobs training program and a brownfield solar farm.

By Kevin Stark . 12 December 2018
ENN

Report: Smart grid upgrades offer less risk, more flexibility than power lines

A recent report spotlights so-called non-wires alternatives to expensive transmission line upgrades.

By Kevin Stark . 12 December 2018