The death of the traditional utility business model has been highly exaggerated, to butcher the Mark Twain quote. But that doesn’t mean change won’t happen, and when it does, those companies with a strong ‘ecosystem of innovation’ will be faster to pivot and more likely to survive. The drumbeat of warnings has grown louder that… Keep reading →
From time to time I will start highlighting some groups that are finding new ways to solve some of the many energy financing challenges that we face. I will be looking at both groups that are finding ways to fill gaps as well as companies that are rethinking old approaches to energy finance. I thought… Keep reading →
Tools that offer effective communications between utilities and their customers have opened up a broad range of new business opportunities, especially in the field of data analytics. There has been no shortage of commentary on the importance of understanding the reams of data now available to utilities from “smart” technologies if that data is to… Keep reading →
The US military’s efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels may help to advance emerging energy technologies by providing them with coveted assets, such as financial backing and testing opportunities. But there is no guarantee that these technologies, as applied to military-specific conditions, will be commercial successes in a civilian context. The Department of Defense holds an… Keep reading →
Silver Spring Networks topped Inc. Magazine’s rankings. The editors at Inc. magazine have released their rankings of the 5,000 fastest-growing companies in America. The list offers an interesting snapshot of where growth is taking place in the energy sector. The boom in America’s unconventional oil and gas development is clearly evident on the list. Out of the 110 energy… Keep reading →
It’s the stuff of sci-fi movies: a nuclear explosion far overhead or a massive solar flare knocks out electricity for a large chunk, or even all, of the US. But electromagnetic pulses and geomagnetic disturbances, such as large solar flares and storms can, in fact, impact grid functioning. And Maine has become the first state… Keep reading →
Hurricane Sandy’s wounds remain fresh along the US East Coast, particularly in and around New York City where cleanup costs stretched into the billions of dollars. The storm caused government and private industry to reconsider critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, especially with regard to energy production, transport and distribution, in both the power and liquid fuels sectors.… Keep reading →
The Motley Fool has compiled a list of this year’s “Disturbing Energy Blunders”, which includes the train derailment in Quebec that killed dozens, as well as oil leaked form pipelines belonging to the country’s two largest oil and gas companies, ExxonMobil and Chevron. “The hope is that these big blunders will bring about more prudent… Keep reading →
UK oil major BP made a big splash in 2000 when it changed its name to “Beyond Petroleum” (originally British Petroleum) and changed its logo to a sunburst design that was supposed to represent the company’s greater renewable energy focus. BP has since scaled back some of those efforts, but other firms are pushing ahead… Keep reading →
The energy sector in New York has reached a turning point, a paradigm shift, a moment of self-awareness that is all too rare in the hustle of the city’s business life. For years the basic truism has been that New York doesn’t really have an energy sector to speak of. While the local super-utility ConEd… Keep reading →
