Quick Take: Need more ammunition to convince ratepayers and regulators that it’s time to modernize? Need more statistics and examples of just how bad things have gotten in the U.S.? Read “A Smarter Power Grid for U.S. Utilities” from Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Brief abstract below. – Jesse Berst Power outages in the United States are up… Keep reading →
Just when you think it’s safe to go back in the water, the smart meter debate has been elevated to the national level by several publications, including Forbes. Smart meter installations in the United States are expected to progress steadily over the next 10 years. That is because they offer a range of benefits to… Keep reading →
Ranking the challenges of a distributed energy future at Grid Edge Live 2014. The grid edge is a complex realm, combining traditional utility operations with the emerging world of distributed energy generation and control. Greentech Media’s inaugural Grid Edge Live conference, taking place this week in San Diego, is dedicated to finding solutions to these complex,… Keep reading →
Earlier this month, Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) chairwoman Donna Nelson called for the federal government to end its renewable energy tax credit for Texas wind and for the end of state policies that have resulted in Texas’ clean energy economy boom. The chairman’s appeal is so devoid of a factual basis it is hard… Keep reading →
Quick Take: Do you remember the days when state policymakers considered grid modernization with suspicion? Many of them thought it was a ploy by utilities to get approval to spend more money on unproven technology while shunting the risk onto ratepayers. These days, states are not just allowing modernization, they are demanding it. For instance, read… Keep reading →
Predicted mass defections from utilities may not come to pass—but power companies can’t count on making profits by selling more energy. The notion that large numbers of electricity consumers will unplug from the power grid doesn’t hold up to scrutiny, according to an energy efficiency advocacy group. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ran… Keep reading →
The recent Energy Strong settlement between New Jersey regulators and Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G), the state’s largest utility, should help reinforce vulnerable energy infrastructure ahead of future severe storms. Last month, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) agreed that customers could fund $1.2 billion in PSE&G improvements to New Jersey’s electric grid to… Keep reading →
Quick Take: Both utilities and the companies that sell to them will be encouraged by the results of the survey described below. Utilities can take comfort that most of their peers are gearing up to grapple with the changes ahead. Vendors can be glad that they say the solutions will come from new technology. – Jesse Berst… Keep reading →
The plains of the Dakotas are as beautiful as they are sometimes harsh. The Sioux Tribes that have inhabited the rolling plains and spectacular badlands of South Dakota have faced high energy costs in recent years — costs that sometimes represent a disproportionately large portion of a family’s total income. To help the South Dakota… Keep reading →
Many U.S. water utilities don’t have the revenue to support sustainable operations. Much of the buzz in the utility world in the past week was around the proposed EPA rules to limit carbon emissions from existing power plants. Some utilities are lining up for a fight, while others already have enough trouble on their hands competing in… Keep reading →
