Quick Take: We’ve talked a lot about the dangers utilities face if they ignore disruptive technologies such as solar + storage. Here’s another challenge. They could end up paying more for the cost of capital. Some analysts think utilities are blind to the coming realities and they are warning investors to stay away. – Jesse Berst Barclays… Keep reading →
Energy efficiency upgrades through DOE’s Better Buildings Neighborhood Program have saved more than $730M on energy bills. On May 21, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that is Better Buildings Neighborhood Program has worked with 41 state and local governments and their partners to upgrade energy efficiency in more than 100,000 buildings, saving more than… Keep reading →
Historically, the electric utility sector has a strong track record of maintaining the reliability of our nation’s electric grid. Working collaboratively, federal and state governments, regulators, utilities, grid operators and other stakeholders have developed technologies, tools and procedures to protect our nation’s critical infrastructure. That record goes back decades and is one that should make… Keep reading →
Today, the U.S. Government is formally launching an innovative framework under President Obama’s Power Africa initiative to increase energy access for underserved populations across sub-Saharan Africa. Over an initial five year period, Beyond the Grid will leverage partnerships with 27 investors and practitioners committing to invest over $1 billion into off-grid and small scale solutions… Keep reading →
A new California ruling exempts net energy metering-paired energy storage systems sized 10 kW or smaller from interconnection charges. On May 15, 2014, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a decision exempting small storage devices paired with net energy metering (NEM)-eligible generation facilities from interconnection fees. Fee exemption for NEM-paired storage would be tested… Keep reading →
The New York State Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative aims to answer the question of how to proceed with New York’s energy future in the face of aging electric generating plants and the need for a more resilient energy infrastructure. Electric Bill for Average Household in a Representative NY Town (600 kWh) Overview The… Keep reading →
A little over two years ago we reported that utility-scale energy storage could be “around the corner” thanks to flow-battery technology that relies on a rare earth mineral called vanadium. That vision leapt closer to reality last week. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced it will partner with energy storage… Keep reading →
The Obama stimulus planted the seeds, and now big solar is sprouting in the desert Southwest. The U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday announced that the Agua Caliente solar project in Yuma, Arizona, was now fully online, producing up to 290 megawatts of power, making it the world’s largest photovoltaic plant. Agua Caliente was backed… Keep reading →
Quick Take: PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) conducted a worldwide survey of CIOs from many different industries. They recently released a comparison that shows how utility CIOs think of themselves, and how that differs from other CIOs. It’s interesting stuff. In many ways, utility CIOs are doing a bit better than average. Yet many of them rate their own… Keep reading →
During his first stint as prime minister in 2006, Prime Minister Abe’s Nuclear Energy National Plan from December 2006 talked about a “re-recognition of the importance of energy security in industrialized nations” with the direction of energy policy not being “Nuclear energy “OR” Renewable energy but Nuclear energy “AND” Renewable energy.” As a previous article… Keep reading →
