Owners of large infrastructure projects naturally try to off-load as much of the risk of the project as possible, but that also can significantly add to the overall costs. As an alternative, owners should examine ways to lower their costs by accepting some level of reasonable risk and working with high-quality EPC contractors. Project owners… Keep reading →
“Smart City” initiatives and technologies have already captured the imagination of the water industry. Slowly, they are starting to capture their investment dollars, too. Data sensors, smart metering and cloud-based analytics software offer water utilities unprecedented access to real-time information about consumption, system demand and pressure points, according to Jeff Neemann, Solution Lead for Smart… Keep reading →
With utility service providers increasingly joining the smart systems movement, it has become clear that continued progress greatly depends upon customer buy-in, either through rate cases or the customers’ own installation of smart devices at the home. Creative education efforts can place customers in a partnership role with utilities and can help users understand the… Keep reading →
At Tuesday’s New York Energy Week Smart Grid Roundtable discussion, experts from various perspectives talked about how smart metering and new data sources are changing power grid operations, customer engagement and revenue structures. Price signals are key to altering customer behavior with regard to energy consumption, but a smart meter alone may not be enough… Keep reading →
The term Internet of Things (IoT) was first coined over 15 years ago to describe the trend of connecting physical objects to the digital world. Today the concept is more relevant than ever as consumers’ use of connected devices from smartphones to fitness trackers and thermostats shape the way we live and work. And our… Keep reading →
How ERCOT’s idea for aggregating solar, storage and other DERs could unlock the state’s grid-edge potential Texas, despite being one of the country’s largest and sunniest energy markets, has not seen a lot of growth of distributed solar power. Beyond low energy prices, one big reason is that the Texas deregulated energy market, which covers… Keep reading →
It’s always inspiring to see people stand up and fight for issues that matter to them. In our world, when politics can at times seem petty or backwards, it’s especially uplifting to see politicians do this. And that’s exactly what’s happening inside California’s state capitol. The three most powerful political leaders in the state –… Keep reading →
Last year, the New York Power Authority announced its Strategic Plan to address the demands of a rapidly changing electric power industry. Since 2014, a new division has been created under Customer Empowerment, major electrical infrastructure modernization projects are underway, and NYPA’s culture is evolving to realign its resources. In other words, in just 12… Keep reading →
The state’s solar future can’t rely on a flawed modeling platform, say those who’ve tried to use it. California’s attempt to rework its solar regulations could be stymied by a flawed and ineffective software planning tool meant to model the cost-effectiveness of proposed policies to replace the state’s current net metering regime. That’s the stunning… Keep reading →
On May 11, 2015, Xcel Energy became the latest electric utility to obtain an exemption under Section 333 of the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act authorizing the company to conduct commercial small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) operations. The exemption was issued exactly 90 days after the utility’s original petition which reflects the FAA’s continued efforts to streamline the issuance of such exemptions.
