Q: How fast can I go? A: How much do you want to spend? It seems like Renovo Motors, the just-unstealthed EV builder, wants to build really fast battery-powered cars. Like, 0-to-60-in-3.4-seconds fast. Elon Musk of Tesla certainly wants to build really fast performance cars. But Musk also wants to build a mass-market EV, move the world to solar power… Keep reading →
“We are looking for the leader who can harness the power of disruptive technology.” NRG Energy, the biggest independent power producer in the U.S., is undergoing a transformation. Last week, the company announced it is splitting up its assets into three separate entities: NRG Business, NRG Home and NRG Renew. NRG Business will encompass the… Keep reading →
A claimed breakthrough in solid oxide fuel cell technology Earlier this week, General Electric announced that it is initiating an entrepreneurial effort to commercialize its solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology for megawatt-scale stationary power applications. Billion-dollar fuel cell startup Bloom Energy also works with SOFC technology at this scale. GE has claimed a recent… Keep reading →
A new demand-side program will be a training ground for future utility reforms in New York Consolidated Edison is taking a new approach to delivering reliable power that is as radical as the gentrification sweeping New York’s outer boroughs. Con Ed filed a proposal on Wednesday with the New York Public Utilities Commission for a… Keep reading →
The PEM fuel cell maker is reportedly working with Apple on consumer devices. Intelligent Energy revealed its financials in its initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange last week — and it turns out that for a brief shining moment in 2012, a profitable fuel cell company did in fact exist. Intelligent Energy had… Keep reading →
Some predict that China will start dismantling coal by 2030. Others aren’t so sure. Last year, renewable energy made up nearly 70 percent of new electric generation capacity additions in China. That figure would be more impressive if coal wasn’t the reigning supreme leader of China’s energy landscape. It currently accounts for about 65 percent… Keep reading →
Lighting makers keep their options open for smart home platforms. Just over a year ago, the emergence of a sub-$10 light-emitting diode (LED) bulb was big news for the lighting industry. The same pricing trends are headed for smart bulbs too. Now, for just a few dollars more, consumers can buy a GE LED light bulb for… 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 →
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 →
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 →
