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02.02.21 9

PG&E's remote-grid initiative envisions an off-grid solar, battery and generator option to remove power lines that risk sparking wildfires.

PG&E Plans Utility-Owned ‘Remote Grids’ for Isolated Communities

Replacing power lines with solar, batteries and generators could cut fire risk and save money — in some limited cases.

by Jeff St. John

02.01.21 Grid Edge 8

SPP's energy trading market expansion is one of several steps across the U.S. to grow electricity markets and interstate transmission for a renewable-powered grid.

Growing Energy Markets: Southwest Power Pool Expands Day-Ahead Trading to the West

The latest real-time energy market expansion underscores a growing appetite for sharing renewable power across regions.

by Jeff St. John

California’s Battery Cavalry Arrives, But Maybe Not Soon Enough

GTM Squared

California’s Battery Cavalry Arrives, But Maybe Not Soon Enough

The state’s hoping for an unlikely fast-tracked battery build-out, even as some of the biggest storage plants in the world come online.

by Julian Spector | January 29, 2021

01.28.21 Grid Edge 8

Former FERC commissioners lend weight to new report calling for a major reworking of federal transmission policy.

Report Calls for a Ground-Up Overhaul of Federal Transmission Grid Policy

Seven former FERC chairs and commissioners agree: The U.S. transmission grid needs to expand dramatically to meet clean energy goals.

by Jeff St. John

01.27.21 Grid Edge 2

Utilities are using ConnectDER's meter collar device to smooth solar installation costs and capture grid data. (Credit: ConnectDER)

Con Edison Tests ConnectDER as a Utility Touchpoint for Distributed Energy

Can a meter socket plug-in device bridge the rooftop solar (and battery, and EV charger) gap between utilities and customers?

by Jeff St. John

01.25.21 Energy 2

Corporate giants are seeking federal policies to expand wholesale energy markets and harmonize decarbonization policies nationwide. (Credit: Google)

What the Biggest Corporate Energy Buyers Want From Federal Clean Energy Policy

Companies including Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, Walmart, Disney and Mcdonald’s lay out their policy priorities.

by Jeff St. John

01.21.21 Energy 13

New FERC chair Richard Glick, pictured with fellow FERC Commissioner Neil Chatterjee, will bring Democratic leadership to a federal agency core to President Biden's clean energy agenda. (Credit: FERC)

President Biden Names Richard Glick as FERC Chair

A new leadership role for a key Democratic opponent to Republican-supported policies at a vital federal agency.

by Jeff St. John

01.19.21 Grid Edge 5

California agencies face a tight deadline to take steps to prevent more rolling blackouts this summer.

Final Analysis of California’s August Blackouts Yields Few Surprises and a Tight Deadline for Solutions

Quick supply and demand-side actions could forestall future rolling blackouts, but how to get there is open to debate.

by Jeff St. John

01.18.21 Energy Storage 5

Swell will link batteries in 6,000 different homes to create a decentralized power plant for the local utility.

Hawaii Will Power Its Clean Grid With 6,000 Home Batteries Installed by Swell Energy

Swell’s largest contract yet comes after lining up $450 million to aggregate residential solar-battery systems to help the grid.

by Julian Spector

01.15.21 Grid Edge 2

Rise Light & Power plans to bury transmission lines under the Hudson River to bring renewable power to New York City with minimal disruption to the landscape.

New York City’s Biggest Power Producer Aims to Import Renewable Energy From Upstate

The Ravenswood plant owners look farther afield to supply clean electricity to the metropolis.

by Julian Spector

01.13.21 Grid Edge 1

Pearl Street Technologies is applying integrated-circuit modeling techniques to planning a more optimal transmission grid.

Pearl Street Technologies: A New Way to Optimize the Transmission Grid

Carnegie Mellon spinout raises funds for integrated-circuit modeling tech adapted to model renewables-rich power grids.

by Jeff St. John

01.12.21 Grid Edge 8

Transmission upgrade costs are barring wind and solar projects from interconnecting to the grid, despite growing demand for clean energy.

Report: Renewables Are Suffering From Broken US Transmission Policy

Interconnection backlogs and excessive upgrade costs require ground-up reform to solve, grid advocates say.

by Jeff St. John

01.08.21 Grid Edge 6

New Jersey's first large-scale smart meter deployment comes on condition of giving customers access to data.

New Jersey Approves PSE&G’s $778M Smart Meter Rollout

The state’s first big AMI deployment comes with a demand from the regulator to share data and value with customers.

by Jeff St. John

01.08.21 Energy Storage 42

The existing Puu Opae reservoir could become part of a novel solar powered grid storage system on Kauai. (Photo courtesy of KIUC)

Kauai to Hit 80% Renewable Power With Solar-Charged Hydro Storage

A pathbreaking project from AES will combine solar generation, batteries and multiple reservoirs and hydro generators.

by Julian Spector

01.08.21 Grid Edge 25

Cross-country transmission networks could drive down costs, reduce technology challenges, to reaching zero-carbon electricity, new study says.

MIT Study: Transmission Is Key to a Low-Cost, Decarbonized US Grid

Modeling shows a nationwide transmission network could tap existing solar, wind and battery tech to reach zero-carbon power.

by Jeff St. John

01.07.21 Grid Edge 1

The project will help avoid or delay infrastructure investments and avoid system-balancing costs. (Credit: National Grid)

New UK DERMS Project Targets Flexibility Across Distribution and Transmission Grids

Smarter Grid Solutions to work with the regional DNO and U.K. system operator on the whole-system platform.

by John Parnell

01.07.21 Perspectives 3

Decisions made about today's smart meter deployments could affect the energy transition for decades to come.

Industry Perspective

We Already Have the Key to a Clean Energy Economy. We’re Just Not Using It

Smart meters can optimize the grid and empower customers — if regulators and utilities can ensure they’re used that way.

by Nora Mead Brownell and Josh Brumberger

01.04.21 Grid Edge 10

Renewable energy can weaken the inertia needed to keep power grid frequency stable, forcing grid operators to find new ways to measure and manage it.

Reactive Technologies: Pinpointing the Inertia of Renewable-Powered Grids

Accenture investment to expand the U.K. company’s active grid measurement tech for grid operators including National Grid and AEMO.

by Jeff St. John

12.30.20 Grid Edge 1

The grid edge in 2020 was driven by decarbonization and climate change pressures, and by policy and technology advances.

Greentech Media’s Must-Read Grid Edge Stories of 2020

Decarbonization, resiliency, distributed energy market policy and M&A in the year of COVID-19.

by Jeff St. John

12.29.20 Grid Edge 3

Aggregated energy companies racked up new customer fleets and bigger investments in 2020.

10 Victories for Virtual Power Plants in 2020

When life went virtual, virtual power plants came alive.

by Julian Spector

12.23.20 Energy Storage 4

Behind-the-meter batteries like this AMS installation in Irvine can provide grid services and on-site backup power plus load management. (Credit: AMS)

PG&E’s Latest Energy Storage Procurement Includes Fleet of Behind-the-Meter Batteries

Distributed batteries join utility-scale energy storage projects to balance California’s solar-powered grid.

by Jeff St. John

12.18.20 Grid Edge 32

Renewables could double by 2030 with key Biden administration steps, but hitting 50 percent will take stronger federal action.

Report Outlines How US Could Reach 50% Renewables by 2030

Biden administration actions could double renewables by 2030, but new laws will be needed to achieve greater gains, Wood Mackenzie finds.

by Jeff St. John

12.16.20 Energy Storage 5

A former power plant site in Queens will host a 100-megawatt battery being built by 174 Power Global under contract to Con Edison. (Credit: Getty Images)

Con Edison Contracts Its Biggest Battery to Date in New York City

A 400-megawatt-hour battery from 174 Global Power will balance NYC’s energy needs with increasing offshore wind power capacity.

by Jeff St. John

12.15.20 Energy 23

Last-minute additions to omnibus spending bill could boost R&D spending for a wide array of clean energy technologies.

Clean Energy Funding Finds Its Way Into Congressional Spending Bill

A wide array of research and development funding for renewables, grid, nuclear and carbon capture could make it into the law.

by Jeff St. John, Emma Foehinger Merchant

12.14.20 News 1

Duke, Dominion and Southern say the 15-minute trading platform could boost clean power and lower costs. Renewables advocates want deeper changes to Southeast energy markets.

Southeastern Utilities Launch Plan for Regional Energy-Trading Market

Utilities including Duke, Dominion and Southern tout the value of real-time trading, but proponents of clean energy want to see bigger steps.

by Jeff St. John

How Cheap and Abundant Can Clean Power Get?

Climate Fintech Startup Atmos Financial Puts Savings to Work for Clean Energy

Could Chile’s Auction Help Save CSP From Oblivion?

What the Coming Wave of Distributed Energy Resources Means for the US Grid

Extreme Weather Keeps Maxing Out the Grid

A Wartime Plan for Electrifying America

An Island’s Path to 100% Renewables

Greentech Media Chronicled Clean Energy Before It Was Cool

Are Batteries at a Turning Point?

Vestas Ventures Makes First Investment With Stake in Wooden Tower Start-Up

Vestas Launches World’s Largest Turbines as 'Big 3' Competition Ramps Up

BP, RWE and EnBW Win Big in UK Offshore Wind Leasing Round

How Cheap and Abundant Can Clean Power Get?

Climate Fintech Startup Atmos Financial Puts Savings to Work for Clean Energy

Could Chile’s Auction Help Save CSP From Oblivion?

Utilities

PG&E Plans Utility-Owned ‘Remote Grids’ for Isolated Communities

Growing Energy Markets: Southwest Power Pool Expands Day-Ahead Trading to the West

California’s Battery Cavalry Arrives, But Maybe Not Soon Enough

Report Calls for a Ground-Up Overhaul of Federal Transmission Grid Policy

Con Edison Tests ConnectDER as a Utility Touchpoint for Distributed Energy

What the Biggest Corporate Energy Buyers Want From Federal Clean Energy Policy

President Biden Names Richard Glick as FERC Chair

Final Analysis of California’s August Blackouts Yields Few Surprises and a Tight Deadline for Solutions

Hawaii Will Power Its Clean Grid With 6,000 Home Batteries Installed by Swell Energy

New York City’s Biggest Power Producer Aims to Import Renewable Energy From Upstate

Pearl Street Technologies: A New Way to Optimize the Transmission Grid

Report: Renewables Are Suffering From Broken US Transmission Policy

New Jersey Approves PSE&G’s $778M Smart Meter Rollout

Kauai to Hit 80% Renewable Power With Solar-Charged Hydro Storage

MIT Study: Transmission Is Key to a Low-Cost, Decarbonized US Grid

New UK DERMS Project Targets Flexibility Across Distribution and Transmission Grids

We Already Have the Key to a Clean Energy Economy. We’re Just Not Using It

Reactive Technologies: Pinpointing the Inertia of Renewable-Powered Grids

Greentech Media’s Must-Read Grid Edge Stories of 2020

10 Victories for Virtual Power Plants in 2020

PG&E’s Latest Energy Storage Procurement Includes Fleet of Behind-the-Meter Batteries

Report Outlines How US Could Reach 50% Renewables by 2030

Con Edison Contracts Its Biggest Battery to Date in New York City

Clean Energy Funding Finds Its Way Into Congressional Spending Bill

Southeastern Utilities Launch Plan for Regional Energy-Trading Market