Energy Efficiency
War of Currents Unsettled as DC Microgrid, EV, DER, and Efficient Loads Favor DC
New DC Microgrid Opportunities Are Opening Up, Causing Many To Rethink The Entire Electric Grid. Universities, companies, and governments have been lining up for years to demonstrate the potential of DC microgrids, and the next generation of DC microgrid architectures…
Read more →Autonomous Electric Vehicles: The Real Monopoly Utility Killer
The bulk power system we've relied on for the last century is remarkably inefficient. Due to waste heat and transmission losses, less than 30% of energy inputs in thermal power plants actually make it to residential electric meters. Distributed energy…
Read more →SDG&E to Add as Much as 140MW of Preferred Energy Resources
California's leading renewable energy utility aims to tap into new energy storage, renewable energy, distributed generation, energy efficiency and demand response (DR) systems capacity as it continues its drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts.
Read more →KEPCO Installs World's Largest Frequency Regulation BESS
Advantageous performance characteristics, declining costs and power market regulatory reform are fueling deployment of utility-scale battery-based energy storage systems (BESS), particularly to provide so-called ancillary services. Of these, frequency regulation – synchronizing AC frequencies across generation assets – is the…
Read more →Southern Co. Ups Its Microgrid Capabilities with PowerSecure Acquisition
The latest in a string of strategic moves indicative of a strategic shift in direction, Southern Co.'s $431 million all-cash offer to acquire PowerSecure sent the latter's shares soaring.
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Your Guide To Microgrid Month - Events in London, Washington DC, Kansas City, Arlington, and Lausanne
A growing interest in Microgrids, Distributed Energy, and Rural Electrification can be identified by a growing list of high-caliber events . [wpsm_titlebox title="March 13-16, London UK" style="3"] CommonWealth Africa Summit The CommonWealth Africa Summit will feature two high-level, interactive panels…
Read more →Surge in Zero Waste to Landfill Fuels Growth in Energy from Waste
A growing number of large U.S. corporations are turning to resource recovery and Energy from Waste technology and systems to help them achieve ¨zero waste to landfill¨ and emissions reductions goals. A surge in corporate demand for zero waste systems and processes is opening up new opportunities for leading developers.
Read more →Over 5 Million Smart Electric Meters To Be Rolled Out By Con Edison, Orange & Rockland Utilities
New York regulated utilities Con Edison and O&R Utilities have decided to run with Silver Springs Networks' smart grid communications-computing platform, which is to be installed and form the core of AMI infrastructure that connects to more than 5 million smart electric and gas meters.
Read more →GE Berlin Hybrid Power Plant Combines CHP, Solar and Smart Battery Storage
Along with solar PV and intelligent energy storage technology, combined heat and power (CHP) takes center stage in a Hyrbrid Power Plant GE has built to power its facility, households and local businesses in Berlin. Besides using PV and advanced battery technology to generate, store and dispatch electricity as demand requires the Hybrid Power Plant uses GE Jenbacher CHP technology to capture heat produced in various processes to heat water.
Read more →Johnson Controls-Tyco Merger to Create One of World's Largest Battery Storage Companies
The Johnson Controls -Tyco merger will create one of the world's largest battery storage companies and boost JCI's presence in the nascent but rapidly evolving microgrid and energy efficiency industry and markets.
Read more →ComEd Charts Course to Clean Energy Future with Chicago Solar Microgrid
Commonwealth Edison will use a $4 million grant from the new DOE SunShot Initiative SHINES (Sustainable and Holistic Integration of Energy Storage and Solar PV) program in building a solar-powered microgrid in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, management announced January 20 .…
Read more →Energy Efficiency Financing More than Doubles in 2015
Corporate funding in the energy efficiency sector more than doubled to nearly $1.2 billion in 2015, with debt and public market financing accounting for nearly 60% of total venture capital (VC) and corporate funding of energy efficiency companies, a good sign the market is maturing and that bankers and investors are becoming more comfortable with risks and rewards.
Read more →New DOE-SEIA SHINES Program to Make Solar Plus Storage Affordable
The Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) launched a joint initiative aimed at boosting development and deployment of integrated solar energy-power storage systems. Dubbed SHINES ( Sustainable and Holistic…
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USDA Awards $46MM for Rural Vermont Energy Efficiency, Renewables
Secretary Tom Vilsack on January 8 announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded $46 million to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and programs in rural Vermont. USDA awarded the funds to Vermont Energy Investment Corp. (VEIC), is…
Read more →VEIC Poised to Launch Sun Shares Community Solar Program
Vermont was one of the first U.S. states to enact virtual net metering (VNM), adding to its reputation as a clean energy leader. State and local energy reforms such as enacting VNM are essential if the U.S. is to succeed…
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U.K.'s First C&I Automated Demand Response Program Launched by Honeywell, Pearlstone
The advent of automated demand response (ADR) technology is enabling owners of commercial and industrial (C&I) facilities to earn revenues and reduce their energy bills by helping distribution utilities enhance grid operations and management. Given the scale of distribution utility…
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Over 1400/13GW of Microgrid Deployments Tracked in Over 100 Countries
The global number of microgrid deployments is on the rise as governments, communities, corporations, utilities and others seek to enhance energy efficiency, security and grid resiliency, as well as add emissions-free renewable energy and energy storage capacity. There were 1,437…
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Netherlands Sustainable Energy Producer is Building The Industry's First Software-Defined Power Plant
Scaling up from community and campus microgrids, leading edge power producers and utilities are helping advance the clean energy transition by making use of pioneering distributed power and energy resource management systems. To wit: Redwood, California-based AutoGrid on November 11…
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The New Economics of Battery Storage
In ¨ The Economics of Battery Energy Storage ,¨ RMI lays out 13 distinct services advanced battery storage systems can deliver today. More to the point, the report authors conclude that these systems are economic and cost-effective now. [wpsm_button color="orange"…
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Energy Storage Addresses The Causes and Effects of Climate Change
Should we focus on stopping the root causes of climate change or start adapting to the new reality? Energy storage does both. Increased Severity and Frequency of Extreme Weather [wpsm_quote author="Kevin Trenberth - U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research" float="right"…
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