Distributed Energy
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Connected Plant
The Smart Grid’s Missing Ingredients
The same technology that links our phones to other smart devices is the key to unlocking a more intelligent, efficient, and reliable electrical grid. Every day, we bear witness to the breathtaking pace of technological advancement in the modern world. Yet when we go home and turn on the light, the bulb is illuminated in […]
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Distributed Energy
Whatever Happened to Fuel Cells?
Hydrogen-powered fuel cells were supposed to be the “Next Big Thing” a decade ago, but the hype ran well ahead of the market and technology. Yet some quiet advances and steady work have the sector on the
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Renewables
Battery Storage Goes Mainstream
Grid-connected batteries have long been touted as a tantalizing prospect that could help balance electricity supply and demand as the amount of installed variable renewable generation ramps up. New
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Legal & Regulatory
Should Investor-Owned Utilities Be Worried About Community Choice Aggregation?
Community choice aggregation (CCA) is only allowed in seven states currently, but recent developments in California have investor-owned utilities there worried. They fear losing up to 80% of their retail load
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Legal & Regulatory
New York’s Ambitious Transitions: Who Wins? Who Loses? Who Knows?
New York’s electricity system and markets face a blizzard of changes, driven by policy, politics, and economic forces. The New York Independent System Operator and the New York State Energy Research and
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Legal & Regulatory
As Community Choice Aggregation Expands, the Battle Over “Exit Fees” Intensifies
Community choice aggregation (CCA) continues to emerge as a favorite tool for towns, cities, and counties interested in pursuing local control over their energy supply, increased renewable electricity
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Commentary
Reports of the Electric Grid’s Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
There have been numerous pronouncements recently about the upcoming demise of the bulk power grid as consumers are projected to move toward decentralized green energy sources. We don’t believe that the end
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Distributed Energy
HECO Tests Virtual Power Plant in Hawaii
The Hawaiian Electric Co. (HECO) and technology service company Stem Inc. have successfully tested nearly 1 MW of energy storage systems at 29 commercial sites on Oahu, the companies said on January 30. The novel pilot project, which sought “the ability to connect many customers’ energy storage with the utility,” comprises an energy storage “fleet” […]
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Renewables
A 100% Renewable Grid: Pipe Dream or Holy Grail?
The boom in renewable energy, spurred by dramatically falling costs, has led some experts and political figures to begin talking seriously about what was once science fiction: A world powered entirely by renewable generation. But is it truly feasible or economic? One series of studies suggests it is—with some important caveats. In the first half […]
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Renewables
New Options in Industrial CHP Boost Efficiency and Returns
Combined heat and power (CHP) has long been a popular option for industrial self-generation, but new technologies and business partnerships are taking the sector well beyond the traditional boilers and diesel gensets. The Erving Paper Mill in the western Massachusetts town of the same name has operated for more than 100 years. Once part of […]
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