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03.12.21 News 43

Greentech Media in action at the 2019 Solar Summit, one of our last live events before the pandemic put us all behind screens.

Greentech Media Bids Farewell

A 14-year run covering an energy industry transformed — and just getting started.

by Jeff St. John

03.11.21 4

Shell hopes the battery-led ultra-fast charging pilot will lead to a wider rollout. The company wants to install 500,000 charging points by 2025. (Credit: Shell)

Shell Bets on Batteries for Ultra-Fast EV Charging

Shell and grid-equipment maker Alfen bet that VPP-connected batteries will be cheaper than grid reinforcements.

by John Parnell

03.10.21 Grid Edge 4

California's demand response industry isn't happy with state regulators' latest move to tap flexible loads to prevent future grid emergencies.

California’s Latest Demand-Side Emergency Plan Draws Criticism From Providers

Critics say the minor changes aren’t enough to help, and the expanded capacity rules could boost natural gas plants.

by Jeff St. John

03.08.21 Energy 21

Jigar Shah sees a role for DOE to bring new clean technologies to bankability through the $40 billion loan programs office.

Jigar Shah’s Plan to Manage DOE’s $40B Loan Program

The solar PPA pioneer and “infrastructure-as-a-service” investor has been selected to revive the program that boosted Tesla and utility-scale renewables.

by Jeff St. John

03.04.21 Grid Edge 26

Duke Energy's plan to build natural gas plants is being challenged by groups accusing the utility of misrepresenting data to undermine cleaner alternatives.

Duke Energy Faces Challenges to Its Push for New Natural Gas Plants

Critics cite flaws in the utility’s analysis of winter peaks and offer up solar, battery and efficiency alternatives.

by Jeff St. John

02.23.21 Grid Edge 3

After raising money from Bill Gates, Khosla Ventures and 3M, Varentec has been acquired by a grid sensor subsidiary of Koch Industries' engineering services arm. (Credit: Varentec)

Grid Edge M&A Alert: Sentient Acquires Varentec for Dynamic Grid Control

The line sensor and software provider bought by Koch Engineered Solutions last year picks up a stalwart in distribution power electronics.

by Jeff St. John

02.15.21 Grid Edge 5

FERC Chair Richard Glick has a long list of priorities for the key federal energy regulator. Many of them align with the Biden administration's energy transformation goals. (Credit: FERC)

New FERC Chair’s Focus: Environmental Justice and Climate Change Impacts

Glick’s priorities include fair treatment of new technologies and state policies, as well as transmission and interconnection reforms.

by Jeff St. John

02.05.21 Grid Edge 8

California regulators are planning a new approach to enlisting behind-the-meter batteries, solar, electric vehicles and other assets to replace grid upgrades.

California’s Plan: Crowdsource Distributed Energy to Replace Grid Upgrades

The Partnership Pilot could start to enroll solar, batteries, EVs and other behind-the-meter assets as non-wires alternatives later this year.

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

02.01.21 Energy 1

Early-stage investors are looking for startups that can shave soft costs and expand access to clean energy.

The Rules for Early-Stage Cleantech Venture Capital Investment in 2021

Create incremental improvements, serve new national climate-change imperatives, and put social impacts front and center.

by Jeff St. John

01.28.21 Energy 13

GM CEO Mary Barra stands before a chassis bearing the automaker's Ultium battery platform, which will supply its newly expanded electric vehicle goals. (Credit: GM)

General Motors Pledges a Zero-Emissions Light-Duty Vehicle Fleet by 2035

Biggest U.S. automaker will have 30 all-electric models by 2025 and zero out corporate emissions by 2040.

by Jeff St. John

01.28.21 Grid Edge 0

Social Energy plans to expand home solar-battery aggregations from the U.K. to Australia, Japan and continental Europe. (Credit: Social Energy)

UK Solar and Battery Aggregator Social Energy Raises Cash, Plans Expansion

CarVal Investors makes “significant investment” in startup controlling batteries for U.K. grid services.

by Jason Deign

01.27.21 Energy 16

President Biden's new executive orders range from federal clean energy and EV procurement and R&D to environmental justice. (Credit: GTM)

Biden Executive Orders Set Broad Federal Role in Clean Energy and Climate Change Mitigation

The orders combine federal clean energy and technology procurement, R&D support and environmental justice.

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

01.26.21 Grid Edge 0

Span's smart electrical panel now offers Alexa voice control as part of $20 million investment round. (Credit: Span)

Span’s $20M Round Adds Alexa Integration to Its Smart Home Electrical Panel

Tesla alum’s startup adds voice control for batteries, EV chargers and household loads.

by Jeff St. John

01.22.21 7

EVgo is seeking public markets to finance the growth of its existing network of EV fast-charging stations across the United States. (Credit: EVgo)

EVgo Seeks $2.6B Public Market Valuation in SPAC Reverse Merger

The LS Power subsidiary is the second major EV charger company in the U.S. seeking public capital to meet rocketing demand.

by Jeff St. John

01.22.21 Grid Edge 16

Booming rooftop solar installations are pushing utilities and solar inverter makers to integrate flexible export controls into grid operations.

Australia Looks to Smart Inverters to Cram More PV Into World’s Top Solar Market

South Australia tests a flexible-exports scheme this year in a bid to add rooftop solar to the grid.

by Jason Deign

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

01.15.21 Grid Edge 5

California regulators are directing $200 million in utility funding to build microgrids that can power communities during fire-prevention blackouts.

California Sets $200M Budget for ‘Complex, Multi-Property Microgrid’ Projects

Utility funding for community resilience against fire-prevention outages doesn’t go far enough, microgrid groups argue.

by Jeff St. John

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 7

Proterra has expanded from making electric buses to providing batteries, drivetrains and charging stations to a widening range of heavy-duty electric vehicles. (Credit: Proterra)

Proterra Set To Take Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle Business Public via SPAC Transaction

Proterra makes EV transit buses, plus drivetrains, batteries and charging systems for growing heavy-duty electric transport market.

by Jeff St. John

01.11.21 Grid Edge 9

Schneider Electric's Energy Center brings an integrated circuit panel for distributed energy-equipped homes to market. (Credit: Schneider Electric)

Schneider Electric Unveils the Energy Center for Distributed-Energy-Enabled Homes

Integrated service for solar, batteries, EV chargers and whole-home energy controls is starting to go mainstream.

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

01.04.21 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

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?

Electric Car News

Greentech Media Bids Farewell

Shell Bets on Batteries for Ultra-Fast EV Charging

California’s Latest Demand-Side Emergency Plan Draws Criticism From Providers

Jigar Shah’s Plan to Manage DOE’s $40B Loan Program

Duke Energy Faces Challenges to Its Push for New Natural Gas Plants

Grid Edge M&A Alert: Sentient Acquires Varentec for Dynamic Grid Control

New FERC Chair’s Focus: Environmental Justice and Climate Change Impacts

California’s Plan: Crowdsource Distributed Energy to Replace Grid Upgrades

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

The Rules for Early-Stage Cleantech Venture Capital Investment in 2021

General Motors Pledges a Zero-Emissions Light-Duty Vehicle Fleet by 2035

UK Solar and Battery Aggregator Social Energy Raises Cash, Plans Expansion

Biden Executive Orders Set Broad Federal Role in Clean Energy and Climate Change Mitigation

Con Edison Tests ConnectDER as a Utility Touchpoint for Distributed Energy

Span’s $20M Round Adds Alexa Integration to Its Smart Home Electrical Panel

EVgo Seeks $2.6B Public Market Valuation in SPAC Reverse Merger

Australia Looks to Smart Inverters to Cram More PV Into World’s Top Solar Market

President Biden Names Richard Glick as FERC Chair

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

California Sets $200M Budget for ‘Complex, Multi-Property Microgrid’ Projects

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

Proterra Set To Take Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle Business Public via SPAC Transaction

Schneider Electric Unveils the Energy Center for Distributed-Energy-Enabled Homes

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

Reactive Technologies: Pinpointing the Inertia of Renewable-Powered Grids