Funds available in microgrid technology competition The Alaska Center for Microgrid Technologies has launched a competition that offers financial and lab assistance for microgrid technology development. The grand prize winner will receive $275,000 to accelerate commercialization and improve operation and efficiency of a microgrid technology. … [Read more...]
Nanogrid Building in San Francisco Grapples with Utility Incentives
June 28, 2016 By 4 Comments
Developers of one-of-a-kind nanogrid building in San Francisco are grappling with challenges stemming from the incentives they're receiving from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), through Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). The project, Sol-Lux Alpha, is a four-unit condo building with a 42-kW photovoltaic array and 105 kWh … [Read more...]
Case Study: Blue Lake Rancheria Microgrid
May 24, 2016 By 1 Comment
As one of 16 U.S. communities designated White House Climate Action Champions, Blue Lake Rancheria, a Native American reservation in Northern California, had already made investments in alternative energy generation sources. The next step was to achieve even greater efficiency by optimizing how those resources are managed and dispatched. Blue … [Read more...]
Organization Wary of Utility Market Dominance over EV Charging in California
April 4, 2016 By 1 Comment
An electric vehicle advocacy organization is sounding an alarm about utility market dominance over EV charging, as California's largest utility attempts to grow its services. Pacific Gas & Electric's (PG&E) wants to expand its EV charging in northern California. But the Electric Vehicle Charging Association (EVCA) warns that the utility … [Read more...]
Net Metering and Microgrids: Do Your Homework
February 29, 2016 By 3 Comments
Net metering and microgrids can go hand-in-hand, but first you have to do your homework. Across the country, utilities are challenging net metering projects and laws, resulting in time-consuming delays and expensive charges and rate adjustments for some —and thwarted net metering projects for others. Utilities successfully challenged net … [Read more...]
Solving Electric-Vehicle Popularity Problems with Smart EV Charging
August 9, 2015 By 2 Comments
California residents have purchased about 142,000 of the approximate 339,5oo plug-in vehicles sold nationally since 2011, according to the Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative. While that's good news for California's environment, it's not always good news for utilities that must cope with high peak loads in plug-in popular neighborhoods. … [Read more...]
Podcast: What’s The Difference Between Community Solar & Green Power
February 16, 2015 By Leave a Comment
With PG&E planning to offer solar as both a community solar and green power program, we asked what's the difference--and who would be interested in community solar instead of green power. Erica Schroeder McConnell, attorney for Interstate Renewable Energy Council, answers the question in this podcast. … [Read more...]
Podcast: What's The Difference Between Community Solar & Green Power
February 16, 2015 By Leave a Comment
With PG&E planning to offer solar as both a community solar and green power program, we asked what's the difference--and who would be interested in community solar instead of green power. Erica Schroeder McConnell, attorney for Interstate Renewable Energy Council, answers the question in this podcast. … [Read more...]
The Wart on California’s Community Solar Program for Utility Customers
February 13, 2015 By Leave a Comment
We often think of California as a leader in clean energy. But the state's new community solar program for utility customers--the result of SB 43--is not a move that other states should follow. The legislation established both a green power program and a community solar program for utility customers under which customers can acquire as much as … [Read more...]
California Gov. Brown Pushes Microgrids…PG&E Seeks Energy Storage
January 7, 2015 By 1 Comment
California Gov. Jerry Brown pushed microgrids and a doubling of energy efficiency in buildings, in his inaugural speech this week. Brown also wants to increase the state’s renewable portfolio standard from 33 percent to 50 percent. The governor described an emerging distributed grid that will help the state reduce greenhouses gases. “I … [Read more...]
