Building Energy Articles & Analysis

This week, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $32 million for six selected pilot projects that will support new load growth through grid-edge innovations and the ability of energy providers to right-size grid investments for future load growth. These Connected Communities projects in eight states will also provide new strategies and tools for utilities, grid planners and operators, ...

By Smart Grid Observer

NY Governor Kathy Hochul this week announced plans to invest more than $1 billion to address the climate crisis and achieve a more sustainable and affordable future as part of her 2025 State of the State. This ambitious proposal would be the single largest climate investment in state history, generating thousands of jobs, slashing energy bills for households, and cutting harmful pollution.“Today, ...

By Smart Grid Observer

The U.S. Department of Energy this week announced $34 million for 12 projects across 11 states to strengthen and modernize America’s aging power grid through the development of cost-effective, high-speed, and safe undergrounding technologies. Through the Grid Overhaul with Proactive, High-speed Undergrounding for Reliability, Resilience, and Security (GOPHURRS) program, the selected ...

By Smart Grid Observer

Statistics published this week by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) show that wind outperformed gas in 2024 by generating more electricity for the first year ever. Wind provided a record 30% of Britain’s electricity last year (up from 28% in 2023), while gas produced 26.3%. December was the windiest month, when 38.9% of electricity came from wind, with record high amounts of clean ...

By Smart Grid Observer

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is investing up to €105 million ($109.5 million) in a large-scale solar-thermal plant in Novi Sad, Serbia. The project is expected to reduce the district heating agency’s natural gas consumption by around ...

By pv magazine

The COP29 Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge has gained the support of 58 countries, including major players from all continents like Brazil, Kenya, the USA, Ukraine, Pakistan, Morocco, Uruguay, Congo, Peru, Venezuela, Malaysia, Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, numerous European countries, and dozens of organisations. These signatories are taking the lead in implementing the ambitious target of ...

By Smart Grid Observer

Consumers Energy’s investment in smart technology for Michigan’s electric grid is paying off, keeping the lights on for over 72,000 customers who would have otherwise lost power at some point this year.Devices known as automatic transfer reclosers, or ATRs, have provided this benefit to customers. They’re an example of a leading-edge technology that detects a power outage remotely and, like ...

By Smart Grid Observer

The world will need 532,000 new wind technicians by 2028 to meet the increasing demand for onshore and offshore wind, according to the Global Wind Workforce Outlook, a new report from the Global Wind Energy Council and Global Wind Organisation. The report finds that 40% of those roles will need to be filled by new entrants, highlighting the need for a resilient supply chain of skilled personnel ...

By Smart Grid Observer

We are delighted to announce that Clarke Energy and AGR Renewables state-of-the-art, hybrid energy system at Fenlands Greenhouse, won “Project of the Year” at AMPS – the Association of Manufacturers Power Systems – Awards for Excellence! This is the second award the scheme has scooped and we would like to thank all involved, especially AGR Renewables and Clarke ...

By Clarke Energy

PA Consulting, the global innovation and transformation consultancy, announced Con Edison is the winner of its 2024 National ReliabilityOne Award for providing the most reliable electric service in the nation. PA Consulting also selected Con Edison for its for Outstanding Reliability Performance in the Northeast Region Metropolitan Service Area.“Con Edison has provided New Yorkers with reliable ...

By Smart Grid Observer

The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) today announced the release of a groundbreaking guidance document aimed at ensuring the global transition to renewable energy is both rapid and sustainable. Titled "Improving Decision-Making for the Energy Transition: Guidance for Using Strategic Environmental Assessment," this comprehensive resource provides governments and ...

By International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA)

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ: CLNE), the largest provider of the cleanest fuel for the transportation market, has announced a new agreement with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), the region’s largest public transport provider, to build the agency’s first private compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station. The new state-of-the-art facility will be the ...

By American Biogas Council (ABC)

The U.S. Department of Energy this week published the “2024 Better Buildings Initiative Progress Report,” which highlights the achievements of DOE’s Better Buildings public and private sector partners as they decarbonize and increase the energy efficiency of the nation’s buildings, manufacturing plants, and homes. The report shows that program partners—including 28 ...

By Smart Grid Observer

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy this week announced 17 states and territories to receive awards totaling $66 million from the Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Capitalization Grant Program. The program, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provides funding to states and territories to establish or ...

By Smart Grid Observer

Without rapid investments in clean energy storage, Illinois consumers will pay up to $30 more per month for energy, and the state will face energy shortfalls and a higher risk of blackouts, according to a newly released study.The study, “Cost and Benefit Analysis of Energy Storage Resource Deployment in Illinois,” found that deploying at least 8,500 MW of clean energy storage would provide $3 ...

By Smart Grid Observer

Sunrun, a leading provider of clean energy as a subscription service, is now operating the first vehicle-to-home power plant in the U.S. using a small group of customer-owned bidirectional electric vehicles. In partnership with Maryland’s largest utility, Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation, the regulator-approved initiative utilizes all-electric Ford ...

By Smart Grid Observer

By Lian Plass, Kara Kokernak in Urban Land A new breed of buildings is emerging that are not only energy efficient but can actually interact with the power grid in real-time. These grid-interactive efficient buildings represent the cutting edge of sustainable real estate, promising reduced energy costs, improved resilience, and a smaller carbon footprint. Buildings are acting as “good ...

By Smart Grid Observer

The United States has made significant strides in its efforts to ensure a secure, sustainable and affordable energy system in recent years thanks to government actions that have helped unleash a surge in clean energy investment, according to the IEA's latest review of US energy policies.The United States 2024: Energy Policy Review, published this week, provides an assessment of US policies and ...

By Smart Grid Observer

In support of President Biden's Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy this week (June 25) announced $63.5 million for four transformative technologies through the Seeding Critical Advances for Leading Energy technologies with Untapped Potential (SCALEUP) program. The four projects have demonstrated a viable path to market and represent technologies focused on aerogels for ...

By Smart Grid Observer

This week (June 18), the U.S. Department of Energy released new Supply Chain Cybersecurity Principles, developed in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory. The principles establish best practices for cybersecurity throughout the supply chain that supports energy infrastructure.Developed for manufacturers and end users alike, the principles create a framework to strengthen key technologies ...

By Smart Grid Observer