utilities – Impact Lab

Energy, Hot Issues, Science & Technology News, Solar Energy, Wind Power

Utilities have a problem: the public wants 100% renewable energy, and quick

September 18, 2018

The industry is groping for ways to talk the public down.

Renewable energy is hot. It has incredible momentum, not only in terms of deployment and costs but in terms of public opinion and cultural cachet. To put it simply: Everyone loves renewable energy. It’s cleaner, it’s high-tech, it’s new jobs, it’s the future.

And so more and more big energy customers are demanding the full meal deal: 100 percent renewable energy.

Continue reading… “Utilities have a problem: the public wants 100% renewable energy, and quick”

Batteries, Electric Vehicles, Energy, Latest Trend, Solar Energy

The role your car plays in democratizing the energy grid

October 28, 2017

Decentralized power systems could have huge impacts on vehicles in the near future—and not just in terms of how we’ll charge our cars.

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Analysis, Business, Energy, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News, Solar Power, Wind Power

Solar and wind prices plunge below fossil fuel prices

October 13, 2014

Renewable energy shows an average price decline over the last 5 years of 78% for utility scale solar and 58% for wind.

Lazard, an asset management firm, has a fascinating new analysis of renewable and other energy prices out. There are a huge number of insights in this, from an outside analyst whose primary interest is financial.

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Analysis, Business, Energy, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

Investments in power lines says a lot about how the US electricity system is changing

August 29, 2014

Private investment in electric transmission has quintupled from $2.7 billion in 1997 to $14.1 billion in 2012.

Private electric utilities in America have been doing something surprising over the past ten years – they have been investing a lot of money in power lines and other electric-transmission infrastructure. (Chart)

Continue reading… “Investments in power lines says a lot about how the US electricity system is changing”

Analysis, Business, Energy, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News, Solar Power

Why the days are numbered for traditional utility companies

February 6, 2014

Utilities are under fire from technologies such as rooftop solar.

Duke Energy is the biggest utility in the U.S. The recently retired head of the utility company, Jim Rogers, has had some interesting things to say about the fate of the traditional utility, particularly with the proliferation of rooftop solar.

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Analysis, Business, Energy, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

The death of coal in America

November 21, 2013

Train carrying coal to a power plant.

The Great Energy Shift is happening in spurts and is starting in places like Arizona and Mississippi instead of coming from legislation in Washington. Last week two two utilities faced decisions on whether to fight the future or embrace it.

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Analysis, Globalism, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News, top 10

Top 10 global technology trends for the energy and utility markets in 2013

April 19, 2013

Global energy an utilities sectors faces significant challenges from ongoing environmental sensitivity.

Gartner, Inc. has released a new report that identifies the top ten technology trends affecting the global energy and utility markets in 2013, as the industry faces significant challenges from ongoing environmental sensitivity, changing policymaker attitudes and consumer expectations.

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