News and Press Releases from Smart Grid Observer

Creating a Real-World Competition to Inspire Tomorrow's Cyber Workforce

Cyberattacks pose an ongoing threat to the security of the nation’s energy critical infrastructure, so it’s now more important than ever to have a strong, agile workforce that is prepared to protect this infrastructure. Last Saturday, I had the ...

Apr. 11, 2018

Carbon Nanotubes Have the Potential to Improve Transmission Network Efficiency and Reliability

A new report from Navigant Research examines the global utility market for carbon nanotubes (CNTs), highlighting significant CNT characteristics and challenges for grid integration, as well as providing recommendations for utilities, ...

Apr. 11, 2018

Fleet of Automated Electric Taxis Could Deliver Environmental and Energy Benefits

It may be only a matter of time before urban dwellers can hail a self-driving taxi, so researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley decided to analyze the cost, energy, and ...

Mar. 30, 2018

Duke Energy's New Climate Report Details the Company's Ability to Adapt to a Low-Carbon Future

Duke Energy recently (3/22) outlined steps it is taking to provide safe, reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy to its customers while embracing the transformation underway in the utility industry.The report details the company's ...

Mar. 23, 2018

Utilities Lag Other Industries in Digital Experience, but Standouts are Emerging, J.D. Power Finds

Utilities are among the lowest-performing industry groups when it comes to delivering distinct digital customer experiences, but some pioneers have found the secret to digital success, according to the J.D. Power 2018 Utility Digital Experience ...

Mar. 22, 2018

Department of Energy Invests $17.6 Million in Technologies Capable of Reducing CO2 Capture Cost and Energy Penalties

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected six projects to receive $17.6 million in federal funding under the Office of Fossil Energy's Novel and Enabling Carbon Capture Transformational Technologies funding opportunity ...

Feb. 23, 2018

New AEE Report: Utility Earnings in a Service-Based World

A recent report from the Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) shows electric utilities can reduce costs for customers without hurting profits for shareholders by considering service-based alternatives to capital investments, utilizing one of several ...

Feb. 22, 2018

Kitsault Energy (KE) Announces Plan to Turn Waste into Energy in India and Canada

Kitsault Energy (KE) recently announced plans to turn waste into energy in India and Canada using a Proprietary and Patented process. The waste includes legacy waste wood from pulp and paper plants, municipal solid waste, road waste, food waste, ...

Feb. 21, 2018

Consumers Energy Announces Clean Energy Breakthrough Goal: 80 Percent Reduction in Carbon Emissions, Zero Coal by 2040

Consumers Energy and CMS Energy recently (2/19) announced Consumers Energy's plans to meet Michigan's energy needs reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent and no longer using coal to generate electricity by 2040. The company also said today that ...

Feb. 20, 2018

Energy Department Invests $44M in Advanced Carbon Capture Technologies Projects

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy has selected seven projects to receive approximately $44 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development through the funding opportunity announcement, Design and ...

Feb. 19, 2018

New Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) Established at the U.S. Department of Energy

On February 14, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced the establishment of a new Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) at the U.S. Department of Energy(DOE). $96 million in funding for ...

Feb. 15, 2018

Electric Vehicle Revolution Will Slash Travel Costs in Cities

Autonomous and shared mobility, digitalization and decentralization of energy systems require new approaches to electric mobility, according to the World Economic Forum’s report Electric Vehicles for Smarter Cities: The Future of Energy ...

Feb. 15, 2018

Report: Economic Contribution of the U.S. Lead Battery Industry

A study released today reveals that the U.S. lead battery industry enables more than 95,000 jobs for American workers and contributed more than $28 billion in total economic output to the national economy in 2016. This release comes on the heels of ...

Feb. 2, 2018

Sustainable Finance: High-Level Expert Group Delivers Roadmap for Greener and Cleaner Economy

The European Commission will now move to finalise its strategy on sustainable finance on the basis of these recommendations. Delivering an EU strategy on sustainable finance is a priority action of the Commission's Capital Markets Union (CMU) ...

Feb. 1, 2018

Initial Success With Carbon Pollution Pricing in Ontario

The province's first year of cap and trade went well says a new report from Dianne Saxe, Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. The cap and trade system provides a clear carbon price framework and decreasing caps on allowable levels of carbon ...

Jan. 31, 2018

248.4m Smart Meters Across 50 Emerging Market Countries by 2022

Over the next five years, 50 emerging market countries will deploy 248.4 million smart electricity meters known as advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). This AMI investment will total $34.7 billion over the period 2018-2022. A further $32.8 ...

Jan. 30, 2018

DEWA installs 3,392 smart meters in Hatta

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has installed 3,392 smart meters (1,849 for electricity and 1,543 for water) for buildings in Hatta that are based on the latest international standards in December 2017. This is part of DEWA’s Smart ...

Jan. 29, 2018

New PG&E Pilot Projects Will Expand Electric Transportation in California

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today announced it will begin developing four new pilot projects aimed at helping fleet and residential customers simplify electric vehicle (EV) charging. The new projects were recently approved by the ...

Jan. 26, 2018

NREL Research Determines Integration of Plug-in Electric Vehicles Should Play a Big Role in Future Electric System Planning

An influx of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) charging without coordination could prove challenging to the nation's electric grid, according to research conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Matteo ...

Jan. 24, 2018

U.S. Green Building Council Releases Annual Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED

Recently (1/22), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the creators of the LEED green building program, announced the Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED. The list recognizes markets outside the U.S. that are using LEED to create healthier, ...

Jan. 23, 2018