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Technology

Article, Defense, Government and Politics, Technology, Utilities and Providers

Could hackers knock out our power? It happened in Ukraine

December 18, 2016

Worries over cyberattacks on the USA are increasing in the aftermath of a presidential election in which the CIA alleged that Russia used such means to influence our electoral process. For the moment, the vulnerability of polling and political operations to hacking gets most of the attention. But this week will mark the one-year anniversary of the first publicly acknowledged cyber incident to take down portions of a power grid, one of the most critical components of a nation’s infrastructure. (Read More)

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by Bill Loveless
Article, Energy, Organizations, Technology, Utilities and Providers

Loveless: Solar power’s future bright but has a way to go

September 12, 2016

The largest solar trade show in North America opens in Las Vegas on Monday with another round of good news for the tiny but growing component of the U.S. electric power supply. Among the announcements planned for the Solar Power International 2016 is a report by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association that more than 2 gigawatts of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems were installed in the second quarter of 2016 – the 11th straight quarter that solar connections to the grid exceeded 1 gigawatt. (Read more)

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by Bill Loveless
Article, Energy, Government and Politics, Policy, Technology, Utilities and Providers

Utilities’ drone plans cleared for takeoff

August 30, 2016

Electric utilities across the U.S. are wasting no time taking advantage of new FAA rules authorizing use of drones for commercial purposes. “We’ve certainly heard from our members that they’re excited about this technology,” said Chris Hickling, the director of government relations for the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the trade group for investor-owned utilities in the U.S. (Read more)

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by Bill Loveless
Climate, Energy, Technology

Offshore wind farm a green-energy milestone

August 20, 2016

The first offshore wind energy farm in the USA is up and nearly ready to go, marking a new chapter in the nation’s changing electricity grid. Thursday, workers finished installing the last of five turbines off Rhode Island’s coast, a little more than a year after the Providence-based developer Deepwater Wind first put steel in the water. (Read more.)

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by Bill Loveless
Article, Corporations, Economy / Finance, Technology

Green energy growth fuels an urge to merge

August 7, 2016

The planned marriage of Tesla Motors and SolarCity is causing a stir in energy markets, with two of the most innovative companies in electric cars and solar energy aiming to take a commanding lead in green energy in the U.S. But the combination is just one of many big deals that signal a banner year for mergers and acquisitions in the North American electric and natural gas markets, driven by fundamental changes in those industries. (Read more)

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by Bill Loveless
Article, Consumer, Economy / Finance, Energy, Technology, Utilities and Providers

Rooftop solar poses credit risk for utilities

July 25, 2016

When it comes to creditworthiness, electric utilities generally enjoy investment-grade ratings that make financing easier for these capital-intensive companies. But the popularity of residential rooftop solar systems is threatening to eventually put those favorable ratings at risk. So warns Fitch, one of the three major ratings agencies. (Read more)

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by Bill Loveless
Article, Corporations, Economy / Finance, Organizations, Technology, Utilities and Providers

Green energy funding falls from 2015’s record levels

July 17, 2016

The year 2015 is turning out to be a tough act to follow for new investments in clean energy in the U.S. and around the world. A report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance reveals that financing for solar, wind and other alternatives to fossil fuels in 2016 is down substantially from last year, when a record $348.5 billion was dedicated to projects. (Read More)

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by Bill Loveless
Article, Climate, Economy / Finance, Energy, Technology

Turbine industry aims to keep tailwind blowing

July 6, 2016

The U.S. wind energy industry is the fastest-growing new source of electricity in the country. But it’s not resting on its laurels, especially in an election year. Hence the launch of American Wind Action, a group that will promote the benefits of wind energy to the public as voters consider whom to elect for the White House, Congress, state legislatures and other offices where public policy is made. (Read more)

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by Bill Loveless
Article, Climate, Energy, Government and Politics, Technology, Utilities and Providers

Solar plane partner sees energy reforms in U.S.

June 26, 2016

As he follows the Solar Impulse 2 on its historic flight around the world, the CEO of one of the project’s partners, Ulrich Spiesshofer, draws similarities between the challenges facing the aircraft and those confronting companies navigating changes in energy consumption, like his. “We need to make sure that we demonstrate to the world with projects like this that we continue to stretch the limits,” Spiesshofer, the chief executive of ABB, a multinational maker of electricity grids and robots, said during a visit to Washington the other day. “This project is absolutely stretching the limits.” (Read more)

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by Bill Loveless