V2G-enabled PEVs to expand steadily to 2020
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies have been in development since the beginning of the modern electric vehicle era, but are only now beginning to emerge in revenue-generating applications, according to Navigant Research. Though negligible today, the market…
How Simple Energy gamified energy efficiency
What’s the best way to get consumers to reduce their energy use? That’s a big question facing the demand response and energy efficiency sector as it continues to mature. Right now, there are two main…
Trends in utility automation, integration and data analytics
A new report from Black & Veatch identifies many of the common issues utilities of all types face with regard to adding greater levels of intelligence to their network operations. “Black & Veatch believes that…
Fighting for customers’ attention
Customer service is an important part of any utility’s business strategy, but it hasn’t always landed at the top of the priority list. However, with social media proliferating in recent years — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,…
Research shows how prepaid electricity affects consumption
Many utilities internationally have taken to integrating prepaid electricity service into their operations, but few in the U.S. have shown an interest in prepay services for their customers. San Diego Gas & Electric proposed a…
Internet of Things and energy harvesting
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a broad term referring to applications as diverse as Internet-connected vehicles, consumer electronics and smart phones. However, the edge of the Internet of Things network will consist of simpler…
Is energy storage ready for primetime?
The last few days have been mixed for energy storage with Xtreme Power filing for bankruptcy and AES Energy Storage reaching the 1.5 million MWh milestone for delivered energy. But looking at the big picture,…
Fast path to renewable energy in the Middle East needs distributed energy storage
Middle Eastern countries are keen to move fast along a sustainable energy path, in particular using solar energy. Saudi Arabia has ambitious targets for renewable energy generation, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also…