Why California’s New Home Solar Requirement Includes Batteries and Not Zero Net Energy
May 17, 2018 by Seth Mullendore

California’s recently adopted building standards require solar to be a part of all new residential construction. As the first state to enact such a standard, it’s been lauded as a historic and game-changing event for solar power in the U.S. But some have argued that the new standards don’t go far enough.

Photo Credit: CJG3/ BigStock.com
California Utilities Propose Storage for Energy Resilience and Equity, But More Needs to be Done
March 22, 2018 by Seth Mullendore

Three of California’s largest utilities recently proposed more than 100 megawatts of utility-owned energy storage to support resiliency in critical public facilities and $6 million in incentives for customer-owned storage at multifamily affordable housing properties.

It’s Time to Recognize the Value of Resilience
January 30, 2018 by Seth Mullendore

Extreme weather and related power outages come with a price tag, but these costs are not typically accounted for when considering the potential benefits of a resilient power system. The result is that fewer solar+storage systems pencil-out to make economic sense than would be the case if the power resilience they provide was accurately valued.

Equitable Health and Recovery Depend on Resilient Power
November 27, 2017 by Seth Mullendore

When natural disasters strike, people suffer, and the worst hit are invariably the most vulnerable among us – the elderly, the disabled, and the economically and socially disadvantaged.

Solar+Storage Offers Hope as Irma and Harvey Plunge Much of the Southeast into Darkness
September 25, 2017 by Seth Mullendore

The 2017 hurricane season is forcing many communities and states to once again focus on disaster preparedness and the critical role of resilient power during emergencies.

Millions of Commercial Customers Could Cut Costs with Battery Storage
August 24, 2017 by Seth Mullendore

New research shows that more than 25 percent of commercial utility customers across the US may be able to cut electricity costs with batteries today. What’s more, some of the best economic opportunities can be found in surprising states like Colorado, Nebraska, Illinois, and Georgia.

Photo courtesy of LINC Housing
Minimizing Solar Risk with Energy Storage
May 31, 2017 by Seth Mullendore

Impending changes to net metering policies and utility rates could drastically reduce the value of solar bill savings for commercial ratepayers in California. For affordable housing properties, the changes could translate into a 50 percent loss in solar savings.

Time-of-Use Means It’s Time for Storage
January 20, 2017 by Seth Mullendore

Hawaii’s time-of-use pilot program could have profound implications for the value of solar systems on the islands, and energy storage might be needed to keep those systems economic. In that story is a lesson for the country and the future of solar.

Energy Storage Is the Next Clean Energy Revolution
November 2, 2016 by Lewis Milford, Seth Mullendore

The next wave of America’s clean energy revolution is all about energy storage. A recent study from Massachusetts showed how states might lead the way.

Energy Storage for Public Health: A Smarter Way to Deploy Resources
August 22, 2016 by Seth Mullendore

It is now time to consider another key benefit of storage—public health, especially the power of energy storage to reduce pollution in marginalized communities.