Don’t Underestimate Balcony Solar
The kilowatts are modest. The behavioral shift could be anything but
Balcony solar isn’t really about small panels on apartment railings. It's about the moment a consumer starts to feel agency over their energy.
Almost Bankrupt, This Electric Co-op Saved Itself by Ditching the Status Quo
Rayburn Electric Cooperative's story offers a provocative message for utilities: Ditch the status quo.
Strange New Alliance Powers the AI Era
Enphase Energy executive explains how the AI build-out is turning utilities and distributed energy companies into collaborators.
The Latest Decentralized Energy News
A Complete List of Energy Changemakers Podcasts
The Energy Changemakers Podcast, with host Elisa Wood, is available every other Wednesday on Apple and Spotify.
Xcel Energy Wins Approval of Controversial Minnesota Virtual Power Plant Pilot
Xcel Energy Minnesota won approval of its controversial virtual power plant pilot that divided the distributed energy community.
Maryland Governor Proposes $100 Million Distributed Energy Auction
First proposed by Senators Brian Feldman and Bill Ferguson, the DER auctions would be held annually beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
What Now for Distributed Energy? A Project Buyer’s Perspective
Electrons are not political — everyone needs them. And maybe it's our industry's own fault. We didn't do enough to say, "Look, these projects are economic.” It's a no-brainer in certain states to have solar on your roof.
Onsite Energy Boosting Commercial Property Values: Report
JLL says that grid capacity has become the primary limiting factor for commercial real estate — not capital, land or labor.
Why is the Business Vibe So Weird for Distributed Energy?
What is the distributed energy forecast for 2026? A mix of survival and gold-rush fever as incentives disappear, but demand for energy surges.
New Federal Data Shows Record Renewable Energy Additions Coming in 2026
If the Trump administration is at war with renewable energy, it appears to be losing, based on an EIA report.Energy Changemakers Offers Three-Part Series on the Competitive Struggle Over Who Controls Virtual Power Plants
Who will capture the market for virtual power plants? Competitive distributed energy companies or utilities? Or is there room for both?
A Decades-Long Battle Between Utilities and Competitors Finds Its Next Front in Minnesota’s Virtual Power Plant Market
Independent developers and advocacy groups fear that, if approved, the Minnesota program will create a model that other utilities nationwide may follow, undercutting competition in the distributed energy market.
Xcel Energy Colorado Preserves Customer Ownership, Local Energy Benefits of Virtual Power Plants
Unlike programs under which the utility procures and owns distributed energy resources — such as Xcel's Minnesota program — Xcel’s Colorado pilot avoids utility spending that would be passed through to electricity rates.
Jigar Shah’s Surprising Stand on This Utility Program
Jigar Shah explains why he supports the Xcel Minnesota virtual power plant program in an Energy Changemakers Podcast.Top Podcast
How to Assure Your Data Center Will Make It Over the Finish Line
Getting your data center over the finish line becomes easier if you take these four steps to overcome energy supply hurdles.
Latest Resources
2026 Market Survey: Microgrid and Distributed Energy Projects Grow in Complexity
Reports of distributed energy’s demise have been greatly exaggerated, according to a 2025 survey of distributed energy and microgrid industry professionals. When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act became law in July 2025, many industry experts feared solar-heavy distributed energy development would dry up with the loss of federal incentives. While survey respondents (67%) say […]
Energy Allies: Communities and Utilities Building Resilience Together
This white paper examines how
successful partnerships among communities, utilities, and energy service providers can improve the grid
and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
Microgrids as a Building Block for Future Grids
This white paper is the fourth in a series of seven white papers in support of the DOE Microgrid R&D Program and presents a broad vision for future grids where microgrids serve as a building block along with technologies that would need to be developed, use case scenarios and the research targets. The DOE Microgrid […]
Utility Bills are Rising: PowerLines
New polling by PowerLines, a nonpartisan consumer education nonprofit, reveals the toll of rising utility bills on American energy consumers.
Microgrids Now
- Microgrids Are a Goldmine for Grid Operators — They Just Don’t Know It
- What Makes a Community Microgrid Actually Work? Start by Listening, Not Engineering
- Is Distributed Wind Poised for a Second Act in Virtual Power Plants and Microgrids?
- Data Centers Are Changing Microgrid Companies. Scale Microgrid’s New Acquisition Offers the Latest Example
- New Mexico Senate Approves Microgrid Renewable Portfolio Standard Bill