Choice, control and lessons from our auto industry friends

Choice, control and lessons from our auto industry friends

For software guys like us, 7:15 AM is a bit early for a presentation and test drive, but we couldn’t resist the chance to check out some of Ford’s latest electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) advances last week at their Power of Choice event...
USC 2013 insights: illuminating key utility solar issues

USC 2013 insights: illuminating key utility solar issues

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) Utility Solar Conference (USC) was held last month in Portland, Ore. This was convenient for our Kirkland, Wash., software team, so we sent four people down to join Tom Hoff from our Napa, Calif., office at the event. It was...
See for yourself: 2012 was a good year for solar

See for yourself: 2012 was a good year for solar

Not only was 2012 a record-shattering year for PV system growth in the U.S., it was also a good year for solar power production. Compare our monthly average maps for 2011 and 2012 to see that many locations in the U.S. experienced significantly higher PV energy...
CAISO addresses changing grid infrastructure

CAISO addresses changing grid infrastructure

In a recent interview with Fierce Energy, President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), Steve Berberich, spoke about where CAISO is headed in 2013. As one of the largest electric grid operators in the United States, CAISO is responsible for...
Hot topic: forecasting solar for grid integration

Hot topic: forecasting solar for grid integration

Grid-integration of distributed generation sources continues to be a hot topic for utilities and independent system operators (ISOs). Last month, the Utility Variable Generation Integration Group (UVIG) held its 6th annual workshop on Variable Generation Forecasting...
Electric vehicles + solar: an idea whose time has come

Electric vehicles + solar: an idea whose time has come

You’ve likely heard about the partnerships springing up between electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and solar (PV) system providers. Most recently, Honda and SolarCity announced a plan that allows Honda customers to install solar with a low upfront cost and see an...