News

San Francisco Chronicle // Mar 07, 2013

Executives Praise State’s Commitment to Advanced Energy, Recommend Strategies to Accelerate Growth and Economic Benefits  

Advanced Energy Economy // Mar 05, 2013

Following last week’s dust up between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and John Broder of the New York Times, several reporters from other news organizations and Tesla enthusiasts recreated Broder’s ill-fated trip between Washington, D.C. and Boston. Peter Valpes-Dapena, writing for CNN Money, took the trip successfully, though “not without some anxiety” that he too would need rescue from a tow truck. “In the end, I made it,” he writes, “and it wasn’t that hard.”

The biggest sporting event of the year, the Super Bowl, also became an energy event when the Mercedes-Benz Superdome lost power for 34 minutes, just after Beyonce’s electric halftime performance. Although the cause of the power outage remains unclear, that hasn’t slowed down the reaction and commentary.

Opower and Honeywell have partnered to create the Energy Management Platform, which seeks to provide homeowners with tools to increase their energy efficiency through demand response and integrated efficiency programs with utilities. Participation in the program would mean 220 megawatts of peak shed capacity for utilities. SmartGrid News reports:

With Hurricane Sandy bearing down on the east coast, Greentech Media explores how smart grid technology could help limit power outages. Distribution automation and smart meters are two such technologies that can help identify outages more quickly or minimize their spread. Although smart grid technology can’t singlehandedly alter the outcome of a storm– traditional preparations such as preparing crews are still critical – but many east coast utilities are better prepared for Sandy thanks to smart grid investments made in the wake of Hurricane Irene.  

Tesla Motors has been building several "Supercharger" solar battery-charging stations across California. The stations will allow Model S drivers to plug in and charge for free "indefinitely." Using SolarCity technology, the six existing stations can charge a Model S with 100 kilowatts in a half hour. GigaOM reports:

Tesla Motors has been building several "Supercharger" solar battery-charging stations across California. The stations will allow Model S drivers to plug in and charge for free "indefinitely." Using SolarCity technology, the six existing stations can charge a Model S with 100 kilowatts in a half hour. GigaOM reports:

Net metering simply refers to the ability of a meter to “spin backwards” when a customer with an on-site fuel cell or solar PV system is generating power and putting it into the electricity grid. When they draw power from the grid, the meter goes forward again – in this way, the customer is charged only for the “net” power they take from their utility, over and above the amount they deliver to the grid.