Recent News

By Tag

See all

By Month

See all

Utility Dive: New Jersey Governor Orders State to Accelerate Solar, Storage and Virtual Power Plants

Posted by Robert Walton on Jan 21, 2026

Utility Dive reports on Governor Mikie Sherrill's executive orders aimed at expanding New Jersey's power generation and lowering electricity costs by accelerating solar, storage, and virtual power plant deployment. United's Katie Mettle stated that these executive orders are a step toward meeting rising load growth, improving grid reliability, and increasing energy affordability across the Garden State. 

Read More

Topics: United In The News, Economic Impact, New Jersey, Virtual Power Plants, Solar, Battery Storage, Katie Mettle, Distributed Energy Resources

New Jersey Governor Sherrill Creates New Energy Opportunities on Day One

Posted by Savannah Gribbins on Jan 20, 2026

Governor signs multiple Day 1 executive ordersdirecting development of a virtual power plant program, advancing siting and permitting reforms, and launching new clean energy solicitations 

TRENTON, NJ –  Today, Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed a series of executive orders focused on affordability and clean energy deployment — among her first official actions as governor, issued during her inaugural address.

The executive orders include directing the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to commence development of a virtual power plant (VPP) program within 180 days to reduce peak demand by aggregating behind-the-meter distributed energy resources. The order further directs BPU to build on existing energy efficiency and peak demand reduction programs, identify opportunities to increase competitiveness among third-party electricity suppliers that aggregate distributed energy resources, and assess operational and policy changes needed to enable aggregated resources to fully participate in PJM’s capacity market.
Read More

Topics: Press Releases, New Jersey, Virtual Power Plants, Solar, Battery Storage, Katie Mettle

Spectrum News: Freeze Brings Concern for Texas Power Grid that has Strengthened Over Past 5 Years

Posted by Abigail Vaerewyck on Jan 19, 2026

Spectrum News reports on rising grid reliability concerns in Texas as temperatures drop this winter. Matthew Boms, Executive Director of the Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance, stated that the Texas grid is in a much stronger position due to the addition of advanced energy solutions, including solar, wind, and battery storage, which makeup about 90% of new generation connected to the grid.

Read More

Topics: United In The News, Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance, Texas, Offshore Wind, Matthew Boms, Solar, Battery Storage

Crain's Chicago Business: Opinion — Illinois Just Stepped Up For Clean, Affordable Energy — and Economic Prosperity


In an op-ed for Crain's Chicago Business, United's Samarth Medakkar discusses the passage of Illinois' Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA), which will expand battery storage, facilitate more investment in renewables, and strengthen energy efficiency programs statewide, highlighting Illinois as a dominant and leading force in building a modernized, affordable, and equitable power grid.

Read More

Topics: United In The News, Economic Impact, Illinois, Samarth Medakkar, Virtual Power Plants, Battery Storage

Governor Pritzker Sets National Example by Signing Legislation to Prevent Further Utility Bill Spikes, Handle Rising Energy Demand

Posted by Alissa Rivera on Jan 8, 2026

Illinois’ Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act represents leadership in the face of clean energy rollbacks

SPRINGFIELD, ILGovernor JB Pritzker once again showed Illinois’s national leadership today in signing the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA). Comprised of several programs, CRGA ensures substantially more battery storage will be built in Illinois, facilitates more investment in renewable energy resources, creates an innovative virtual power plant (VPP) program, anstrengthens energy efficiency programs.

Read More

Topics: Press Releases, Illinois, Samarth Medakkar, Battery Storage

The Center Square: Did Clean Energy Optimism Back Democrats' Election Wins?

Posted by Lauren Jessop on Nov 18, 2025

The Center Square reports on the election outcomes in New Jersey and Virginia, where Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger won their gubernatorial races. United's Virginia Director Jim Purekal and New Jersey Policy Lead Katie Mettle highlighted the future governors' focus on lowering energy prices through clean energy as a key component of their victories.

Read More

Topics: State Policy, Virginia, United In The News, Heather O'Neill, New Jersey, Jim Purekal, Solar, Battery Storage, Interconnection, Katie Mettle

PV Magazine: In Virginia and New Jersey, Solar and Storage Goals Include Surplus Interconnection

Posted by William Driscoll on Nov 13, 2025

PV Magazine reports on the election results from Virginia and New Jersey, with a specific focus on unlocking new clean energy opportunities by making better use of existing interconnection capacity. United’s Virginia Director Jim Purekal emphasized that Virginia must make the most of existing energy resources to meet rising load growth, while United’s New Jersey Policy Lead Katie Mettle highlighted the need for siting and permitting reforms to get more projects online faster.

Read More

Topics: State Policy, Virginia, United In The News, New Jersey, Jim Purekal, Solar, Battery Storage, Interconnection, Katie Mettle

Bloomberg Law: Trump Renewables Crackdown Tests Texas Energy Market Resiliency

Posted by Shayna Greene on Oct 31, 2025

In an article for Bloomberg Law, Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance's (United's state affiliate) Executive Director, Matthew Boms, highlights how advanced energy solutions—including wind, solar, battery storage, and demand response technologies—are bolstering the state's economy, increasing grid reliability, and helping meet rising load growth.

Read More

Topics: State Policy, United In The News, Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance, Texas, Economic Impact, Offshore Wind, Matthew Boms, Solar, Battery Storage

Newly Passed Legislation to Help Prevent Further Utility Bill Spikes Amid Rising Energy Demands in Illinois

Posted by Alissa Rivera on Oct 30, 2025

The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act will allow for more energy storage and create a virtual power plant program

SPRINGFIELD, ILIllinois legislators today responded to rising utility bills and growing energy demandby passing theClean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA), paving the way for substantially more battery storage in the state. 

Read More

Topics: Press Releases, Illinois, Battery Storage

Houston Public Media: Renewable Energy, Power Storage Key to Meeting Texas’ Electricity Demand, Experts Say

Posted by Natalie Weber on Oct 9, 2025

Houston Public Media reports on a recent virtual Reliable Grid Project media briefing, where industry experts emphasized the importance of renewables to meet growing electricity demand across Texas. Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance Executive Director Matthew Boms spoke to the benefits of wind, solar, and battery storage in bolstering Texas' grid.

Read More

Topics: United In The News, Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance, Texas, Offshore Wind, Matthew Boms, Solar, Battery Storage