Virtual power plants: How the E Source DER Insights Center gives utilities valuable insights into affordable solutions

May 17, 2023 | Barend Dronkers, Rachel Cooper | 5 min read
Virtual power plants (VPPs) are making a comeback, but utilities often need complex software to coordinate and deploy these technologies. In this blog post, we explore how the E Source DER Insights Center can help utilities build VPPs and design effective distributed energy resource (DER) programs.

Chicken soup for the grid: Distilling complex utility concepts into relatable stories

May 10, 2023 | Lisa Markus | 10 min read
As the iconic series Chicken Soup for the Soul provided emotional nourishment and encouragement to navigate life’s tough spots. Perhaps we need chicken soup for the grid to bridge the gap between stakeholders and the utility through simple storytelling. Grab your apron and let’s begin!

New paradigm ahead: 5 tips for rising to the transportation electrification challenge

May 4, 2023 | Bryan Jungers | 9 min read
What if you could build a new grid and utility from the ground up? Would it look anything like what we currently have? As we plan for the future, we need to prepare for one that looks very different from the present. What does that mean for EV programs? Let’s explore.

Data science and utilities: It takes two to make data-driven decisions

May 2, 2023 | Tom Martin | 5 min read
The advantages of partnering with an expert data science resource to get the most from your data investments are many. In this blog post, we explore the benefits of a partnership because it truly takes two to make data-driven decisions.

6 truths about software and software implementation

April 27, 2023 | Edwin Crow | 7 min read
Fun fact: A software implementation that benefits a utility almost always benefits that utility’s customers. In this post, we share six truths about software and software implementation to help you purchase the right software and implement it correctly so you can reap the benefits.

Beyond empathy: When ethnographic research gets personal

April 25, 2023 | Jeffrey Daigle | 10 min read
I didn’t know it when I was a kid, but I grew up in a low-income household. And that lived experience has enabled me to see the value of ethnography for utilities and their vulnerable customers. In this post, I explain how E Source and the Edison Electric Institute partnered on an important project.

How utilities should prepare for a new era of stranded assets and regulatory scrutiny

April 18, 2023 | Michael Carter | 9 min read
The US energy market is transitioning to a low-carbon future, which will need different infrastructure. Can utilities avoid stranded assets? What should they do with assets once they’re stranded? In this blog post, we explain how utilities can mitigate the risk of stranded assets.

Utility Ad Awards Contest spotlight: Safety, home energy management, and smart home

April 12, 2023 | Hailey Gish | 5 min read
The E Source Utility Ad Awards Contest is the industry’s largest and most comprehensive ad campaign competition. To celebrate the launch of this year’s contest, we’re highlighting winners from 2022. Check out the best campaigns in safety, home energy management, and smart home.

Customers always come first: Why it’s important for utilities to fund and deliver DSM programs

April 4, 2023 | Barend Dronkers, Tom Lienhard | 5 min read
Demand-side management (DSM) programs are one of the best things utility customers get from their utility. We sat down with Tom Lienhard, E Source executive consultant, for an exclusive interview about DSM programs and what utilities should be doing to keep them moving forward to benefit customers.

Use E Source databases to help sell your DSM solutions to utilities

March 30, 2023 | Emily Roberson, Meryl Compton, Michael Hartnack | 7 min read
Utilities are investing millions of dollars into DSM programs. How can program implementers, consultants, software providers, and other vendors pursue these opportunities? In this blog, we highlight a few of the E Source data tools that can help you identify and research new business opportunities.