The latest renewable energy news includes announcements on dcbel Ara, PG&E V2X Program, Grid Growth Ventures, Schneider Electric, and others.
dcbel Ara Joins PG&E V2X Program as California Home Energy Incentives Reach $18,300
dcbel’s Ara Home Energy Station has now been added as an eligible device, giving participating California homeowners access to combined incentives of up to $18,300. The package includes as much as $13,800 through the California Connected Home Rebate and up to $4,500 from PG&E. PG&E offers $2,500 upfront, rising to $3,000 in disadvantaged communities, plus another $1,500 for the first 250 early adopters. Ara integrates solar, storage and bidirectional EV charging, making more than 100 energy-management decisions per second. dcbel says a compatible EV could power a home for up to 10 days and potentially reduce annual electricity costs by up to $1,300.
Ohio Plans 220 Miles of 765 kV and 345 kV Transmission as Power Demand Rises 4.8 GW
Grid Growth Ventures, a joint venture of Transource Energy and FirstEnergy Transmission, is advancing approximately 220 miles of new high-voltage transmission infrastructure across Ohio to support rapidly increasing electricity demand. The project includes four new 765 kV transmission lines and one 345 kV double-circuit line, extending from the Indiana-Ohio border in Darke County to Guernsey County. PJM Interconnection forecasts nearly 4,800 MW of additional regional electricity demand by 2032, driven partly by data centers, electrification and emerging technologies. Grid Growth was selected by PJM in February 2026. Thirteen public open houses begin in September 2026, followed by another consultation round in early 2027. Applications to the Ohio Power Siting Board are targeted for spring 2027.
Schneider Electric Launches 11.5 kW Smart EV Charger to Avoid $2,000–$6,500 Home Grid Upgrades Schneider Electric has launched Schneider Charge, an 11.5 kW / 48 A Level 2 residential EV charger for the United States and Canada. Its built-in SmartAmp dynamic load-management technology continuously monitors household electricity use and automatically adjusts vehicle charging, potentially allowing homeowners to avoid electrical service or panel upgrades that Schneider estimates can cost $2,000 to $6,500 or more. The charger supports both NACS/J3400 and J1772 connectors, includes a 25-foot cable, complies with OCPP 1.6, and has UL 3141 certification for managed-load applications where accepted locally. Schneider is partnering with Qmerit for installation services. A hardwired model is available initially, while a plug-in version is scheduled for early 2027.
