Grid Innovator Awards recognize standout leadership in grid modernization, honoring Puget Sound Energy, Pano AI, and Rich Sedano for their contributions to modernize our energy system Portland, OR – June 4, 2025. Grid Forward, a member-based non-profit organization promoting grid modernization, announced the winners of the 2025 Grid Innovator of the Year Awards during its...Read More

Organization expands wildfire mitigation efforts with new national partnership and upcoming utility-focused symposium. PORTLAND, Ore. May 8, 2025 – Grid Forward is proud to announce it has joined the Partners in Wildfire Prevention organization, a new coalition dedicated to reducing the devastating impacts of wildfires through proactive prevention and preparedness. The coalition is advancing a...Read More

On a new episode of the Grid Forward Forum podcast, the CEOs at Holy Cross Energy and United Power, Inc. had a candid discussion about how smaller public utilities are tackling current challenges and opportunities. These two co-ops serve very different Colorado geographies: from the mountainous Rockies for Holy Cross to the vast hills and...Read More

Grid operators and the overall energy ecosystem have been looking for indications of how the substantial changes in federal policy will affect how they operate and serve the goals and expectations of their communities. That’s why we invited U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R, N.D.) as a guest of the Grid Forward Forum podcast. Congresswoman Fedorchak knows...Read More

Did you know that Watch Duty was the most downloaded iOS app during recent wildfires? We wondered why, so we invited Nick Russell, VP, Operations at Watch Duty, to come on the Grid Forward Forum podcast. Talking with Bryce Yonker, executive director and CEO of Grid Forward, Nick explained the history of the app and how...Read More

The growth of AI and the modern grid are inextricably linked. The grid needs to deliver power to a growing fleet of huge data centers, while AI offers promise to make the grid more efficient and resilient. To ramp up the topic, we invited Sean Kelly, co-founder & CEO at Amperon, and Xing Wang, global...Read More

A recap from GridFWD 2024 by Tom Brim, AVP and Brett Lyon, Manager in North Highland Consulting’s utility practice How far we have come. Just think, for those of us at the GridFWD 2023, many ohh’ed and ahh’ed with great curiosity as Microsoft demonstrated the power of its AI engine during a morning keynote at...Read More

Next round targets 38 projects across 42 states totaling an additional $2 billion in investments. October 18, 2024 – Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the next round of Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program investments for 38 projects across 42 states totaling an additional $2 billion. These projects are focused...Read More

Recognized for energy solutions for commercial buildings, Edo secures top prize in pitch competition focused on unlocking grid potential and overcoming market barriers Portland, Oregon, October 8, 2024 – Grid Forward, a member-based non-profit organization promoting grid modernization, announced Edo, a solution provider transforming how commercial buildings connect with the grid, as the winner of...Read More

As a leading organization in promoting and accelerating grid modernization, Grid Forward congratulates the winners of the latest round of investments under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program. This second round awarded eight projects across 18 states (see featured image above from the U.S. DOE) to protect against...Read More

PacifiCorp, EnergyHub and Larry Bekkedahl are recognized for their industry-defining contributions to modernizing the electric grid. June 27, 2024 –Grid Forward announced the winners of the 2024 Grid Innovator Awards during its Annual Member Meeting on June 27, 2024. Pacificorp, EnergyHub and Larry Bekkedahl received recognition for their roles in helping to lead the electric...Read More

Grid Forward played host at two recent events that together help paint the picture of how the federal government, state regulators and utilities are aligning on solutions for grid modernization. Download our summary of the two events to learn how the emerging advanced grid technologies, coupled with unprecedented levels of federal investment, are impacting utility...Read More

By Linda Barney, Barney and Associates On April 30, 2024, GridForward hosted a Utility Business Model (UBM) Working Group session where a representative from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions introduced innovative ideas laid out in the Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Innovative Grid Deployment Report. Bryce Yonker, Grid Forward executive director...Read More

The current U.S. administration has been very active in introducing programs to advance grid modernization – so much so that it can be challenging to keep them all straight. That’s one reason we invited Whitney Muse, Senior Advisor for the Office of Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation at the White House, to kick off Season...Read More

Here’s another recap from GridFWD 2023, excerpted from an article in Public Utilities Fortnightly. We continue to see expert commentary and insights arising from our sessions at GridFWD 2023. In this latest example, we hear from participants in a panel session entitled “Case Studies in Grid-Edge Disruption and the Electrification of Everything” from Tuesday, October...Read More

An article by Brett Lyon and Tom Brim,North Highland’s Energy and Utilities practice Electric utilities now have access to a rapidly proliferating array of technologies that help operators manage the disruption facing the grid with an eye toward resiliency. Grid Forward is once again at the forefront of this conversation at the 2023 Grid Forward...Read More

A perspective from GridFWD 2023 by Sam Teal Last month, I attended the 2023 GridFWD conference at Skamania Lodge in the stunning Columbia Gorge. Representatives from utilities, government agencies, energy consultancies, and technology vendors came from across North America to share perspectives on working toward a more resilient, reliable, secure, affordable, and just energy future....Read More

The U.S. DOE Grid Deployment Office (GDO) announced the second funding opportunity under the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program, with up to $3.9 billion available for projects to enhance grid flexibility and resilience, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. What You Need to Know Now Read the announcement here > Download and read the Funding Opportunity...Read More