Moody’s warns of potential power price volatility from renewables oversupply

Reliability costs associated with backstopping renewables could rise to $435 billion a year around the world by 2030, the ratings agency said in a report released Wednesday.

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 14, 2023

MISO: 49 GW has received interconnection approval, but projects face major delays

The roughly two-year delays in building generation and storage come as the Midcontinent Independent System Operator faces looming capacity shortfalls.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 14, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

The Energy Transition to Renewables

New policy and business actions are giving a significant boost to renewable energy in the U.S., but opposition is growing and grid interconnection, permitting, labor and other challenges remain.

By Utility Dive staff

IRA could cut economy-wide carbon emissions by up to 43% by 2030: EPA

In the electric power sector, EPA said that emissions could be reduced by up to 83% below 2005 levels.

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 13, 2023

Google to adopt standardized PPA contract for most renewable energy RFPs after yearlong trial

Trading the conventional open-ended process for a standardized contract cut PPA negotiation time by 80%, Google's head of data center energy said.

By Emma Penrod • Sept. 12, 2023

Taking Charge: Nexamp’s CEO on the ‘existential threat’ of low labor supply and other challenges

Community solar developer Nexamp wants to employ workers from the same historically underserved communities it brings solar to, said CEO Zaid Ashai. 

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 12, 2023

Guidance for the IRA’s 45X, other clean energy tax credits will arrive by year end, says Treasury

The department is entering “Phase 2” of implementing the incentives, promising new guidance on 45X, 48C and 30D.

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 11, 2023

As Google, Meta eye clean energy buys, researchers find widely used strategy has scant carbon benefits

Compared with annual matching, 24/7 green power procurements can drive “significant” cuts in carbon emissions and spur emerging technologies like long duration storage, Princeton University researchers found.

By Ethan Howland • Updated Sept. 13, 2023

California central buyer proposal could boost Pacific offshore wind industry, advocates say

California has adopted preliminary planning goals to install between 2 and 5 GW of offshore wind by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045.

By Kavya Balaraman • Updated Sept. 18, 2023

US solar installations expected to jump 52% to nearly 32 GW in 2023: SEIA

The industry is outperforming SEIA’s March forecast, which predicted the best case scenario would see 2023 installations grow to 28.4 GW. 

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 7, 2023

To spur clean energy, transmission buildout, NRDC calls for focus on affected communities

The Natural Resources Defense Council on Wednesday recommended steps to lift clean energy barriers, including quickly designating “national interest” transmission corridors.

By Ethan Howland • Sept. 7, 2023

Moody’s downgrades Ørsted outlook to negative amid US offshore wind struggles

Ørsted, the company behind half of the offshore wind farms under construction in the U.S., is willing to walk away from them if financial conditions don’t improve, the company’s CEO has said.

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 6, 2023

Peregrine Energy bags $700M financing agreement to fund 7 GW storage and renewables pipeline

The funding will help Peregrine bring its project portfolio into operation and enable the firm to capture market arbitrage opportunities and expand into new areas, the company said

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 1, 2023

Treasury proposes regulations for IRA’s wage and apprenticeship requirements

The proposed rules offer some flexibility to companies struggling to hire enough apprentices or waiting on delayed wage determinations.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 31, 2023

As Ørsted, others seek up to 71% hike in clean energy contract prices, NYSERDA warns of rate increases

Proposals to raise offshore wind and onshore renewable energy contract prices in New York would push residential rates up by 4% a month, according to a state agency.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 31, 2023

Clean energy investment is surging, but success is far from guaranteed

The newfound ambition to build a clean energy economy by mid-century has exposed foundational flaws in approving and connecting energy projects that, if not addressed soon, will make this goal impossible.

By Jason Grumet • Aug. 31, 2023

RWE wins auction for Gulf of Mexico offshore wind lease area as 2 tracts near Texas go unsold

The purchased lease area went for about $55 per acre, compared with average sale prices of at least $1,000 per acre in the last four U.S. offshore wind lease auctions.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 30, 2023

1 year later, EV and battery projects dominate Inflation Reduction Act-driven investment

The solar and wind industries have also seen significant investment spurred by the IRA, while interest in biofuels and energy efficiency has lagged.

By Kate Magill , Julia Himmel • Aug. 30, 2023

Falling gas, oil prices unlikely to slow renewables’ growth but could impact hydrogen: S&P

With help from federal incentives for renewables, fossil fuels' share of power generation is expected to drop to 25% in the 2040s despite falling oil and gas prices, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights.

By Emma Penrod • Aug. 25, 2023

American Clean Power asks FERC to hold conference on capacity accreditation

Improving the patchwork approach to measuring the reliability value of power plants, energy storage and other resources would bolster the grid, according to the trade group.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 25, 2023

Democratic lawmakers urge TVA to set 2035 net-zero goal in upcoming IRP

The members of Congress pointed to Winter Storm Elliott’s impact on the utility’s service area as a justification for increasing renewables investment. 

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 24, 2023

ArcLight, other private equity power plants in PJM face growing financial challenges: report

Risks facing private equity in PJM include lower capacity prices, competition from renewable energy and capacity market reforms, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 22, 2023

Investors, buyers losing interest in ‘speculative’ renewable projects

Interest in renewable energy assets remains strong, but projects that have yet to secure interconnection approvals are no longer attracting bids, according to marketplace operator LevelTen Energy.

By Emma Penrod • Aug. 22, 2023

Four countries were used to dodge solar tariffs, Commerce Department finds

Five companies were found guilty of tariff circumvention. The tariff moratorium is scheduled to end in June 2024.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 21, 2023

DOE lab develops new models to address inverter faults, avoid grid disruptions

Electromagnetic transient domain analysis may be key to stopping inverter-based resources from tripping offline or reducing output in response to grid events, according to research from Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 18, 2023

As demand for solar labor surges, training standards are a key focus: Fluke specialist

On-the-job training is necessary to meet the solar industry’s labor needs, making the quality of that training a priority, said Fluke Solar Application Specialist Will White.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 17, 2023