DOE makes $450M available for residential solar, battery systems in Puerto Rico

This summer, Puerto Rico experienced rolling blackouts 570 times more frequently than the North American average, according to the Department of Energy.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 1, 2023

White House proposes environmental review reforms, in part to speed clean energy projects

“These reforms to federal environmental reviews will deliver better decisions, faster permitting, and more community input and local buy-in,” said Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory.

By Ethan Howland • July 31, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Sustainability

Companies are pursuing increasingly ambitous sustainability goals around clean energy, but integrating rising amounts of renewables, minimizing environmental impacts, and achieving carbon reduction targets can be challenging.

By Utility Dive staff

Resource adequacy — time for a new approach

Anticipate more activity on resource adequacy in the coming months and years as the clean energy transition evolves.

July 31, 2023

First Solar plans $1.1B solar panel factory

The clean energy manufacturer is adding its fifth U.S. site as it looks to leverage Inflation Reduction Act tax credits. 

By Kate Magill • July 28, 2023

NextEra seeing signs of wider renewable energy recovery, company leaders say

Solar panel and battery prices have begun to decline, and renewables stand to gain a third class of customers as the U.S. establishes a hydrogen industry, NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum said.

By Emma Penrod • July 27, 2023

Maine lawmakers approve bill to jumpstart floating offshore wind, develop 3 GW by 2040

The bill establishes procurement, environmental and labor provisions ahead of the federal offshore wind lease sales due to be held for the Gulf of Maine in 2024.

By Diana DiGangi • July 27, 2023

Cautious investors and fast cash: Why AEP, Duke and other utilities have sold their renewable assets

Conditions following the COVID-19 pandemic have led a swath of utility companies to put their competitive renewable energy assets up for sale. Analysts are unsure how long the trend will last.

By Emma Penrod • July 27, 2023

DOE invests $20M to optimize lifecycle of solar energy materials, address supply chain vulnerabilities

The department aims to cut costs and improve efficiency for solar energy to meet the “unprecedented” demand posed by decarbonization goals.

By Diana DiGangi • July 25, 2023

Federal officials encourage applications to $7B solar grant competition

The funding supports solar projects to benefit low-income communities. The first application deadline is July 31.

By Diana DiGangi • July 24, 2023

Hydrogen can fill a critical gap in decarbonizing, but can utilities make the business case?

As electric and gas utilities seek approval from regulators, they will need to address concerns about hydrogen economics, sustainability and safety.

By Leah Kunkel, Wesley Miller and Jessica Wright • July 24, 2023

DOE offers $32M for the production of rare earth and critical minerals from coal-based sources

The Biden administration is looking to develop production sites to extract materials such as lithium and cobalt.

By Kate Magill • July 24, 2023

Investor interest in energy storage back on track after slow first quarter

Unprecedented spikes in lithium prices and new IRA provisions likely contributed to the first-quarter slump, says Della Xu, an investment associate with Greenbacker Capital.

By Emma Penrod • July 21, 2023

Interior Department to hold first-ever Gulf of Mexico offshore wind lease sale

Three lease areas with a total potential capacity of 3.7 GW will be auctioned off in August.

By Diana DiGangi • July 21, 2023

New York completes state’s largest rooftop solar project atop Medline distribution center

Governor Hochul says the 7.2-megawatt community solar project is expected to power over 1,600 homes and reduce energy costs for both Medline and local residents.

By Joe Burns • July 21, 2023

Fervo Energy sees ‘breakthrough’ in enhanced geothermal technology, opening path for firm, clean power

The successful use of fracking techniques at a project in Nevada expands the potential for geothermal across the West, according to Tim Latimer, Fervo CEO.

By Ethan Howland • July 21, 2023

‘Bifacial’ perovskite solar cells could produce more energy at lower costs, NREL finds

Perovskite solar cells that can harvest the sun’s energy on both sides of the cell could allow the material to surge past silicon in efficiency yields.

By Diana DiGangi • July 20, 2023

PPAs rejected for Avangrid, Orsted-Eversource offshore wind projects

Avangrid subsidiary Commonwealth Wind will now rebid in Massachusetts’ upcoming offshore wind solicitation, while Rhode Island’s Revolution Wind 2 project has been cancelled.

By Diana DiGangi • July 20, 2023

Digging deep: Why oil and gas should take a closer look at geothermal

Rather than equivocating in their commitments to clean energy, oil and gas companies should draw on their strengths in innovation and cost reduction to bring energy solutions to market.

By Andrew Howell and Karine Kleinhaus • July 19, 2023

US utility-scale solar outlook improves on easing supply chain limits: Morgan Stanley

However, residential solar growth may be slowed by rising interest rates and California’s new net metering policy, the investment firm’s analysts said.

By Ethan Howland • July 19, 2023

Solar PPA prices drop for first time since onset of COVID-19: LevelTen

Average solar PPA prices fell 1% in the second quarter of 2023, suggesting markets have begun to arrive at a new normal, according to LevelTen Energy.

By Emma Penrod • July 18, 2023

Drought could cause Western carbon emissions to surge on reduced hydro: report

Increased risk of drought in the Western U.S. could complicate planning efforts for utilities looking to eliminate carbon emissions, according to analysis from Stanford University.

By Emma Penrod • July 18, 2023

Transmission development pace ‘severely’ limits renewable energy, carbon reduction potential: report

Failing to speed up transmission expansion cuts possible greenhouse gas emissions reductions in half by 2035, the Princeton University-led REPEAT Project found.

By Ethan Howland • July 17, 2023

How utilities can navigate the energy transition with near-term and long-term actions

Optimizing core operations while investing in future-focused solutions will enable the path forward.

By Ned Calder, Simar Grewal, and Anna Veatch • July 17, 2023

Global renewables adoption ‘in line with ambitious net-zero scenarios’: RMI report

The think tank projects global success in meeting a 2050 net-zero goal, but not in limiting warming to 1.5 degrees C.

By Diana DiGangi • July 14, 2023

DOE offers $5.1M in prizes for wind turbine recycling innovations

Most turbine materials already have commercial recycling options, but the remaining components pose a barrier to a circular wind energy economy.

By Diana DiGangi • July 14, 2023