Duke Energy to consider selling its $4B, 5.1-GW commercial renewable energy arm, CEO Good says

Any earnings from the sale will be used to avoid high-interest debt as the company’s regulated utilities transition to clean energy, company leaders said Aug. 4.

By Emma Penrod • Aug. 5, 2022

Sunrun, SunPower gain as residential solar grows amid rising utility bills, reliability concerns: Morgan Stanley

Falling rooftop solar and microgrid prices could threaten utilities, according to Paul Patterson, a Glenrock Associates equity analyst.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 5, 2022

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

DOE offers $26M for projects showing how grid can run on all renewables, storage

The Department of Energy aims to show how inverter-based resources can provide key grid services like voltage support and frequency stability.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 4, 2022

Avangrid will take over operation of Vineyard Wind, nation’s 1st large-scale offshore wind facility

The utility says it sees “tremendous opportunity” in offshore wind and has a project pipeline of approximately 5 GW.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 4, 2022

Inflation Reduction Act would spur 42% US carbon emissions cut by 2030: Princeton-led study

The Senate bill cuts U.S. carbon emissions mainly by speeding up the deployment of clean electricity and electric vehicles, according to the analysis released Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 4, 2022

NextEra’s ‘game-changing’ Real Zero emissions goal spurs questions about hydrogen, demand-side management

NextEra, the world’s biggest IOU by market cap, wants a “real” reduction of all carbon emissions by FPL, its regulated subsidiary, with solar, batteries and green hydrogen, but it will go without much help from the demand side.

By Herman K. Trabish • Aug. 3, 2022

Global renewable investment sets new record at $226B in H1 despite supply chain constraints: BNEF

Bucking the “headwinds” of inflation and other challenges, BloombergNEF data shows an 11% rise in global renewable energy financing in the first half of 2022.

By Robert Walton • Aug. 3, 2022

Berkshire Hathaway Energy plans to buy 399 MW of Montana wind from NaturEner

The deal would expand Berkshire Hathaway’s renewable energy holdings by roughly 10%.

By Ethan Howland • Aug. 3, 2022

NYPA does not want new authority to build renewable generation, officials tell New York lawmakers

Opposition to a bill giving the New York Power Authority additional powers could jeopardize interim president and CEO Justin Driscoll’s position with the nation’s largest public utility.

By Robert Walton • July 29, 2022

New York announces 2-GW offshore wind solicitation with a focus on supply chain infrastructure

The state, which already has the largest offshore wind portfolio in the nation, published a third solicitation that includes the first phase of its $500 million investment in wind ports and manufacturing.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 28, 2022

DOE to pilot community solar subscription platform to expand access for low-income households

Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Washington, D.C., will be piloting the new community solar subscription platform.

By Kavya Balaraman • July 28, 2022

With Manchin’s support, Democrats unveil bill with $369B in energy, climate spending

The legislation invests in hydrogen, nuclear and renewable energy, fossil fuel and energy storage technologies, according to West Virginia Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin.

By Ethan Howland • July 28, 2022

RNG producer Vanguard Renewables CEO on $700M sale to BlackRock, digester expansion

Neil Smith, who joined Vanguard after leading an energy company during a similar period of expansion, breaks down what the sale means for the company’s efforts to launch dozens of RNG-producing facilities.

By Cole Rosengren • July 27, 2022

Renewables industry marks slowest quarter since 2019 with installations down 55%

Policy inaction is responsible for stagnating renewable energy development, the American Clean Power Association says in a new report detailing a drop in new project development and 32 GW in delays.

By Emma Penrod • July 27, 2022

Newsom pushes for 20 GW offshore wind goal by 2045, says California must 'up our game' on climate

The governor’s letter is “great news” for California’s offshore wind industry, Adam Stern, executive director of Offshore Wind California, said in a statement. 

By Kavya Balaraman • July 26, 2022

MISO board approves $10.3B transmission plan to support 53 GW of renewables

MISO expects the transmission projects will provide up to $52.2 billion in net benefits over 40 years.

By Ethan Howland • July 26, 2022

State regulators approve Georgia Power's plans to retire all coal plants by 2028 except for Plant Bowen

The state’s Public Service Commission voted to decide the retirement of the remaining two units at Plant Bowen, totaling nearly 1,600 MW, in the utility’s 2025 IRP proceeding.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • July 22, 2022

Green hydrogen prices have nearly tripled as energy costs climb: S&P

Prices for both renewable and conventional hydrogen have exceeded $10/kg in recent months in response to volatile energy markets, S&P Global Commodity Insights analysts said.

By Emma Penrod • July 21, 2022

In move to expand renewable natural gas, BlackRock fund buys Vanguard Renewables

The Massachusetts-based company, known for farm-based projects, aspires to have 100 anaerobic digesters by 2026. This new investment comes as renewable natural gas projects are increasingly popular.

By Cole Rosengren • July 21, 2022

Biden boosts offshore wind, resilience program, but balks at climate emergency declaration

With a dim congressional outlook for climate action, President Joe Biden said Wednesday he planned to do more soon through proclamations, executive orders and regulatory actions.

By Ethan Howland • July 21, 2022

Bureau of Land Management OKs construction start for 500-MW Oberon Solar Project in California

The project is part of a BLM and state partnership to create a 22.5-million-acre renewable energy zone over seven counties in the Mojave and Colorado deserts.

By Julie Strupp • July 20, 2022

Unleashing the economic power and reliability potential of West Coast offshore wind

Offshore wind can have significant reliability, economic and climate benefits, but policy action is needed now, the authors write.

By Mike O’Boyle and Michelle Solomon • July 19, 2022

Pattern Energy buys 3-GW SunZia transmission project to deliver wind energy from New Mexico to Arizona

Pattern Energy said Monday it is developing another transmission project to connect New Mexico with Texas.

By Ethan Howland • July 18, 2022

Pending copper shortfall threatens energy transition, greenhouse gas reduction goals: S&P Global

Even assuming record levels of mining and recycling, there won’t be enough copper to meet the needs of electric vehicles and other components of the energy transition, according to a report released Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • July 15, 2022

US renewable PPA prices up nearly 30% year over year despite two-year solar tariff moratorium

After two years of rising prices, power purchase agreements are unlikely to return to pre-2020 lows, a LevelTen senior director said, but corporations are still flocking to buy renewable energy.

By Emma Penrod • July 15, 2022