Busting the solar myth: A call to embrace the circular renewable economy

While there are significant global environmental and social incentives to using solar energy, its resource intensity calls into question whether solar is truly “green”. The bad news is it’s not — at least not yet.

By Zoe Gossett • Jan. 12, 2023

Qcells to invest $2.5B to build complete US solar supply chain, expand annual capacity to 8.4 GW

Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff said the expansion is the largest clean energy manufacturing project in American history and will create 2,500 jobs in the state.

By Diana DiGangi • Jan. 11, 2023

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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

RMI partners with General Motors, Google Nest for initiative to promote and support virtual power plants

A coalition launched Tuesday aims to spur broader adoption of the virtual power plant concept by bringing together distributed energy industry stakeholders and policymakers.

By Emma Penrod • Jan. 11, 2023

President Biden, creating a resilience corps will maximize our investments in climate and clean energy

We must leverage effective strategies to engage the next, more diverse, generation and put them on pathways to good-paying jobs in our rapidly growing clean energy and resilience sectors.

By Emily Andrews, Kristen Bennett, Kevin J. Coyle, Trevor Dolan, Kaira Esgate, Karishma Merchant and Mary Ellen Sprenkel • Jan. 10, 2023

White House guidance on GHG analysis will ease renewable energy permitting, trade groups say

The interim guidance comes as the infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act are expected to spur clean energy development, which can be slowed by permitting requirements.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 9, 2023

The path to climate resilience for the District of Columbia

Along with other city leaders, DCPSC Chairman Emile C. Thompson sets standards and ensures that D.C.'s clean energy transition is equitable, affordable and resilient.

Jan. 9, 2023

Rhode Island aims to be first to use Inflation Reduction Act to deploy solar for low-income homeowners

State agencies are seeking a private partner to install solar with a preference for net savings minimums and paths to ownership.

By Diana DiGangi • Jan. 5, 2023

Clean energy tax credit transferability: Hero of the Inflation Reduction Act?

Now that transferability exists for federal tax credits, financiers can unlock the tax equity portion of the capital stack to further fuel early-stage project development.

By Eric Rubinstein • Jan. 5, 2023

Coca-Cola, Walmart and Salesforce call on Indiana utilities to offer green tariffs

Proponents say a green tariff program would make Indiana more attractive to businesses and generate billions in capacity investments.

By Diana DiGangi • Dec. 22, 2022

S&P: Third-quarter wind installations fall to 501 MW, lowest Q3 since 2015

U.S. wind developers completed just three projects in the third quarter after a year in which wind farm construction ground to a halt, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

By Emma Penrod • Dec. 21, 2022

All I want for Christmas is my PTCs

We have made a choice as a country that our federal energy policy will be brought to you through the Internal Revenue Code as opposed to through other means.

By Raymond L. Gifford and Matthew S. Larson • Dec. 21, 2022

New York state climate panel outlines ambitious road map to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

The plan is a “bold, monumental achievement,” New York’s environmental commissioner said, but the head of an industry group said it fails to adequately address reliability.

By Stephen Singer • Dec. 20, 2022

For energy transition equity, communities must run community solar

Not just community solar, but community-owned community solar, provides an example of what a more equitable, decentralized clean energy transition could look like.

By Eric Sippert • Dec. 19, 2022

‘Proceed with caution’: Key takeaways from California’s first offshore wind energy auction

A recent lease sale on the West Coast drew lower bids than similar East Coast sales, which experts say reflects the uncertainties the offshore wind industry faces in California. But the lower bids could ultimately benefit ratepayers.

By Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 19, 2022

DOE to offer $750M to spur hydrogen electrolyzer, fuel cell development

The agency is assembling a list of parties interested in projects related to supply chains for electrolyzers and hydrogen fuel cells, according to a notice of intent issued Friday.

By Emma Penrod • Dec. 16, 2022

What would it take for the US to be the leader in floating offshore wind?

The U.S. would need to construct upland port facilities on a scale not seen since the massive ramp-up in ship manufacturing for World War II and speed up processes for leasing, permitting, transmission and interconnection.

By Greg Matzat • Dec. 16, 2022

California lowers compensation rate for rooftop solar, prompting fears of a steep drop in installations

Regulators hope the decision will encourage customers to install storage paired with solar systems to draw more excess energy during the middle of the day and export energy back to the grid in the evening.

By Kavya Balaraman • Dec. 16, 2022

New clean energy investments have topped $40B since the IRA passed, report says

A report from American Clean Power says the solar industry has seen rapid expansion, with domestic solar manufacturing capacity up 300% since the passage of the law in August.

By Diana DiGangi • Dec. 15, 2022

Utility-scale solar installations forecasted to decline 40% in 2022 as supply chain challenges persist

The growth of utility-scale solar has plummeted since 2021, though residential solar has increased 43% compared with the same quarter last year.

By Diana DiGangi • Dec. 15, 2022

Cost concerns could blunt ‘promising’ utility trends on energy storage, smart meters, EVs: Deloitte

“Supply chain snags, rising costs and extreme weather are likely to continue plaguing the power sector,” the consulting firm said in a report.

By Ethan Howland • Dec. 14, 2022

Texas clean energy megaprojects get underway

The state traditionally known for its fossil fuel industry is diversifying its energy production with green hydrogen, blue ammonia and solar builds constructed by Bechtel and others.

By Julie Strupp • Dec. 14, 2022

New Jersey launches competitive solar incentive program, aiming for 300 MW annually through 2026

A state law directed the Board of Public Utilities to double the growth of solar in New Jersey, a directive that it's using to implement multiple new programs.

By Diana DiGangi • Dec. 13, 2022

Long-duration energy storage has attracted more than $58B in global commitments since 2019: WoodMac

Project commitments include 57 GW of LDES, which is roughly the equivalent of three times the global energy-storage capacity deployed this year.

By Stephen Singer • Dec. 12, 2022

Transmission as a reliability and affordability strategy drives CAISO and SPP regional market ambitions

Benefits of real-time markets are clear, demand for day-ahead markets is growing and advocates foresee full RTOs coming that could cross seams between East and West interconnections

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 12, 2022

Federal legislation completely changed the energy landscape. How do states take advantage of it?

Implementing recent federal and state legislation will require Illinois and other states to modernize regulation of their energy systems to accommodate the anticipated rapid growth of clean energy.

By Carrie Zalewski, Tetyana Rabczak and Robert Haggart • Dec. 9, 2022