Advocates push for clean energy tax credits to help low-income households in federal budget bill

As House Democrats advance clean energy language in the budget reconciliation bill, advocates are calling for more flexibility for low-income homes and businesses. 

By Jason Plautz • Sept. 20, 2021

Advancing the energy transition requires an honest discussion of costs, outages and land, analysts say

Customers will tolerate the power system transformation's problems and challenges if they understand stakeholders will be "careful about the transition," one analyst said.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 20, 2021

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

The challenges of putting clean energy goals into action

A deep dive into the many issues, challenges and opportunities involved in achieving Washington, D.C.'s renewable energy and climate goals

Sept. 20, 2021

US solar prices see first cross-segment rise since 2014, bucking downward trend, report finds

Prices will likely remain elevated through the remainder of 2021, a Wood Mackenzie analyst said but should return to their decadelong downward trend sometime in 2022.

By Emma Penrod • Sept. 15, 2021

Landmark Illinois climate bill resolves standoff over Exelon nuclear plants

The legislation also provides a road map for sunsetting the state’s coal-fired plants while setting a target of 40% renewable power for the state’s power sector by 2030.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Sept. 15, 2021

A national Clean Electricity Performance Program needs to support clean-tech innovation

A Clean Electricity Performance Program with a well-designed innovation multiplier could go a long way toward developing and deploying at scale the technology necessary to decarbonize the U.S. grid, the author writes.

By Stefan Koester • Sept. 15, 2021

E2: 'The face of clean energy is predominantly White and male'

The clean energy sector must put in the work to recruit diverse employees in light of a report showing it has largely lost ground on inclusion over the past four years, industry leaders say.

By Emma Penrod • Sept. 14, 2021

FERC wants state help on transmission policy. It should also ask about wholesale market reforms.

States will struggle to reach meaningful levels of decarbonization — let alone a net-zero outcome — without regional scale that really is only possible through the FERC wholesale markets, the author writes.

By David Boyd • Sept. 14, 2021

House committee approves $150B Clean Electricity Performance Program

The program is the centerpiece of Democrats' climate platform and is included in a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package now being crafted.

By Jason Plautz • Updated Sept. 15, 2021

Connecticut falls behind state's GHG goals: 'We told you so,' says Acadia Center

Despite the rise in emissions, the electric sector "shows encouraging results," the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said. Proposed new gas projects are a step in the wrong direction, though, advocates warn.

By Robert Walton • Sept. 13, 2021

New York directs utilities to submit transmission proposals as decarbonization deadline looms

State utility regulators are looking for more transmission projects to handle a planned increase in renewable power as the state pushes to decarbonize its grid.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Sept. 13, 2021

California lawmakers pass bill laying the groundwork for West Coast offshore wind development

Assembly Bill 525, now headed to the governor’s desk, instructs regulators to create 2030 and 2045 goals for offshore wind, as well as a broader strategic plan for developing the resource.

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 13, 2021

Top 9 opportunities for electric co-op and muni leaders in 2022

Take stock of the biggest opportunities for community utility leaders and their organizations as grids evolve.

Sept. 13, 2021

Modernizing America's power grid to withstand an uncertain, climate changing future

Super storms, extreme heat, wildfires – is America's power grid ready for the future? Learn why America's power industry needs to modernize the power grid for resiliency in anticipation of a rollercoaster future driven by climate change.

By Mark Scheid, P.E., Associate Director – Key Clients, Ulteig • Sept. 13, 2021

Hyzon and Chevron-backed fuel company to make hydrogen in California

Two processing sites Raven SR plans to operate in the state could produce enough hydrogen to power an estimated 200 heavy-duty trucks per day.

By Cole Rosengren • Sept. 10, 2021

DOE study calls for ramping up solar installation to 60 GW per year by 2025, but getting there could prove challenging, analyst says

Supply-side constraints have already begun to create bottlenecks and increase costs in U.S. solar installations, calling into question the ability to meet ambitious expansion plans.

By Emma Penrod • Sept. 9, 2021

DOE funds $25M consortium to develop grid-scale inverters, standards

Decarbonized energy systems could use large-scale inverters to drive the grid. A new federally-funded consortium aims to develop the technology by 2035.

By Emma Penrod • Sept. 8, 2021

Key regulatory decision leaves California reliability issues unresolved, aggravates tensions

In the long process to figure out how to share "attributes" of IOU legacy resources needed to meet state renewables mandates, a major decision could weaken collaboration between traditional and new load-serving entities.

By Herman K. Trabish • Sept. 8, 2021

As DOE ramps up Hydrogen Shot initiative, debate about means of production begins

While some officials view hydrogen as an "all of the above fuel" that could be produced in regions rich in either fossil fuels or renewable energy, others argue in favor of regulations to rule out fossil-based production.

By Emma Penrod • Sept. 7, 2021

Pacificorp updated IRP includes 6.7 GW storage, 5.6 GW solar, but NGOs blast fossil fuel component

The utility for the first time also included non-emitting peaking resources and new advanced nuclear in its preferred portfolio.

By Kavya Balaraman • Sept. 3, 2021

Full and open transmission competition is key to boosting grid reliability and renewables in California

We need to put all options on the table to keep the lights on for California while we break new ground in the energy transition, writes Stanford University's Michael Wara.

By Michael Wara • Sept. 3, 2021

LA approves 100% clean energy by 2035 target, a decade ahead of prior goal

The goal puts the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power on track for an aggressive transition that backers said would present a model for the nation.

By Jason Plautz • Sept. 2, 2021

Wind energy's record 2020 growth to continue this year, but deployment could slow in 2022, DOE finds

Wind industry growth is likely to continue through 2021, according to a Department of Energy report released Monday, but market conditions point to rising prices, and deployment may slow absent policy support, experts say.

By Emma Penrod • Sept. 1, 2021

Duke explores shutting coal-fired plants by 2030 in South Carolina plans

The revised plans come after South Carolina regulators voted in late June to reject the utility's previous proposals and send the company back to the drawing board.

By Scott Van Voorhis • Sept. 1, 2021

Solar power in trucking's forecast as fleets find energy, cost savings

Marten Transport, Mesilla Valley Transportation and Rush Enterprises are just a few industry players betting on the power of the sun.

By Heather Larson • Aug. 25, 2021