VPP Momentum Grows, but Customer Knowledge Lags
As states push virtual power plants, the biggest barrier may be whether customers understand them.
Climate & Energy
The grid, materials, and climate technology.
Offshore Wind Workers Pay Price as Trump Administration Pulls Back
A new article argues that federal hostility to offshore wind is derailing the careers of workers who trained for the industry.
Trump Administration Redirects $500M Steel Grant to Coal Furnace
A $500 million clean-steel grant has been redirected to upgrade a coal furnace, marking a major federal pivot away from industrial decarbonization.
Heat Pumps Hit Majority in New US Apartment Buildings
2025 was the first year that most new US apartment buildings came with heat pumps, signaling progress in cutting fossil fuels from housing.
Solar and Storage Still Lead US Power Construction Despite Headwinds
Despite policy rollbacks and tariffs, solar and battery storage continue to make up the largest share of new US power plant capacity.
PJM’s data center power plan leans on states like Pennsylvania
The grid operator’s proposal to keep data centers from spiking power prices depends on state action, and Pennsylvania is moving first.
Duke Energy Rate Proposal Hits Poorest North Carolina Customers Hardest
A contested rate increase before state regulators would disproportionately burden the utility's lowest-income customers.
Western Geothermal Growth Depends on State Policy Support
Next-generation geothermal could expand clean power in the U.S. West, but high costs mean states must act to unlock its potential.
Boston studies water-source heat pumps for large buildings
Boston is exploring whether ocean and river water can heat and cool large buildings, potentially shifting them away from fossil fuels.
Home Battery Installations Rise Despite End of Federal Incentives
Unlike EVs and rooftop solar, home battery sales continue to grow even after federal tax credits expired.
Ohio's Largest Solar Project Nears Final Decision After Two-Year Wait
The Ohio Power Siting Board is set to decide the fate of the state's largest solar and storage project after a legal hurdle cleared.
FERC ruling opens PJM to virtual power plants
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ordered PJM to accept statistical sampling for virtual power plants, a move that could expand distributed energy resources in the largest U.S. grid market.
New US Solar Tariffs Raise Costs, Boost Domestic Manufacturing
The White House's new tariffs on imported polysilicon and related products will make solar installations more expensive while accelerating efforts to bring manufacturing back to the US.
Hyundai breaks ground on $6B Louisiana steel mill aiming for low-carbon output
The nearly $6 billion facility could become the lowest-carbon steel mill of its kind in the U.S., according to Canary Media.
AI-Driven Gas Plant Boom Threatens US Climate Goals, But Uncertainty Looms
A surge in planned natural gas power plants, fueled by AI's energy demand, poses a major risk to decarbonization—though project cancellations could alter the picture.
Maine Regulators Advance 800 MW Wind Farm and 1.2 GW Transmission Plan
A long-stalled vision for utility-scale wind in northern Maine moved closer to reality with regulators selecting an 800-megawatt wind farm and a 1.2-gigawatt transmission line.
Startup Hephae builds downhole tracker for superhot geothermal drilling
A new wireless downhole tool aims to give geothermal operators data while drilling through hot granite.
Solar Outshines Struggling Power Plants in Europe's Heat and Drought
Europe's record June heat and drought strained conventional power plants, while solar generation proved resilient.