Clean energy
New Legislation Aiming to Inject Competition Into Virginia’s Offshore Wind Market Could Spark a Reexamination of Dominion’s Monopoly Power
After a 2023 legislative session that saw Virginia lawmakers claw back oversight over Dominion Energy’s previously unchecked profits, Virginia’s monopoly utility is once again facing scrutiny over its balance sheet and commitment to clean energy. Sen. Creigh Deeds, a Democrat representing Charlottesville and an architect of last year’s successful push to restore regulatory oversight of […]
Read MoreA Boutique Hotel Helps Explain the Benefits of Businesses and Government Teaming Up to Conserve Energy
What once was an abandoned department store in downtown Racine, Wisconsin, is now a boutique hotel that is unusually good at conserving energy. The most efficient elements of Hotel Verdant are not visible to the general public, things like a geothermal heating system underground and thick insulation beneath the roof. But energy conservation is a […]
Read MoreElectrified Transport Investment Soared Globally in ’23, Passing Renewable Energy
Electrified transportation sped past renewable energy last year to become the world’s largest category of energy transition investment. This finding, part of a report BloombergNEF released Tuesday, shows a shift that is “absolutely critical to getting to net zero,” said the lead author, Albert Cheung. The transportation sector is a leading source of global carbon […]
Read MoreGreen Energy Justice Cooperative Selected to Develop Solar Projects for Low Income, BIPOC Communities in Illinois
The Green Energy Justice Cooperative recently placed first, second and fourth in the Illinois Power Agency’s second round of community-driven community solar project selection. Being selected for this solar development program, made possible through the Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, represents an important step in developing and building clean energy projects in Illinois communities. […]
Read MoreOwner’s Withdrawal From Offshore Wind Project Hobbles Maryland’s Clean Energy Plans
Danish energy company Ørsted has exited an agreement with Mayland to sell electricity from an offshore wind farm it plans to build off the coast of Ocean City, casting a shadow of doubt on Maryland’s ability to achieve its target of 100 percent clean energy by 2035. Offshore wind is a key plank in Governor […]
Read MoreIt Could Soon Get a Whole Lot Easier to Build Solar in the Western US
The Biden administration has outlined how it could dramatically expand the public lands available to streamline solar development in the Western U.S., a major step that could help sustain the surge in solar energy projects across the country. The Bureau of Land Management last week released a proposal to update its 2012 Western Solar Plan […]
Read MoreWho Pays for Cleanup When a Solar Project Reaches the End of Its Life?
One of the objections to utility-scale solar power that I hear most often is that local communities will be left to cover the costs of cleanup at the end of a project’s life. But state and local rules in nearly all of the country are clear about who pays: The developer or the owner is […]
Read MoreU.S. Battery Storage Had a Record Quarter. Here’s Why It Could Have—and Should Have—Been Much Better
The United States added a record amount of energy storage in the second quarter. But I’ll forgive people in the industry for not being in the mood to celebrate. The growth, while substantial, would have been much greater if not for the many delays brought on by parts shortages and other issues. Also, the growth […]
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