Democratic Senators push to include FERC reform in comprehensive Senate energy bill

Though none of the proposed amendments were added to the bill's updated version, observers say versions of the amendments could resurface in the House.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 9, 2020

Wind, solar and storage take up 95% of ISO-New England interconnection queue, marking 'dramatic shift'

Five years ago, the majority of the queue was natural gas capacity, CEO Gordon van Welie told reporters.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 9, 2020

Virginia passes bill to bring scrutiny to coal plant closures, despite Dominion opposition

Clean energy and consumer advocates call the state Senate's passage of the bill a momentous signal after years of agreeing with the energy giant.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 6, 2020

Renewables, EV tax credits won't be included in Senate energy bill 'unless we have a miracle on the floor': Wyden

"We're not going to win this round," the top Democrat of the Senate Finance Committee said, as House members and clean energy interests push for greater renewables incentives in the Senate's comprehensive energy bill.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 5, 2020

Florida signs off on FPL's 1.5 GW community solar program, despite lack of competition

NextEra subsidiary Florida Power & Light got unanimous approval for the largest solar subscription program in the nation.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 4, 2020

Additional gas capacity, baseload generation 'critical' to maintaining reliability: DOE analysis

Based on how units slated for retirement functioned during the 2018 "bomb cyclone," the study concludes grid resiliency is increasingly linked to the natural gas delivery system.

By Robert Walton • March 4, 2020

DOE Secretary holds out hope for new low carbon coal plants as Senate drills him on renewables cuts

Congress is faced with an energy "budget that, frankly, sucks," Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., told Secretary Dan Brouillette during the hearing.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 4, 2020

CenterPoint unveils CO2 emissions strategy omitting details on future of 1 GW of coal capacity

The Houston-based owner of electric and natural gas utilities plans to cut its operational emissions by 70% by 2035.

By Matthew Bandyk • March 4, 2020

CAISO urges CPUC to consider increased interim natural gas needs as part of long-term state transition

California's grid operator said intra-day and seasonal gas usage in the electric sector could rise while the state transitions to 100% clean energy.

By Kavya Balaraman • March 4, 2020

Comprehensive Senate energy bill draws industry, bipartisan support, but lags on tax credits, efficiency

The bill would include 17 demonstration projects for advanced nuclear, carbon capture, long duration storage and geothermal, moving away from the Trump administration's more research-focused funding approach.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 3, 2020

Virginia legislature torn over keeping a Dominion coal plant running past 2030

The Senate and General Assembly are reconciling two versions of a clean energy package, including an amendment that would exempt a newer coal plant in Wise County from retiring in the next decade.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 3, 2020

Don't fall for utility talking points on coal ash pollution — it's dangerous and we need real solutions to clean it up

The failure of the U.S. EPA to classify coal ash as hazardous should not be used as an excuse to pretend it’s harmless. Instead, it should be remembered as the success of a massive utility lobbying complex, the authors write.

By Nelson Brooke​, Casi Callaway​, Justinn Overton​ and Stephen Stetson​ • March 2, 2020

Green hydrogen gets real as utility business models and delivery solutions emerge

The fuel may be the only way to meet power system needs in zero emissions scenarios and the market signals to produce and use it are finally clear.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 2, 2020

NYC storage 'most adversely impacted' by FERC orders: NYISO CEO

Nuclear zero emissions credits and new renewable energy resource credits upstate will not face similar hurdles to market participation, said Richard Dewey, CEO of the grid operator.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 28, 2020

'Beyond frustating' Senate dispute stalls bipartisan energy legislation

Adoption of the comprehensive package was disrupted over an amendment that would limit the use of hydrofluorocarbons.

By Catherine Morehouse • Updated March 10, 2020

Indiana Senate passes controversial coal bill after removing fuel oversupply provision

The latest iteration removed language that would have allowed utilities to store up to 90 days of fuel supply on site and shortens the sunset period. It now heads to conference committee, where stakeholders warn it could be reverted to its original version.

By Catherine Morehouse • Updated March 5, 2020

Spending more on renewables 'inappropriate,' as technology is already viable: DOE Secretary

Dan Brouillette defended President Donald Trump's proposed cuts to energy efficiency and renewables to a House committee as a pivot toward emerging technologies that have not yet reached market maturity, such as energy storage.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 28, 2020

CPUC proposes optimal 2030 system portfolio tripling battery storage, more than doubling solar

The California Public Utilities Commission on Friday proposed a 46 million metric ton greenhouse gas emissions target for the electric sector in 2030.

By Kavya Balaraman • Feb. 27, 2020

'Nobody's really for this bill, so why does it keep moving?': Indiana coal bill hits state Senate today

House Bill 1414 has drawn a diverse coalition of business and energy stakeholder opposition. After passing the House earlier this month, it's headed to the Senate today.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 27, 2020

As Puget Sound Energy moves to sell Colstrip share, critics say Northwestern desperate to keep coal plant online

The Montana utility saw a massive profit from the plant in 2008, and now will do anything to keep the facility in its ratebase, say environmentalists.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 26, 2020

Consumers Energy talks tree-planting, carbon capture, innovation with net zero carbon 2040 target

The Michigan-based utility set a "first-in-the-nation" net zero emissions goal to make up for the emissions of two gas units that will remain open past 2040.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 26, 2020

State of the Electric Utility 2020

Renewables and sustainability are top priorities for utilities, but there is room for improvement on cybersecurity, climate resilience and more, Utility Dive's seventh annual report finds.​

By Nami Sumida • Feb. 26, 2020

FERC takes steps to modernize PURPA, but will it do more harm than good?

Proposed changes to the funding mechanics for Qualified Facilities under the law could negate or reverse the cost reductions the renewable energy sector has benefited from in the past few years.

By Tanya M. Larrabee • Feb. 25, 2020

Final EPA coal ash proposal could allow some ponds to go unlined, despite DC Circuit ruling

The agency found its latest proposal could save utilities between $41 million and $138 million per year, siding with industry to give more "flexibility" on what kind of liners adequately protect human health and groundwater.

By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 24, 2020

Cap coal ash in place? Duke and others have learned better

Forward-thinking utilities recognize that their communities and increasingly-stringent standards require more than leaving coal ash in polluting pits and have moved their coal ash to dry lined storage, the author writes.

By Frank Holleman • Feb. 24, 2020