California moves to accelerate fossil-free energy and vehicles to further cut climate gases and other pollution

An updated greenhouse gas reduction plan from the state’s Air Resources Board incorporates new clean energy laws and directives and includes the potential use of carbon capture to curb emissions at fossil-fueled power plants.

By Elizabeth McCarthy • Nov. 21, 2022

Second-life EV batteries can bolster the energy storage market — if major challenges can be overcome

With 80% of a battery’s capacity left at the end of its useful life in a vehicle and current constraints on supply chains for new batteries, repurposing electric vehicle batteries seems like a no-brainer. 

By Emily Goldfield • Nov. 21, 2022

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Top 5 Stories from Utility Dive

Power demand is rising amid dramatic shifts in federal energy policy, but technology and markets continue to push the grid toward cleaner, more distributed resources. 

By Utility Dive staff

Building out nationwide EV charging is taking longer than consumers think, Fuels Institute says

Permit approvals, government funding and knowing where to deploy charging stations are some of the many hurdles EV stakeholders face.

By Brett Dworski • Nov. 21, 2022

Pilot and Volvo to launch charging network for heavy-duty electric trucks

The companies will select the Pilot locations to house the chargers based on driver needs, the number of electric trucks, public funding and more.

By Brett Dworski • Nov. 18, 2022

US EV adoption likely to get 20% boost by 2030 from Inflation Reduction Act: BloombergNEF report

A BloombergNEF report released at COP27 outlines trends for electric vehicles. Meanwhile, at the global climate summit, a coalition of 200 government and private sector entities committed to accelerating EV adoption. 

By Dan Zukowski • Nov. 17, 2022

SDG&E partners with General Motors to study electric vehicle bidirectional charging potential

The collaboration will focus on three bidirectional capabilities: the ability for vehicles to support home energy needs, send energy back to the grid or participate in a virtual power plant.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 16, 2022

US can reach 100% clean power by 2035, DOE finds, but tough reliability and land use questions lie ahead

New aggressive planning is needed to identify the long-duration storage technologies and find the land to grow enough resources to reach the Biden administration’s net zero emissions goals, a DOE national lab reports.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 15, 2022

Electric vehicle sales rise as registrations jump 57% through September

Consumers are shifting away from hybrid vehicles to plug-in EVs as manufacturers offer more models. 

By Dan Zukowski • Nov. 14, 2022

Georgia to get $850M EV battery parts plant

Chemical manufacturer Solvay Specialty Polymers plans to build a plant in Augusta to manufacture binders and separator coatings for lithium-ion batteries.

By Megan Ruggles • Nov. 10, 2022

Californians reject tax on millionaires intended to raise up to $4B a year for vehicle electrification

Gov. Gavin Newsom, D, criticized the ballot measure as an attempt by Lyft to get its drivers’ EVs subsidized.

By Elizabeth McCarthy • Nov. 9, 2022

Putin-focused and other hacks of charging stations drive new cybersecurity steps for an EV boom

A broad utility-to-charger attack surface will require smarter protection strategies and tools for cyber threats as transportation electrification and vehicle-to-grid integration expand, analysts said.

By Herman K. Trabish • Nov. 8, 2022

Amazon rolls out Rivian EVs in new cities for holiday deliveries

The company has more than 1,000 electric fleet vehicles making U.S. deliveries and plans to have thousands on the road by the end of this year.  

By Max Garland • Nov. 8, 2022

New York’s building decarbonization goals may be unachievable without a new technology boost

Building developers and government mandates should consider newly developed solar PV windows to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, the author writes.

By Arnold R. Wallenstein • Nov. 4, 2022

PG&E launches vehicle-to-grid export rate for commercial electric fleets to help meet peak demand

The new three-year pilot will cost ratepayers up to $1.52 million.

By Elizabeth McCarthy • Nov. 2, 2022

Tesla revamps EV production schedule to ease logistics strains in its delivery network, Elon Musk says

The EV maker is transitioning to a more evenly spread schedule throughout the quarter to avoid logistics capacity strains.

By Kate Magill • Nov. 2, 2022

How the US plans to transform its lithium supply chain

With just 3.6% of global reserves, U.S. access to the critical mineral is vital to the country’s sustainable energy plans.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Nov. 1, 2022

California moves toward mandating zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles

To fight air pollution, the California Air Resources Board discussed a proposal to begin requiring government and commercial fleets to purchase cleaner vehicles. A plan could be in place by next year.

By Dan Zukowski • Oct. 31, 2022

Electric utilities aren’t doing enough to address inequities in today’s power system, advocates say

How are companies, regulators, NGOs and others ensuring that the energy transition is equitable?

By Robert Walton • Oct. 28, 2022

BP and Hertz to build EV fast charging stations across the US

Ride-hailing drivers, Hertz car renters and the public will be able to charge up at hundreds of locations in the U.S.

By Dan Zukowski • Oct. 27, 2022

For equitable building electrification, philanthropy-backed fund puts communities in the driver’s seat

Who designs the energy transition? As cities work to reduce building emissions and spur clean alternatives, the creators of the Equitable Building Electrification Fund believe that decision-making power needs to shift.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 27, 2022

BMW invests $1.7B to expand EV output in the US

The automaker will expand a South Carolina plant and partner with a battery supplier to build a nearby facility.

By Megan Ruggles • Oct. 27, 2022

EV charging station rollout hampered by outdated state, city regulations: report

An electric vehicle charging station is not a petroleum storage tank system, but some governments regulate it as such. That will have to change to speed up the electric vehicle transition, a new research report says. 

By Dan Zukowski • Oct. 26, 2022

The energy system is ‘inherently racist,’ advocates say. How are utilities responding to calls for greater equity?

Utility commitments to customer equity, energy affordability and equitable access to clean energy resources are becoming more common, but energy justice advocates say companies need to do more. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 26, 2022

Electric vehicle fires in Florida caused by Hurricane Ian fuel safety questions

Are EV’s batteries safe? Fires that were recently reported — linked to saltwater damage amid flooding — prompted the latest scrutiny from government leaders.

By Dan Zukowski • Oct. 25, 2022

Biden awards $2.8B to boost domestic EV battery supply

Suppliers for major auto giants including Tesla and Mercedes-Benz won grants to expand manufacturing

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 25, 2022