What I wish I'd said to California's chief air regulator about clean transportation

Will flexible demand-side resources ever be able to participate in power markets in the same way as supply-side resources? That’s the question before Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols — and all of us, the author writes.

By David Farnsworth • Dec. 5, 2019

After 2 court losses, DOE signals it will publish 4 appliance efficiency standards

Environmental advocates project the standards will generate more than $8 billion in energy savings and avoid nearly 100 million tons of carbon emissions over the next 30 years.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 4, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

Electricity Supply and Demand

After nearly two decades of flat demand, U.S. electricity consumption reached an all-time high in 2024 and is expected to continue rising. This trendline brings together the best of Utility Dive’s coverage of emerging trends in supply and demand and the decisions being made today that will impact the power system for years to come. 

By Utility Dive staff

Los Angeles wants to reach 30% EVs on roads by 2028 Olympics

Local government and private partners released the Zero Emissions 2028 Roadmap 2.0 to accelerate the use of electric vehicles and clean transit.

By Jason Plautz • Dec. 3, 2019

DHL brings electric delivery vehicle pilot to US

DHL's StreetScooter expansion plans follow Amazon's announcement that it placed an order for 100,000 electric delivery vans from Rivian.

By Matt Leonard • Dec. 3, 2019

Electric trucks may be the future, but waste and recycling market still charging up

Looking to move away from diesel and meet climate goals, a growing number of service providers are in the process of testing out models from coast to coast. 

By Mary Catherine O'Connor • Nov. 21, 2019

Efficiency to meet peak demand? New study considers potential beyond energy savings

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a new metric to quantify the utility costs of using energy efficiency to reduce peak demand.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 20, 2019

House clean energy tax bill sees broad industry support, but Senate path uncertain

The draft legislative package, introduced Nov. 19, adds energy storage and offshore wind, while extending solar and electric vehicle tax credits.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 20, 2019

RMI: World is 'badly off track' on Paris climate goals, needs heightened focus on energy efficiency

Rocky Mountain Institute has a new report that identifies seven critical areas of the energy sector where strong intervention could help limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 19, 2019

Meeting Paris climate goals will require EV innovation: MIT report

Transportation has overtaken electricity as the largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, but the Trump administration is set to roll back nationwide fuel economy standards.

By Jason Plautz • Nov. 19, 2019

California defies Trump Administration on lightbulb efficiency standards

New state regulations are expected to ultimately save Californians $736 million to $2.4 billion annually, and lower electricity use 2,290 to 4,600 GWh in the first year.

By Matthew Bandyk • Nov. 15, 2019

Texas proposes smart meter cost recovery for El Paso Electric, Entergy Texas, boosting AMI

The proposal also applies to Southwestern Public Service and Southwestern Electric Power Co. and aligns with 2019 Texas legislation encouraging wider deployment of advanced metering and meter information networks.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 15, 2019

To get to net zero, cities need to think wider than buildings

Solutions to climate change may lie in some old-fashioned values, like building strong communities, relying on neighbors and believing that design matters. 

By Tom Sieniewicz • Nov. 15, 2019

Lessons learned from Europe: What US cities must do to achieve a clean electric future

Cities are at the center of the battle against climate change, but they're also at the forefront of addressing the challenge — and European cities are outpacing the U.S. in their solutions.

By Rob Massoudi • Nov. 12, 2019

Smarter investment and maintenance strategies on the rise with shift in APM

Combining powerful analytics with timely and relevant data about both health and performance, operators can make smarter decisions about their assets. 

Nov. 8, 2019

Florida eases financing for billions in storm hardening spending, retains energy efficiency program

The Public Service Commission voted on Tuesday to allow utilities to bypass the stringent rate review previously required to add storm expenses to base rates.

By Lynn Freehill-Maye • Nov. 6, 2019

Congressional Policy Tracker: Everything you need to know from carbon capture to wind energy

Renewable energy developers are lobbying for tax credit extensions while Republican leaders seek bipartisan research-focused solutions to support advanced nuclear, carbon capture and energy storage.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated Dec. 2, 2019

States, NGOs sue DOE for reversing lightbulb standards as global energy efficiency progress stalls

By reversing the 2017 expansion of lightbulb standards, the Trump administration is blocking electricity savings that would be the equivalent of the output of 25 large power plants per year, NGOs say.

By Matthew Bandyk • Nov. 6, 2019

Solar, energy efficiency to drive drops in load, peak demand over next 10 years, ISO-NE says

The region remains energy constrained, but the grid operator expects to have sufficient resources to meet electricity demand through 2028.

By Robert Walton • Nov. 1, 2019

Siemens, StreetLight Data partner to support EV deployments

The partnership will enable city planners to identify and prioritize the best locations for charging stations to maximize EV adoption and use.

By Cailin Crowe • Oct. 31, 2019

'General Motors better wake up' before China takes EV market, former California Gov. Brown tells Congress

"In five years we're going to be buying Chinese cars," Jerry Brown said Tuesday, after three major automakers sided with President Donald Trump in his efforts to prevent California from implementing its own emissions standards.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 30, 2019

Buildings as grid resources? NASEO sees 'far reaching' implications

Flexible load management capabilities could save U.S. customers $16 billion annually by some estimates. The National Association of State Energy Officials says "grid-interactive efficient buildings" can help deliver that value.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 30, 2019

Cities can lead the way for vehicle grid integration

Since the dawn of the modern EV era, grid operators have warned that the vehicles could overwhelm grid distribution systems. The warning has yet to materialize, but the threat remains.

By Scott Shepard • Oct. 29, 2019

California may be a climate leader, but it could be a century behind on its carbon goals: study

Renewables are driving carbon out of the power sector, but economic expansion has led to much less progress in reducing emissions from the transportation, building and industrial sectors, the nonprofit Next 10 found.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 29, 2019

California proposes energy efficiency market overhaul with single administrator

A proposed order at the California Public Utilities Commission would transform two areas of energy efficiency policy: regional energy networks and market transformation initiatives.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 29, 2019

Time running out for energy efficiency, other tax credit extensions as next spending deadline nears

Bipartisan federal legislation would extend energy efficiency tax credits aimed at residential homeowners and builders, but a looming Nov. 21 deadline may threaten more comprehensive action.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 28, 2019