Biden order aims to double offshore wind, boost transmission, end fossil fuel subsidies

In total, the president signed three executive orders, all aimed at placing the climate crisis at the center of his administration and moving the U.S. toward 100% clean electricity by 2035.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 28, 2021

Want a more distributed and lower cost power system? Try this new planning tool

Vibrant Clean Energy offers system modeling to match today's granularity and breaks the barrier between bulk system and distribution system planning.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 28, 2021

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

Chatterjee calls on Congress to update federal energy policy to alleviate burden on FERC

"Legislative intransigence in Washington has put more and more of the critical decision making in the hands of agencies...that may not necessarily have the tools to address the complex challenges before us," the commissioner said.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 27, 2021

FirstEnergy, Duke challenge Sierra Club claims of 'greenwashing' on climate goals

The conservation group created a rubric to grade 79 utilities on their long-term strategies, assigning failing grades to companies lacking plans to retire coal generation by 2030.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 26, 2021

Duke coal ash clean up settlement shifts $1.1B in costs away from North Carolina ratepayers

The proposed settlement details how the utility will allocate the costs of its coal ash removal, allowing it to earn a return on equity from the cleanup, though at a lower rate than it had originally proposed.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 26, 2021

Duke stranded gas assets could cost customers $4.8B, report finds

The utility's long-term resource plans in the Carolinas could add up to 9.6 GW of new gas resources by 2050, but a "substantial" amount will need to come offline to meet its zero-emissions goals, the report found.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 26, 2021

Minnesota governor accelerates state's carbon-free power target 10 years, to 2040

The state's largest investor-owned utilities — Xcel Energy and Minnesota Power — are pursuing 100% carbon-free energy by 2050, and expressed some concern about the governor's accelerated timeline.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 25, 2021

PJM, utilities 'messing with' state sovereignty is 'biggest threat' to climate goals: Maryland commissioner

State lawmakers say that while leaving the capacity market appears less likely with the new administration, his comments reflect a broader power struggle between the state and its grid operator.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 22, 2021

Biden moves to rejoin Paris climate accord on first day in office, signs order to quickly review Trump regulatory actions

Stakeholders say Biden's day one actions signify that energy and the environment will be a top priority for his team.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 21, 2021

FERC rejects NYISO MOPR expansion, gas infrastructure orders, in Danly's last meeting as chair

"This meeting is not normal," an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council said in a tweet.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 20, 2021

DC Circuit rejects Trump EPA ACE rule, opening door for more stringent regulations under Biden

The court found the Clean Power Plan replacement "hinged on a fundamental misconstruction" of the Clean Air Act.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 20, 2021

Hawaii finalizes utility regulation considered potential template for US power system transformation

Stakeholders agree the state's final performance-based regulation order includes opportunities and safeguards that can lead to a new regulatory paradigm.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 19, 2021

2021 Outlook: Greening natural gas while planning for service reliability

Natural gas remains essential to the U.S. energy grid despite deep decarbonization targets, experts say, as utilities and generators pilot lower emission projects, while also looking to energy storage and other options.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Jan. 15, 2021

New York to build nation's largest offshore wind program to bolster green economy

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the state selected Equinor Wind US to develop two projects, which will combine for 2,490 MW, more than 20 miles off the coast of Long Island.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 15, 2021

California releases final root cause analysis of August rolling blackouts

Renewables and storage advocates said the report shows California should invest more aggressively in long-term energy storage, to ensure power from intermittent resources, such as solar, can be available during peak hours.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 15, 2021

Minnesota Power to pursue 100% carbon-free energy by 2050, nix coal by 2035

The utility's commitment means that no more coal-fired plants will operate in the state past 2035.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 14, 2021

2021 Outlook: 10 power sector trends to watch

A new administration under a new party is one of many signs that 2021 will look different for policymakers, regulators, utilities and other stakeholders, but the continuation of some older trends is expected as well.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 13, 2021

2021 Outlook: The DER boom continues, driving a ‘reimagining’ of the distribution system

The rise of distributed resources will require a renewed distribution system that gives utilities more visibility of what's going on at the customer level to cut costs and protect reliability. 

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 12, 2021

Renewables, storage stocks soar as Democrat-led Congress improves environment for green investments

In response to favorable investment conditions, renewables and energy storage companies' stocks — including Sunrun, Tesla, Bloom Energy, Eos Energy and First Solar — have seen significant gains lately.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 8, 2021

Democrats to take Senate majority after Georgia victories. Here's how it could impact the power sector.

Analysts and stakeholders say the implications of a Democrat-majority Senate could be consequential for renewables and electric vehicle deployment, as well as broader carbon reduction policies.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 7, 2021

EPA finalizes science rule expected to have limited effect on power sector, but NGOs still see threat

Legal experts say that because the rule is procedural, and not subject to the Congressional Review Act, the Biden administration can "kill it" easily.

By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 6, 2021

Top Utility Trends of 2020

Amid significant disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the power sector's transition to a cleaner, more distributed future continues.

By Larry Pearl • Jan. 5, 2021

The search for the next net metering policy takes center stage in California

California’s utilities and solar advocates agree a forward-looking successor tariff must use the state’s nation-leading rooftop solar penetration to address its increasingly dynamic system needs with storage.

By Herman K. Trabish • Dec. 23, 2020

Dominion files plans with federal regulators for 2.6 GW offshore wind project, largest in US to date

The filing with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management follows Dominion's construction of the first offshore wind turbines approved by regulators in federal waters.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Dec. 22, 2020

Federal stimulus includes wind, solar tax credit extensions, adds first US offshore wind tax credit

The legislative package will also reduce the costs of short-term, long-term, seasonal, and transportation energy storage technologies through a $1.08 billion investment over five years.

By Catherine Morehouse • Dec. 22, 2020