PPA prices rise 28.5% as supply and regulatory challenges pile up: report

Rising prices, prompted by the outbreak of war in Ukraine, appear to be the new normal — at least for the time being — in renewable energy, expert says.

By Emma Penrod • April 13, 2022

Arizona regulators deny SRP gas plant expansion, citing community impacts and insufficient supporting evidence

Salt River Project said the decision creates a near-term resource issue and that it will continue to evaluate its "generation and market options."

By Robert Walton • April 13, 2022

Explore the Trendline➔

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

Virginia SCC staff questions Dominion Energy's offshore wind cost assumptions

The regulatory commission's staff testimony addresses whether the cost estimates were based on accurate assumptions by Dominion, the first utility to build large-scale offshore wind in the United States.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • April 12, 2022

Rapid development could push cost of hydrogen below $2/kg in the next 10-20 years, analysts say

Hydrogen seems set for a third year of exponential growth, according to a Wood Mackenzie analysis, and multiple firms say prices are likely to fall rapidly in the coming years.

By Emma Penrod • April 11, 2022

Reliability concerns drive need for energy market design reforms, but regions diverge in FERC proceeding

Filings from FERC proceedings show a one-size-fits-all reform can't sufficiently address regional market diversity, but federal guidelines can target growing uncertainties and costs from rising variable and distributed resource penetrations.

By Herman K. Trabish • April 11, 2022

Clean energy sector eyes window for passing federal tax breaks amid challenge of high energy prices

Now that the Senate has confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, clean energy groups are hoping to see movement in Congress on long-term tax incentives, but multiple obstacles remain.

By Larry Pearl • April 8, 2022

Senators press for quicker solar anti-dumping investigation amid reports of sector's 'rapid degeneration'

U.S. solar developers reported 318 projects totaling 51 GW of solar capacity and 6 GWh of attached battery storage are being canceled or delayed in the wake of the Department of Commerce investigation.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Updated May 3, 2022

DOE funds study to evaluate converting Alabama gas plant to run partially on hydrogen

The project, which has received $800,000 in Energy Department funding, is part of an ongoing effort to demonstrate the use of hydrogen as a means of long-term energy storage.

By Emma Penrod • Updated April 5, 2022

High risk, small reward: Regulators should tread carefully when reviewing utility hydrogen proposals

Hydrogen blending with natural gas would likely raise consumer costs, increase dangerous pollution, and risk public safety, all while minimally reducing emissions, the author writes.

By Hadley Tallackson • April 5, 2022

Duke Energy proposes 1.3 GW solar solicitation in the Carolinas

The third-party solicitations are a way for the state to expand solar competition within the region, according to experts.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • April 4, 2022

Hydrogen is going 'green' in many ways but policy changes are needed for grid management, analysts say

A growing contingent of companies looking to buy hydrogen aren’t just interested in sustainability — they also see benefit to their bottom line.

By Emma Penrod • April 1, 2022

Supply-chain squeeze: Solar, storage industries grapple with delays, price spikes as demand continues to grow

Facing price pressures and uncertainties, developers are struggling to complete projects or procure new ones, experts say.

By Kavya Balaraman • March 31, 2022

DOE takes stock of offshore wind supply chain, calls for 2,100 turbines to meet 30 GW goal

Barring supply-chain constraints, NREL said, it expects 30.1 GW of offshore wind to be installed in the U.S. by the end of 2030, meeting the Biden administration's goals.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 31, 2022

Commerce Department kicks off 1-year solar tariff investigation on panels imported from Southeast Asia

The federal investigation into allegations of "textbook" tariff circumvention could contribute to the forecasted 19% decline in near-term solar installations, according to industry groups.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 29, 2022

Biden's proposed budget includes nearly $45B for climate and clean energy, a 7% increase for DOE

The proposal, released Monday, calls for spending $502 million to weatherize and retrofit low-income homes, including $100 million for a pilot program to electrify low-income homes.

By Ethan Howland • March 29, 2022

BOEM sets May auction for offshore wind leasing in 2 areas off the Carolinas

Stakeholders commended the Biden administration for dividing the Wilmington East wind energy area into two lease opportunities, creating more competition.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 28, 2022

Illinois renewable energy plan details extensive equity measures for future solar, energy projects

Per the terms of a new state law, the plan calls for equitable hiring requirements for contractors and establishes pilot projects to study and remove barriers for low-income residents.

By Emma Penrod • March 24, 2022

Ukraine war could extend bump in US coal use, but utilities remain confident in decarbonization path

When 2021 natural gas demand drove prices up, generators turned to coal. The war in Ukraine seems to be driving a similar pattern.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 24, 2022

DOE eyes hydrogen, thermal storage to shrink carbon footprint of fossil fuel plants

The technologies could help bolster grid reliability and affordability while also potentially supporting the Biden administration's goal to decarbonize the electric grid by 2035, according to DOE.

By Kavya Balaraman • March 23, 2022

AEP sets course for rapid increase in renewables after completing company's largest wind farm

With the 998 MW Traverse Wind Energy Center now operating, the company is "moving pretty aggressively" to acquire 16 GW of renewable energy by 2030, according to Senior Vice President Antonio Smyth.

By Emma Penrod • March 22, 2022

How grid operators are leaving F-gases, fossils and inefficiency behind

For heavy emitting sectors, such as the electricity industry, pressure is intensifying to find solutions to slash emissions and lower its carbon footprint.  

March 21, 2022

Virginia approves 1 GW solar and energy storage expansion by Dominion Energy

Dominion Energy will need to maintain a similar pace of development for years in order to meet a state-mandated decarbonization target, according to a company spokesman.

By Emma Penrod • March 17, 2022

As Duke and Dominion ramp up their net zero goals, the supply chain comes into view

The companies have expanded their net zero commitments to include Scope 3 emissions. What will that take?

By Jason Plautz • March 16, 2022

Solar growth, new installations slowing in the face of 18% price increases, report says

Utility-scale solar has so far borne the brunt of the impact of growing supply chain constraints and uncertainty, which are expected to reduce solar installations in 2022, according to a new report.

By Emma Penrod • March 14, 2022

California prepares for $10.5M port renovations for offshore wind development

The funding will help outfit the Humboldt Bay port — an area that is estimated to accommodate 1.6 GW of offshore wind — to handle the development and integration of floating platforms. 

By Kavya Balaraman • March 11, 2022