Senate uncertainty muddies clean energy path, but offshore wind, EVs poised to gain with Biden: analysts

Even without support from Congress, Biden can still speed up development of nascent industries such as offshore wind and electric vehicles, which faced hurdles under President Donald Trump.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 9, 2020

Dominion claims it's 3rd largest utility owner of solar, continues clean energy transition in Virginia

The utility divested some of its natural gas transmission assets and announced the addition of 500 MW of solar earlier this week.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • Nov. 9, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Sustainability

Companies are pursuing increasingly ambitous sustainability goals around clean energy, but integrating rising amounts of renewables, minimizing environmental impacts, and achieving carbon reduction targets can be challenging.

By Utility Dive staff

You say old coal plant, I say green hydrogen

You see an old coal plant and an obsolescent workforce; I see a superb opportunity for green hydrogen, the author writes.

By Lincoln Bleveans • Nov. 6, 2020

5 ballot initiatives poised to propel states, cities to 100% clean energy

At the local level, as in previous elections, energy is less prone to partisan politics in 2020.

By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 5, 2020

Are renewable energy targets useful? Analysts dispute new study questioning their value

A new study says renewable energy targets could exacerbate sustainability challenges, though one expert counters "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."

By Tom Gresham • Nov. 5, 2020

100% solar, wind and batteries is just the start — the 'super' power they produce will change the world

Imagine hyper abundant clean energy at a marginal cost close to zero, the authors write.

By Tony Seba and Adam Dorr • Nov. 5, 2020

Utah PSC slashes rooftop solar export rates, triggering doubts about residential solar's future there

Regulators denied PacifiCorp's requests for new fees and an 84% cut to the state's provisional solar tariff — but slashed the export rate anyway, which solar advocates say will add more uncertainty to a flailing market.

By Emma Penrod • Nov. 3, 2020

Election 2020: What's at stake for Congress, FERC, DOE and the states

The transformation of the U.S. power sector will continue after the 2020 election is over, though the outcomes will likely impact the speed of change.

Nov. 2, 2020

Google, GM, other REBA members push to expand organized wholesale markets to spur renewables

Without such markets, "companies have been forced into virtual PPAs that force them to procure energy far away from where their load actually is," said REBA President Miranda Ballentine.

By Emma Penrod • Nov. 2, 2020

Hydrogen is having a moment, and power generation is leading the way

Green hydrogen fuel could facilitate decarbonization across a wide swath of industries, but experts say the utility sector will be the first to transition.

By Emma Penrod • Nov. 2, 2020

Election 2020: Xcel Energy, municipalization advocates face off in Boulder

On Nov. 3, voters in the Colorado city must choose whether to trust Xcel’s commitments or the promise of a municipal utility.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 30, 2020

GE Renewable Energy reports $5M profit in Q3 despite falling wind turbine orders

CEO Larry Culp predicts a "steep market decline" for the rest of 2020 and "a likely multi-year recovery," with GE's hopes for a turnaround riding on a recovery in the company's renewables and power divisions.

By Emma Penrod • Oct. 29, 2020

Green stimulus could create $280B in economic benefits: C40

The C40 Global Mayors Recovery Task Force said investing relief money in solutions to fight climate change could prevent 270,000 premature deaths globally and create over 6 million jobs in the U.S. alone.

By Chris Teale • Oct. 28, 2020

Election 2020: For DOE, staffing, renewables spending, transparency at stake Nov. 3, analysts say

A Biden administration could refocus the U.S. Department of Energy on clean energy, transparency and environmental justice. Under Trump, expect more of the same push for deregulation. 

By Robert Walton • Oct. 28, 2020

Biden win could double annual solar deployments, increase financial impacts to utility customers: S&P

While U.S. utilities are expected to continue a clean energy transition to renewable energy regardless of the election's outcome, policies proposed by Biden could speed up adoption of solar, nuclear and offshore wind.

By Emma Penrod • Oct. 28, 2020

National Grid to develop 600 MW offshore wind RFP for Rhode Island

The state had 933 MW of wind and solar as of Q2 2020 as it aims to meet 100% of electricity demand with renewables by 2030.

By Larry Pearl • Oct. 28, 2020

MidAmerican enlists wind turbine maker Vestas to find 'root cause' of 4 blade failures

In mid-October, MidAmerican Energy was forced to idle 46 wind turbines after a Vestas blade snapped off following a lightning strike.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 28, 2020

Wind remains cheaper, but solar's costs are falling faster, Lazard finds

The average levelized cost of wind, at $26/MWh, has fallen about 5% annually over the past five years, while the average cost of utility-scale solar, at $31/MWh, has declined about 11% a year over the same period.

By Emma Penrod • Oct. 28, 2020

Election 2020: Trump's FERC may need to shift course on clean energy, though Biden's road will not be easy

No matter what happens Nov. 3, the agency will have no choice but to address the industry's transition, even if it means backing away from some of its more controversial policies under the Trump administration, analysts say.

By Catherine Morehouse • Oct. 27, 2020

Election 2020: Climate policy faces a tough road through Congress regardless of electoral outcomes

A Democratic Senate will attempt to pass Joe Biden's clean energy standard in the face of an expected Republican filibuster, while bipartisan support exists for more R&D spending on carbon-cutting technologies.

By Matthew Bandyk • Oct. 26, 2020

AVANGRID-PNM merger seen as step forward for New Mexico's untapped renewable potential

By purchasing New Mexico's largest utility, the Iberdrola subsidiary can bring its access to capital to bear to invest in renewables and transmission in the state and region.

By Matthew Bandyk • Oct. 23, 2020

As conflict rises over utility DER ownership, a Duke Florida program could offer a way forward

Regulators must decide how to separate regulated and private markets as both see ownership of rooftop and community solar.

By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 23, 2020

Cities' GHG emissions reduction efforts, by the numbers

A new Brookings report assessed the nation's many climate action plans to check if cities are meeting their emissions reduction commitments.

By Kristin Musulin • Oct. 23, 2020

NextEra wind, solar backlog passes 15 GW as it looks to replicate renewables strategy with hydrogen

The renewable energy leader wants to capitalize on opportunities it sees with hydrogen and expects its current momentum to continue no matter who wins on Nov. 3, CFO Rebecca Kujawa said Wednesday.

By Larry Pearl • Oct. 22, 2020

Musk promises to reinvent batteries as Tesla reports record Q3 solar and storage deployments

Tesla's CEO envisions “batteries that cost half as much” within a few years as the company's continued emphasis on manufacturing and cutting costs delivers a fifth consecutive quarter of profitability.

By Emma Penrod • Oct. 22, 2020