How COVID-19 is impacting 5 state energy legislation efforts

At least 22 states have delayed legislative sessions and most others are shifting priorities toward the pandemic. That means state energy progress will likely take a hit this session, stakeholders say.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 26, 2020

Cheapest is not always best: Concentrated solar power could beat lower price PV with new market rules

With its zero-emissions mandate, California will need a diversity of renewable resources along with CSP, "particularly because of its long duration storage" potential, the state's Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild said.​

By Herman K. Trabish • March 26, 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

Massachusetts is 3 months from implementing nation's 1st clean peak standard

While the new standard is expected to reduce ratepayer costs from avoided or deferred infrastructure upgrades, utilities remain concerned about the cost of the program.

By Robert Walton • Updated Aug. 6, 2020

Nearly $2T stimulus package omits direct renewable sector aid after Trump, McConnell opposition

President Donald Trump signed the latest stimulus package into law Friday. Power sector leaders see broad benefits stemming from the bill, including small business and unemployment loans.

By Catherine Morehouse • Updated March 30, 2020

DTE updates resource plan blasted by critics for favoring coal and gas over renewables

The new plan complies with a demand by Michigan regulators that the company take another look at customer energy efficiency programs as well as the cost of building more solar and wind to move away from coal and gas.

By John Funk • March 24, 2020

One easy fix to COVID-19 disruption of advanced energy development

Direct payment of federal incentives for advanced energy development is required to keep the industry on track, Nat Kreamer, CEO of Advanced Energy Economy, says.

By Nat Kreamer • March 24, 2020

COVID-19 may sport the thinnest silver lining: a cleaner climate

There is evidence of declining carbon emissions and improved air quality as societies lock down. Experts say potential stimulus funding could present an opportunity to perpetuate these changes.

By Chris Teale • March 24, 2020

Solar developers launch lobbying effort to curb COVID-19 impacts, advance remote permitting

U.S. solar industries are ramping up congressional lobbying for additional aid to small businesses and solar tax credit extensions, given the challenges of the spread of the novel coronavirus.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • March 23, 2020

Tracking the impacts of coronavirus on the US power sector

Oct. 8: How Austin Energy simultaneously managed COVID-19 and a new carbon price adder; Public-private partnerships hold the key to a clean energy future post-COVID

By Nami Sumida • Updated Oct. 8, 2020

18 Senate Democrats call on Congress to include renewables in stalled stimulus package

A Friday letter recommends tax credit extensions or an elimination of the tax credit phase-out, direct payment, refunds, or safe harbor extensions, among other options.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 23, 2020

PG&E, SCE abandon big microgrid plans for temporary emergency measures as wildfire season nears

Regulators' push to implement a law requiring microgrid rollouts is being frustrated by the costs of traditional generation and clean energy complexities.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 23, 2020

California risks going seriously off course this week on its path to a zero carbon power sector

The state's public utilities commission, at its upcoming March 26 business meeting, may adopt a greenhouse gas emissions target for 2030 that defers emissions-critical, near-term decisions, the author writes.

By Ed Smeloff • March 23, 2020

Unemployment poised to skyrocket, creating urgent need to spur renewables: Obama veteran of 2008 financial crisis

Power sector leaders are pushing Congress to address hits to the industry, as a former Obama transition team member says renewables and transmission buildouts could be the first jobs to start hiring.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 20, 2020

Don't call it a Clean Peak Standard: Leveraging renewables to reduce customer costs during peak demand

The ancillary benefits of a low-cost peak program include reduced emissions, energy independence, resiliency, and hedged fuel-price risks, as well as the ability to retire uneconomic fossil fuel assets early, the author writes.

By Ronald DiFelice • March 20, 2020

Who's the buyer? How better state assignment of procurement roles can improve retail and wholesale markets

Recent controversy over wholesale markets in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast presents an opportunity to fix a problem that's existed since the beginning of electricity restructuring — no clear assignment of responsibility for buying power.

By Rob Gramlich and Frank Lacey • March 19, 2020

PJM MOPR compliance plan allays renewable sector concerns of being shut out of capacity auctions

The grid operator's long-awaited compliance filing is a "phenomenal" attempt to minimize the most contentious aspects of the federal order, according to an industry lawyer.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 19, 2020

Brookfield to acquire rest of Terraform Power, creating 36 GW, $50B renewable energy giant

The deal is part of a growing trend of investment capital looking for returns in the renewable energy market, with increasing interest in existing facilities, an energy attorney told Utility Dive.

By Larry Pearl • March 18, 2020

A red state template for 100% renewables? Utah bill unites Rocky Mountain Power, cities and activists

An 80% Republican legislature has approved HB 411, which will move more than a third of the state’s electricity load to 100% renewables by 2030.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 17, 2020

Retail buyers may be key to clean energy procurement in ISO-NE, PJM, NYISO: Report

As states increasingly find capacity markets incompatible with their clean energy goals, a new report finds reform to the retail model is needed for those states to realize the competitive market's full potential.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 17, 2020

New York taps developers for almost 1.3 GW of solar, wind and storage across upstate region

The 21 projects are expected to generate more than $2.5 billion in direct, private investments. Advocates say the announcement highlights the need for energy siting reform in the Empire State.

By Robert Walton • March 17, 2020

'An immediate and dramatic business concern:' How COVID-19 is disrupting the energy sector

The industry could face declines in demand, distracted regulators and disrupted supply chains, according to experts.

By Kavya Balaraman • March 17, 2020

Green tariffs drive big increases in corporate renewable procurement

The Retail Industry Leaders Association ranked Illinois as the top state in corporate clean energy procurement, as New Mexico and Nevada leap ahead of California and New York.

By Matthew Bandyk • March 13, 2020

Wind plants can provide grid services similar to gas, hydro, easing renewables integration: CAISO

Tests conducted at a wind farm near San Diego indicate that when equipped with inverter-based smart controllers, commercial wind plants can provide a variety of grid services.

By Kavya Balaraman • March 13, 2020

Over reliance on gas in PREPA IRP jeopardizes Puerto Rico's 100% clean energy goals, groups say

The future of Puerto Rico's electric grid hinges on a lot of moving parts: the utility's long-term plan, a debt restructuring agreement, the search for replacement generation and access to federal emergency funding.

By Robert Walton • March 12, 2020

Duke, Dominion, Southern won't hit clean energy targets at current pace: Report

Slowed coal retirements and aggressive natural gas investments will leave the companies far behind their mid-century carbon goals, according to Synapse Energy Economics.

By Catherine Morehouse • March 10, 2020