Energy & Utilities: Page 2

  • Pylon with power lines against reddish sky at sunset, rural North Carolina, USA.
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    Karl Weatherly via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    Congressional action on energy permitting remains stuck, but states, developers are finding solutions

    States are resolving local objections to projects through community engagement while transmission developers are making innovative use of existing rights-of-way to bypass permitting logjams.

    By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 29, 2024
  • In this aerial view solar panels stand at the Klettwitz Nord solar energy park on May 04, 2023 near Klettwitz, Germany.
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    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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    Local, tribal clean energy projects can tap into $18M from DOE

    Microgrids and downtown revitalization efforts that create energy-efficient buildings are potential projects the Department of Energy suggested could be eligible.

    By • Feb. 28, 2024
  • smart city, smart cities Explore the Trendline➔
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    jamesteohart via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive

    From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them in 2024.

    By Smart Cities Dive staff
  • A maintenance boat works next to the turbines of the new Burbo Bank off shore wind farm in the mouth of the River Mersey on May 12, 2008 in Liverpool, England.
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    Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
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    Ocean City, Maryland, ‘cannot be bought’: Mayor rejects offshore wind developer’s benefits package

    Mayor Rick Meehan said US Wind offered community benefit packages in exchange for local officials refraining from negative comments about the planned renewable energy project.

    By Diana DiGangi • Feb. 28, 2024
  • Electric vehicles at an EV charging station.
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    EXTREME-PHOTOGRAPHER via Getty Images
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    Utility Con Edison to reward NYC EV charging operators for reducing demand at peak times

    Rideshare and fast-charging provider Revel will be the first participant in Consolidated Edison’s new EV charging program. Officials say program incentives should help to lower station operating costs.

    By Robert Walton • Feb. 27, 2024
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    Klubovy via Getty Images
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    Heat pumps would cut energy bills for majority of US homes: NREL research

    Even so, “we need work to bring down the cost of installing heat pumps,” said a senior research engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

    By • Feb. 23, 2024
  • A Rivian R1T nears undergoes final assembly at the automaker's plant in Normal, Illinois.
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    Courtesy of Rivian Automotive
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    EV startup Rivian to lay off 10% of salaried workforce

    Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe said that Rivian still firmly believes in the full electrification of the automotive industry.

    By Michael Brady • Feb. 23, 2024
  • A structure is set on Xcel Energy's Rush Creek transmission project in Colorado.
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    Courtesy of Xcel Energy
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    Why Colorado cities don’t want to pay for any of a $2B electric transmission project

    The Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska and three of its municipal utility members in Colorado contend they won't benefit from the project, which Xcel Energy’s Public Service Co. of Colorado is building.

    By Ethan Howland • Feb. 22, 2024
  • A facade of a sustainable glass office building with a tree for reducing carbon dioxide.
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    Fahroni via Getty Images
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    Building decarbonization guide to be developed by ASHRAE, Noresco

    The guide will provide case studies, guidance and key takeaways to help building owners and operators establish robust plans and feel confident in their decarbonization endeavors, says the chair of the guide’s working group. 

    By Nish Amarnath • Feb. 21, 2024
  • A double-decker electric bus.
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    Courtesy of InductEV
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    Seattle to add electric buses that use wireless charging

    In-ground inductive chargers will power double-decker buses along a new Sound Transit bus rapid transit route.

    By • Feb. 21, 2024
  • A satellite image of the Earth showing a map of electric vehicle charging locations in the United States.
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    Courtesy of IONNA LLC.
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    Joint venture EV charging network Ionna begins operations

    The firm, which seven leading automakers support, plans to install at least 30,000 high-powered public chargers in strategic locations throughout North America.

    By Eric Walz • Feb. 15, 2024
  • An airplane flies over a rooftop with a solar array in Los Angeles, California
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    moodboard via Getty Images
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    Los Angeles public-private partnership works to advance industrial solar

    The decade-old Feed-in Tariff program pays property owners for solar energy, but long grid interconnection queues and lingering “mistrust” hinder adoption, a business group leader notes.

    By Brian Martucci • Feb. 14, 2024
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    Retrieved from Screenshot: Boston City TV/YouTube on February 09, 2024
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    Boston’s first networked geothermal project will electrify 7 public housing buildings

    Geothermal systems are a promising approach to transitioning communities off fossil fuels for heating and cooling, experts say.

    By • Feb. 9, 2024
  • A blue electric New York City transit bus at an overhead charging station.
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    Courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA
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    FTA to help electric transit bus buyers amid tough times for manufacturers

    The White House convened a roundtable Wednesday on clean bus manufacturing as transit agencies working to green their fleets struggle with price increases and long delivery times.

    By • Feb. 8, 2024
  • An HVAC worker is seen to perform heat pump maintenance
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    welcomia via Getty Images
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    9 states pledge to accelerate zero-emission heat pump sales

    The pledge sends a clear market signal, said the senior policy advisor for an association of Northeastern state air quality agencies.

    By • Feb. 7, 2024
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    adamkaz via Getty Images
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    Neighborhood-scale building decarbonization: 2 approaches

    Relying on the replacement of one appliance at a time isn’t enough to meet federal and state climate goals, said the Building Decarbonization Coalition’s executive director. 

    By • Feb. 6, 2024
  • an empty row of EV chargers at a public park
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    Young777 via Getty Images
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    Is the EV revolution over?

    Despite a sales slowdown, apartment owners and developers should charge ahead with electric vehicle infrastructure, experts say.

    By Amanda Loudin • Feb. 1, 2024
  • As part of a maintenance check, a service engineer inspects the solar cell on a building roof for a damaged part.
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    NewSaetiew via Getty Images
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    FEMA to help communities pay for net-zero energy projects post-disaster

    Communities can now leverage the agency’s grant programs to install solar microgrids, heat pumps and passive cooling when rebuilding schools, hospitals, fire stations and other infrastructure in disaster’s wake.

    By • Feb. 1, 2024
  • Aerial shot of city streets and tall buildings
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    RoschetzkyIstockPhoto via Getty Images
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    US cities’ outlook for 2024

    Cities are pushing ahead on innovative bids to build more sustainable, safe and equitable communities, but many of the roadblocks they face likely aren't going anywhere.

    By Smart Cities Dive staff • Jan. 31, 2024
  • The backs of three people sitting at an overlook over a city and mountains at sunset
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    Mario Tama/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Extreme heat watch: Will cities be ready for summer 2024?

    This year could be even hotter than last year’s record-breaker, some scientists say. Cities are using the winter to prepare.

    By • Jan. 31, 2024
  • View from below of a twin silver bridges stretching across water.
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    The image by Pi.1415926535 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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    Connecticut beefs up energy storage incentives to meet 1 GW goal by 2030

    Residential customers can get as much as $16,000 in upfront incentives — up from the previous maximum of $7,500.

    By Kavya Balaraman • Jan. 25, 2024
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    Jim Vondruska/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Chicago mayor proposes natural gas ban in new buildings

    This marks the first time the city has introduced a building decarbonization ordinance, a city employee said. The proposal drew swift backlash from the local gas industry.

    By • Jan. 25, 2024
  • A modern office with glass windows looking over a green outdoor courtyard.
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    Fahroni via Getty Images
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    ASHRAE updates energy efficiency standard for existing buildings

    The 2024 edition of Standard 100 contains new metrics for setting emissions targets and a “simple” compliance mechanism for energy-efficient and low-emission buildings.

    By Joe Burns • Jan. 22, 2024
  • The silhouette of the high voltage power lines during sunset.
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    imaginima via Getty Images
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    Robot worms, lasers, drones and AI: How the DOE wants to move the US power grid underground

    The U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday announced $34 million in funding to explore novel approaches to undergrounding power lines to increase resiliency.

    By Robert Walton • Jan. 19, 2024
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    RoschetzkyIstockPhoto via Getty Images
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    Affordable housing faces building performance standards challenges, report says

    Facing costly upgrades, hefty fines and lacking technical assistance, the affordable housing sector needs more help from cities and states with such policies, says a new American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy report.

    By • Jan. 18, 2024
  • Pedestrians and a cyclist cross a crosswalk at a busy city intersection with a burst of sunlight shining through.
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    deberarr via Getty Images
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    6 trends that could shape US cities in 2024

    Cities will contend with a shifting transportation picture, increased urgency to act on climate change, and innovative policies and technologies to address longstanding concerns.

    By , , • Jan. 17, 2024