Energy & Utilities
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OpinionExperiment without penalty: Can regulatory 'sandboxes' foster utility innovation?
The sandbox concept allows innovators to experiment without the usual regulatory impediments and long delays associated with traditional oversight, writes Illinois Commerce Commission Chair Brien Sheahan.
By Brien J. Sheahan and Jimmie Zhang • March 21, 2019 -
Report: San Francisco has the most solar jobs in the nation
California remained the top state for solar, with 76,838 jobs. Eight of the top 10 counties for solar jobs are also in California.
By Jason Plautz • March 21, 2019 -
Smart Cities Council announces 10 finalists in Readiness Challenge
The list will be pared down to five winners, who will each receive year-long guidance on how to turn their smart city visions into reality.
By Chris Teale • March 18, 2019 -
Smart Electric Power Alliance launches EV research program
Members of the Transportation Electrification program will work to ensure EVs' long-term success, with the likes of Ford involved in the effort.
By Chris Teale • March 13, 2019 -
Kansas City, MO pledges carbon-free government by next year
The city council voted unanimously to get its electricity from renewable sources as well as develop a community solar farm and buy more electric vehicles.
By Chris Teale • March 13, 2019 -
New resource library helps cities boost buildings' energy efficiency
The scalable guidelines from the Institute for Market Transformation and the Natural Resources Defense Council are based on results from strategies tested in 20 U.S. cities.
By Katie Pyzyk • March 04, 2019 -
Deep DiveHow new ideas of mobility will shape public EV charging infrastructure
The future of mobility will be autonomous and electric, with more people opting not to own a vehicle. That means ride- and car-sharing services will need to play a role in helping utilities roll out charging infrastructure.
By Robert Walton • Feb. 28, 2019 -
Are city climate goals too ambitious? Leaders worry about compressed timelines
During a WRI-hosted media briefing, some city sustainability leaders expressed concern that it may be too late to deal with the worst effects of climate change.
By Chris Teale • Feb. 28, 2019 -
Massachusetts house speaker introduces plan to allocate $1B for green infrastructure
The plan would give communities easier access to funds to install energy storage, solar grids, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and more.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Feb. 27, 2019 -
Bloomberg-backed accelerator to help cities meet renewable energy goals
The American Cities Climate Challenge Renewables Accelerator looks to help cities generate 2.8 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity.
By Chris Teale • Feb. 26, 2019 -
Seattle mayor proposes EV readiness requirement for all new buildings
Jenny Durkan said they should be equipped for EV charging, and a certain number of new parking spaces must have the wiring and outlets to be ready for chargers.
By Jason Plautz • Feb. 21, 2019 -
Los Angeles scraps plan to rebuild 3 gas plants
The decision, which follows efforts to pursue an all-clean energy strategy by 2045, marks the end of a multi-year debate over the plan to invest $2.2 billion in gas-fired power plants.
By Robert Walton • Feb. 13, 2019 -
Google Fiber to leave Louisville, KY after installation setbacks
The company called its departure a "tough decision," with service to be deactivated on April 15 after a new construction method caused issues on city streets.
By Jason Plautz • Feb. 11, 2019 -
Green New Deal resolution calls for 100% zero-carbon power within 10 years
The plan would reportedly also call for a phase out of nuclear energy, which provides more than half of the zero-carbon electricity in the U.S. today.
By Gavin Bade • Feb. 08, 2019 -
Michigan governor cites extreme weather in signing clean energy order
Gretchen Whitmer, D, committed the state to the U.S. emissions reduction target under the Paris Climate Agreement, noting the urgency of her actions in the context of extreme weather events last week.
By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 06, 2019 -
Deep DiveAs solar-plus-storage surges, can smart devices help overcome deployment barriers?
As utilities move to reap the benefits of solar-plus-storage, manufacturing and interconnection barriers threaten to impede growth.
By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 29, 2019 -
VC funding for storage, smart grid and efficiency companies almost doubled last year
Companies raised a combined $2.8 billion across the three areas in 2018,compared to $1.5 billion raised in 2017, driven by a steep rise in energy efficiency interest.
By Robert Walton • Jan. 23, 2019 -
A new lease on life for Holyoke, MA's former coal-fired power plant
The Mount Tom Station was recently replaced by a solar farm with a three-megawatt battery storage system and 17,000 solar panels — the state's largest.
By Chris Teale • Jan. 22, 2019 -
Colorado Gov Polis' first executive order advances transportation electrification
The benefits of vehicle electrification will only increase as the state moves toward establishing a 100% renewable energy mandate, Polis said.
By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 18, 2019 -
EPA won't freeze fuel economy standards as Wheeler faces confirmation vote
News of EPA's policy shift came during a testy nomination hearing where the acting administrator faced pressure from activists and Democrat senators on climate change.
By Gavin Bade • Jan. 17, 2019 -
San Francisco considering municipal utility as PG&E prepares bankruptcy filing
The city government's retail water and power provider is planning for when PG&E files for Chapter 11 protections, "including possibility of acquiring or building electrical infrastructure assets."
By Gavin Bade • Jan. 15, 2019 -
Bloomberg names final 5 American Cities Climate Challenge winners
Albuquerque, NM; Austin, TX; Denver; Orlando, FL; and San Antonio will participate in the two-year acceleration program as part of a 25-city cohort.
By Chris Teale • Jan. 14, 2019 -
New Flyer wants to help cities, agencies transition to electric bus fleets
The bus manufacturer created a new business unit to offer project management and infrastructure guidance on transitioning to zero-emissions transit fleets.
By Katie Pyzyk • Jan. 11, 2019 -
FirstNet reports 60% jump in subscribers, expanded coverage area
AT&T last year increased its LTE coverage area by more than 50,000 square miles, covering 1 million additional users.
By Jason Plautz • Jan. 10, 2019 -
Colorado could save $2.5B through 2040 by replacing coal with clean energy: report
The study from Vibrant Clean Energy also found coal plant owners could recover up to $1.5 billion in undepreciated asset value if they facilitate a voluntary phased retirement of their facilities.
By Robert Walton • Jan. 10, 2019
