Energy & Utilities
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Reps introduce TREES Act to expand urban canopies
The bill would create a grant program for free or reduced-cost tree planting services to lower energy costs and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
By Chris Teale • Jan. 16, 2020 -
Seattle to transition city-owned buildings away from fossil fuels
The first round of building electrification plans are due this summer after an executive order from Mayor Jenny Durkan advancing a Green New Deal.
By Katie Pyzyk • Jan. 10, 2020 -
NYC's Circular City program to focus on sustainability in 2020
The joint effort from New Lab and the New York City Economic Development Corporation will test solutions for the city's transition to a circular economy.
By Chris Teale • Jan. 10, 2020 -
7 trends that will define smart cities in 2020
Cities are primed for big transformation, including scooter company consolidation, car-free zone planning and increased flying car investments.
By Cailin Crowe • Jan. 02, 2020 -
House Dems introduce legislation to create National Climate Bank
The independent, nonprofit $35 billion bank could mobilize up to $1 trillion for capital and technical help of clean energy projects or regional-level climate banks.
By Jason Plautz • Dec. 16, 2019 -
Philly mayor signs laws to boost big building efficiency, phase out dirty fuel
Mayor Jim Kenney also updated the city's Energy Benchmarking Program, designed to understand energy use and "opportunities for change," according to a senior program manager.
By Katie Pyzyk • Dec. 12, 2019 -
Federal climate leadership could cut emissions 49%: report
America's Pledge said cities, states and businesses have led the way on climate action, but further emissions cuts need national leadership, too.
By Chris Teale • Dec. 09, 2019 -
Dive Awards
The Smart Cities Dive Awards for 2019
From Sidewalk Labs' disruptive, futuristic smart city to the climate strategy in Calgary, Alberta, these are the leading cities, officials and initiatives of the year.
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OpinionWhat I wish I'd said to California's chief air regulator about clean transportation
Will flexible demand-side resources ever be able to participate in power markets in the same way as supply-side resources? That's the question before Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols — and all of us.
By David Farnsworth • Dec. 06, 2019 -
Cincinnati to build nation's largest city-led solar array
The project, which is predicted to reduce 158,000 tons of carbon emissions annually, will cover 1,000 acres with more than 310,000 solar panels.
By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 25, 2019 -
Deep DiveElectric trucks may be the future, but waste and recycling market still charging up
Looking to move away from diesel and meet climate goals, a growing number of service providers are testing out models from coast to coast.
By Mary Catherine O'Connor • Nov. 22, 2019 -
Deep DiveRoad to 100: How one man's mission to power his hometown by wind created a Northwest Missouri boon
The town of 1,200 was the first in the country to be able to power all of its electricity from wind resources. Now, the county is booming in wind production.
By Catherine Morehouse • Nov. 22, 2019 -
RMI: World is 'badly off track' on Paris climate goals, needs heightened focus on energy efficiency
Rocky Mountain Institute has a new report that identifies seven critical areas of the energy sector where strong intervention could help limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 20, 2019 -
CoMotion LA: Congestion pricing could help equity, climate efforts
Congestion pricing could fund free transit, according to LA Metro CEO Phil Washington, which he said is a "lofty goal," but still a beneficial one to pursue.
By Chris Teale • Nov. 18, 2019 -
OpinionTo get to net zero, cities need to think wider than buildings
Solutions to climate change may lie in some old-fashioned values, like building strong communities, relying on neighbors and believing that design matters.
By Tom Sieniewicz • Nov. 14, 2019 -
OpinionLessons learned from Europe: What US cities must do to achieve a clean electric future
Cities are at the center of the battle against climate change, but they're also at the forefront of addressing the challenge — and European cities are outpacing the U.S. in their solutions.
By Rob Massoudi • Nov. 11, 2019 -
Deep Dive
Are climate emergency declarations the new normal?
As cities wrestle with the urgent need to deal with the climate crisis, advocates say the declarations could be "coming to your city as a demand soon."
By Chris Teale • Nov. 04, 2019 -
StreetLight Data, Siemens partner to support EV deployments
The partnership will enable city planners to identify and prioritize the best locations for charging stations to maximize EV adoption and use.
By Cailin Crowe • Oct. 31, 2019 -
Deep DiveCalifornia may be a climate leader, but it could be a century behind on carbon goals: study
Power sector progress is masking the need to address emissions in transportation and industry, the nonprofit Next 10 found.
By Herman K. Trabish • Oct. 30, 2019 -
OpinionCities can lead the way for vehicle grid integration
Since the dawn of the modern EV era, grid operators have warned that the vehicles could overwhelm grid distribution systems. The warning has yet to materialize, but the threat remains.
By Scott Shepard • Oct. 29, 2019 -
Hanging with the Lab Rats: NREL researchers lay groundwork to accelerate US clean energy transition
The DOE lab is examining the impacts of "turbulence" on wind turbines as well as how to integrate battery storage systems and hydrogen alongside electric vehicle technologies.
By Gloria Gonzalez • Oct. 23, 2019 -
231 mayors ask Congress for solar tax credit extension
The bipartisan group is requesting a five-year extension of the solar Investment Tax Credit, which they say could bring 113,000 jobs and $87 billion in economic investment by 2030.
By Cailin Crowe • Oct. 22, 2019 -
Deep DiveElectric revolution: How are cities overcoming EV range anxiety?
Cities need a wide-ranging strategy if they are to help more residents go electric in a way that is accessible and equitable, analysts say.
By Chris Teale • Oct. 17, 2019 -
Deep DiveElectric revolution: As EV demand increases, can utilities and cities keep up?
Utilities are increasingly helping cities prepare for transportation electrification while confronting increased power generation and delivery needs — often to areas already experiencing high demand.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 16, 2019 -
St. Louis releases inaugural energy benchmarking report for buildings
More efficient building performance would reduce the city's GHG emissions by at least 11%, saving more than $65 million in annual energy costs.
By Cailin Crowe • Oct. 16, 2019
