Energy & Utilities: Page 2

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.

Opinion

What 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 Dive

Electric 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 Dive

Road 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

Opinion

To 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

Opinion

Lessons 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 Dive

California 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

Opinion

Cities 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 Dive

Electric 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 Dive

Electric 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

ACEEE: Massachusetts leads on energy efficiency for 9th consecutive year

The council pegs efficiency-related employment as one of the largest subsets in the energy sector, accounting for more than 2.3 million jobs in 2018.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 02, 2019

Bipartisan support for resiliency grows as natural disasters worsen

Leaders at all levels of government recognize that the "ludicrous" status quo of infrastructure investment cannot continue. 

By Chris Teale • Sept. 25, 2019

Cleveland, OH announces smart streetlight overhaul

The network will allow different light intensities, preprogrammed schedules for special events and maintenance alerts.

By Jason Plautz • Sept. 24, 2019

Leaders call on federal government to 'do something' amid dire climate warnings

"It's now a backyard issue," said Rep. Paul Tonko, D-NY. "The public is driving all of us to get to work and address climate as a crisis, as an epidemic." 

By Chris Teale • Sept. 23, 2019

ACEEE: 'Ambitious' energy efficiency could halve US emissions by 2050

If cities are to hit climate goals and remain in step with targets outlined in the Paris climate agreement, they will need to take bold action.

By Chris Teale • Sept. 19, 2019