Energy & Utilities: Page 4
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HUD announces new building decarbonization efforts at COP28
As the U.S. pledges to make near-zero-emissions buildings the “new normal” by 2030, the housing agency is teaming up with other departments for access to the best available data and research.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 7, 2023 -
House passes CARS Act to halt EPA’s proposed tailpipe emission standards
Proponents of the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act have said the environmental agency’s proposal is a de facto EV mandate.
By Kalena Thomhave • Dec. 7, 2023 -
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 -
Detroit unveils wireless EV charging roadway
The quarter-mile stretch recharges vehicles as they drive or park on the street. The charging technology will cover one mile of the road when complete.
By Kalena Thomhave • Dec. 6, 2023 -
Authorities raise alarm on cyber threats against water, other critical sectors
Hackers affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are behind a series of attacks targeting devices used in U.S. water and wastewater facilities, according to federal agencies.
By David Jones • Dec. 5, 2023 -
Detroit joins growing cohort in adopting energy, water benchmarking policy
The ordinance, which requires large buildings to annually report their energy and water use starting in 2024, is a key component of the city’s climate strategy.
By Nish Amarnath • Dec. 4, 2023 -
Opinion
The US could still get to net-zero
The country could reduce nearly 90% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 without any Hail Mary innovations.
By Michael Jung and Adam Agalloco • Dec. 1, 2023 -
As building performance standards gain steam, noncompliant owners face business risks
Some cities respond to policy violations with financial penalties, but green lease clauses and submetering provide other levers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, says real estate firm CBRE.
By Joe Burns • Updated Dec. 11, 2023 -
DOE releases $31M+ in grants for retrofits, infrastructure upgrades
Some cities will use the funds for resilience hubs, while others plan to conduct energy audits and upgrade facilities. Local governments can continue applying for the grants through April 2024.
By Nish Amarnath • Nov. 28, 2023 -
Without significant interventions, US building emissions will continue to increase
Federal, regional and local government bodies must collaborate to create “consistent and stringent building standards,” a new report says.
By Nish Amarnath • Nov. 27, 2023 -
Plans to get an entire block off the natural gas system take shape in one California city
Albany, California, wants to lay the groundwork for widescale adoption of this emerging building decarbonization approach.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 20, 2023 -
2 years in, infrastructure law has funded 40,000 projects
The largest portion of 2021 infrastructure law money is flowing to road and bridge construction, according to White House data analyzed by CNBC.
By Julie Strupp • Nov. 17, 2023 -
Electric buses: Boom times and bumpy roads
Manufacturers are struggling to meet the demand spurred by federal funding and programs that encourage transit agencies to shift to zero-emission buses.
By Dan Zukowski • Nov. 16, 2023 -
Boston ends efforts to ban fossil fuels in new buildings through state program
Massachusetts’ largest city pursued inclusion in the state climate pilot program, but the mayor reported she got “clear indications” that Boston would not be selected for the last of 10 spots.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 15, 2023 -
Opinion
Big power’s EV charging strategy: Raise rates, overpromise, underdeliver, repeat
We grant publicly regulated utilities certain privileges in exchange for reliability and affordability. When they try to leverage that privilege to corner a new market, they deserve plenty of pushback.
By Jay Smith • Nov. 6, 2023 -
Ørsted cancels two offshore wind projects along New Jersey coast
The projects became financially unworkable due to supply chain problems and increased interest rates, the company said. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called Ørsted’s decision “outrageous.”
By Diana DiGangi • Nov. 2, 2023 -
How cities can decarbonize delivery in the era of online orders
A new action guide by the National League of Cities points to emerging policies and technologies to combat increasing air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 1, 2023 -
DOE issues draft plan to speed up, improve grid interconnections
The draft road map aims to transform grid interconnection processes, a major hurdle to the Biden administration’s goal of decarbonizing the power sector by 2035.
By Ethan Howland • Oct. 27, 2023 -
Los Angeles region to accelerate clean energy efforts in run-up to 2028 Olympics
The road map sets new and more granular decarbonization targets, said a co-chair of the public-private partnership behind the plan.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 26, 2023 -
Debate swirls at NYC hearing on proposed delays to building emissions enforcement
Participants weighed in on whether “good-faith efforts” toward compliance should delay penalties and whether renewable energy credits provide a worrisome loophole.
By Joe Burns • Updated Oct. 30, 2023 -
DOE announces ‘largest-ever investment in America’s grid,’ giving $3.5B across 44 states
The awards include smart grid grants of around $1 million to individual cities.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 20, 2023 -
How many chargers will the Northeast’s electric trucks need? National Grid aims to find out.
The U.S. Department of Energy-funded analysis will span some of the nation’s largest cities, targeting highways with heavy trucking traffic and commercial areas such as ports.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 17, 2023 -
DOE selects 7 hydrogen hubs for $7B funding opportunity
The selection of several hubs focused on hydrogen production from fossil fuels and carbon capture drew the ire of environmental groups.
By Emma Penrod • Oct. 16, 2023 -
NYC project looks to support climate law with building inspection tech
The AI-powered technology under development uses robots and drone scans to detect structural flaws that reduce energy efficiency.
By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 16, 2023 -
Reworking the grid for offshore wind is a matter of ‘extreme urgency’: Clean energy company exec
The need to solve transmission and interconnection issues has become more acute as the Inflation Reduction Act pumps billions of dollars into renewable energy production.
By Diana DiGangi • Oct. 13, 2023 -
Clean energy transition in buildings could create 2M+ jobs in US, Europe
The study by Schneider Electric and Boston University estimates which U.S. regions will see the most new jobs as more buildings get solar PV, heat pumps and battery storage.
By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 12, 2023