Utilities: Page 14

  • Aerial view of wind turbines taken with a drone in Vermont.
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    Vermont utility wants to give all customers battery storage to prevent outages

    Green Mountain Power aims to shift the state’s grid to a distributed system — a future the utility’s CEO envisions for the entire U.S.

    By Diana DiGangi • Oct. 11, 2023
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    New alliance aims to turn this Rust Belt city into a ‘Green Belt’ hub

    The Chicagoland Climate Investment Alliance wants $1 billion in federal funding for a “Rust Belt to Green Belt Initiative,” indicating the region is ready to move past its nickname from the 1970s.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 10, 2023
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    Notable 2024 conferences for smart city leaders

    Newly added events focus on traffic safety, technology and green infrastructure.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Updated Aug. 2, 2024
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    Are EV tax credits too hard to use? The Biden administration thinks so.

    In January, car shoppers will be able to transfer their clean vehicle tax credits to dealers to lower the purchase price of electrified vehicles.

    By Michael Brady • Oct. 9, 2023
  • The U.S. General Services Administrations' building.
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    ‘Empty’ federal buildings under scrutiny

    Unused office space poses financial and environmental issues federal agencies must address, lawmakers from both parties said at a Senate committee hearing.

    By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 9, 2023
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference on February 01, 2023 in Sacramento, California.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    California governor signs bill to speed utility interconnections

    The Powering Up Californians Act aims to accelerate the state's electrification efforts and is one of several clean energy bills signed recently by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

    By Robert Walton • Oct. 9, 2023
  • A facade of a sustainable glass office building with a tree for reducing carbon dioxide.
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    US Green Building Council’s LEED v5 doubles down on decarbonization

    The proposal for existing buildings would set new requirements to boost climate resilience, assess social impact and cut emissions from embodied carbon, refrigerants and transportation.

    By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 6, 2023
  • A facade of the White House in Washington, D.C.
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    Biden administration will define zero emissions for buildings

    Use of 100% clean energy and meeting strict energy-efficiency guidelines are part of the proposed definition, White House National Climate Adviser Ali Zaidi said.

    By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 2, 2023
  • An aerial view of a wind farm in Iowa.
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    Opinion

    Community solar is hot. Why not community wind?

    Perhaps the biggest difference between yesterday’s community wind and today’s community solar markets is in their business models, which reflect their respective market and policy environments. 

    By Mark Bolinger and Bentham Paulos • Sept. 27, 2023
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Adding resilience to roads without reconstruction

    Adding resilience to roads without reconstruction

    By Paul Schmitz • Sept. 26, 2023
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Compliance clock is ticking: Community water systems have one year to complete a Service Line Inventory

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.In about 1...

    By Jonathan Cuppett • Sept. 26, 2023
  • Workers walk among solar panels at the construction site of a new solar energy park as wind turbines spin behind on April 06, 2023 near Prenzlau, Germany.
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    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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    White House launches clean energy youth workforce program amid labor shortage concerns

    The American Climate Corps aims to put more than 20,000 people to work in its first year. The plan “harkens back” to the New Deal, said International District Energy Association CEO Rob Thornton.

    By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 22, 2023
  • Street view of several three-story housing buildings
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    Boston launches pilot to help small housing owners go electric

    Two- to four-unit buildings are the city’s most common building type. Boston hopes the new grant program will yield lessons on scaling up building decarbonization.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 22, 2023
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Boston pilot to support green energy retrofit of smaller, owner-occupied multi-family buildings

    Boston pilot to support green energy retrofit of smaller, owner-occupied multi-family buildings

    By Andy Castillo • Sept. 22, 2023
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Public buyers have several options to keep problem materials out of the waste stream

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Cities and...

    By Michael Keating • Sept. 21, 2023
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Data modeling tool can project energy, efficiency savings for residential, commercial buildings

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Projecting...

    By Andy Castillo • Sept. 20, 2023
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    HUD awards 28 multifamily subsidized properties $18 million for green energy retrofits, modernization

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.The challe...

    By Andy Castillo • Sept. 19, 2023
  • A curved beige building with rows of square windows.
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    Highsmith, Carol M. (2011). "Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, headquarters of HUD, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, D.C" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons.
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    To improve multifamily housing energy efficiency and resiliency, HUD offers $4.8B for retrofits

    The first round of the $4.8 billion GRRP covers upgrades for 28 rent-assisted properties.

    By Mary Salmonsen • Sept. 18, 2023
  • A window air conditioning unit in the window of a blue house.
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    Brandon Bell/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Extreme heat disproportionately threatens Black renters, experts say

    Black renters disproportionately experience energy insecurity, which stems from an inability to pay energy bills, and federal policy falls short in addressing it, a Brookings Metro report says.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 13, 2023
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    EPA announces $100 million for recycling infrastructure projects, improvement of solid waste management

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Representi...

    By Andy Castillo • Sept. 13, 2023
  • Close-up of lit gas stove.
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    California must ban gas in new buildings, local officials tell governor

    With a federal appeals court overturning Berkeley, California’s landmark gas ban, the state needs a unified standard to remain a climate policy leader, 26 local leaders told Gov. Gavin Newsom.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 11, 2023
  • The front of a silver car is connected to an electric vehicle charger.
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    Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    Accelerating EV adoption: Utilities partner with GM, BMW, Lyft and more in the auto sector

    Automakers and utilities “are now partners until the end of time, whether they like it or not,” said Joel Levin, executive director of Plug In America.

    By Robert Walton • Sept. 7, 2023
  • A close-up angular view of a government building in Washington, D.C. with a sign reading "United States Environmental ProtectionAgency"
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    EPA awards climate planning grants to New England cities, states

    The Environmental Protection Agency is nearly done awarding such grants to communities nationwide and will soon launch the competitive phase of its climate pollution reduction program.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 1, 2023
  • 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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    Fleet electrification: 5 principles to help state and local governments plan

    World Resources Institute researchers spoke with local governments, transit agencies and consultants to uncover the pitfalls of and best practices for shifting to electric vehicles.

    By • Sept. 1, 2023
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Seattle intends to revamp its waterfront parks network in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Seattle is...

    By Andy Castillo • Aug. 31, 2023