Utilities: Page 14


  • An aerial view of a wind farm in Iowa.
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    Alena Mozhjer via Getty Images
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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
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Column

    Adding resilience to roads without reconstruction

    Adding resilience to roads without reconstruction

    By Paul Schmitz • Sept. 26, 2023
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Column

    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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    DenisTangneyJr via Getty Images
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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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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Column

    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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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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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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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Column

    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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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Column

    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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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Column

    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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    FotoCuisinette via Getty Images
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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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    Skyhobo via Getty Images
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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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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Column

    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
  • 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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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Column

    Tax credit incentives for local governments could ‘turbo charge the clean energy economy,’ but need clarification

    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.Over the l...

    By Andy Castillo • Aug. 29, 2023
  • Two people install rooftop solar on a building. One person is holding the panel and the other person is holding a drill.
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    Joe Raedle/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    On clean energy tax credits, mayors want clearer federal guidance

    New incentives could turbocharge local climate action, but resource-limited cities need clarity on how to use them, over 50 mayors said in a letter to the Treasury Department.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Aug. 28, 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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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Technology can help cities and counties reduce food waste and safeguard the environment

    Technology can help cities and counties reduce food waste and safeguard the environment

    By Michael Keating • Aug. 23, 2023
  • The Colorado flag waves in the breeze in front of an American flag.
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    rarrarorro via Getty Images
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    Colorado mandates new building energy performance standards despite criticism

    The ruling unfairly burdens existing buildings, operators and owners say. The state Air Quality Commission touts the rules’ flexibility.

    By Joe Burns • Aug. 22, 2023
  • A gray four-door crossover vehicle parked in an electric vehicle charging stall with a woman holding a charging cable to the car.
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    Courtesy of EVgo Services LLC. Used with permission.
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    Public EV charger customer satisfaction drops: J.D. Power

    "The results of this year's study should be very concerning to all those involved in the transition from gas-powered vehicles to electric vehicles," one expert said.

    By Michael Brady • Aug. 18, 2023
  • Housing on a residential street with city skyline in background.
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    DenisTangneyJr via Getty Images
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    Boston grants aim to lower carbon footprint of affordable housing

    Building owners can get up to $10,000 each for comprehensive energy assessments.

    By Ysabelle Kempe • Aug. 16, 2023
  • An electric pickup truck charging in a garage.
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    Courtesy of General Motors
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    More GM electric vehicles will be able to charge homes in coming years

    The bidirectional charging technology uses a GM vehicle’s battery as a backup power source in the event of a power outage.

    By Eric Walz • Aug. 10, 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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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Column

    Boston bans fossil fuels in all new, renovated municipally owned 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.In a move ...

    By Andy Castillo • Aug. 8, 2023