Clean energy
Hawaii quit coal one year ago. Here's how it's been going
The lights stayed on, but the state's experience offers some lessons on what can go wrong in the transition to clean energy.
By Julian Spector .
Utilities
Utilities
Don’t blame clean energy for rising electric bills
A new report links rising U.S. power bills to fossil gas price spikes and utility incentives — not solar, wind, and batteries, as clean energy foes suggest.
By Jeff St. John .
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Utilities
Who pays when utilities get sued over wildfires?
With fire risk on the rise and neglected utility equipment sparking more deadly conflagrations, all electricity customers may be left holding the bag.By Jake Bittle .
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Batteries
Vermont’s biggest utility dramatically expands home battery subsidies
Since 2015, Vermont's Green Mountain Power has helped a limited number of customers install home batteries each year. Now the program cap is gone.By Julian Spector .
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Energy efficiency
Why efficient buildings are key to decarbonizing the power grid
New data shows that efficient, grid-responsive buildings would make a zero-carbon grid $100B cheaper per year — if utilities and policymakers can act in time.By Jeff St. John .
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EV charging
The grid isn't ready for the EV boom. Can better data fix that?
Utilities lack the necessary data to plan ahead for the coming influx of EV charging. A new data-sharing consortium could help them overcome that obstacle.By Jeff St. John .
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Clean energy
Is the biggest US public utility finally catching up on clean energy?
Tennessee Valley Authority is buying massive amounts of renewables. But critics say it's still relying too much on fossil fuels to serve its 10 million customers.By Julian Spector .
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Utilities
Another major utility is accelerating its transition to renewables
Michigan's DTE Energy has announced a plan to spend $11 billion on clean energy construction and close its remaining coal plants sooner.By Julian Spector .
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Utilities
The boards that regulate utilities are overwhelmingly white and male
Public utility commissions wield enormous power over state-level clean energy progress. But they lack diversity and tend to have political, utility or fossil connections.By Lisa Prevost .
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Utilities
Hot trend: States banning utilities from charging you for their lobbying
Connecticut joins Maine and Colorado in a growing movement to block utilities from using ratepayer dollars to sway lawmakers and delay climate action.By Akielly Hu .
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Fossil fuels
Natural gas is the pillar of the US electric grid. It’s also unreliable
Pro-fossil groups argue gas is more reliable than clean energy. But in extreme cold, gas pipelines and power plants are failing to deliver when they're most needed.By Jeff St. John .
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