Canary Media | Covering the clean energy transition

Solar panels on a balcony of a home with yellow walls, plants on balcony, and trees in front

Balcony solar

California Legislature passes balcony solar bill

Unless Gov. Newsom blocks the bill, it will legalize plug-in solar in one of the world’s biggest economies. But the rules are more restrictive than some hoped for.

By Alison F. Takemura

Geothermal

Geothermal needs better tools for superhot drilling. Hephae can help.

By Maria Gallucci

Man in white hard hat and gray shirt by gray container, with long pipe and wind turbine visible

Clean energy

As Ohio grapples with fake comments on clean energy, some want crackdown

By Kathiann M. Kowalski

Solar

Tesla ditches solar roof — and embraces regular solar panels

By Dan McCarthy, Julian Spector

Virtual power plants

California virtual power plant bills clear key legislative hurdle

Last year, Gov. Newsom vetoed bills promoting home batteries, smart thermostats, and EV chargers to curb energy costs. Will he do the same this year?

By Jeff St. John

A row of two-story homes on the left, a sidewalk, and a street with a few cars; heads of two people on sidewalk in foreground

Regional spotlight:

Northeast

Clean energy news from the Northeastern U.S.

Boston explores sea- and river-source heat pumps for big buildings

The city is testing the waters with three projects that will use thermal energy in Boston Harbor and the Charles and Mystic rivers for heating and cooling needs.

By Sarah Shemkus

Massachusetts embraces backyard homes as housing and climate solution

Overhead shot of gray house with dark gray ADU in backyard surrounded by trees in fall color

‘It’ll take more’: CFS nets another $1B to chase nuclear fusion dream

Inside of a fusion reactor facility with white walls and multicolored equipment

Solar-powered EV carshare pilot launches in Massachusetts

Red hatchback Zipcar parked and plugged in under a solar canopy held up with a curved white "arm"

Startup offers low-cost home batteries to Massachusetts residents

Three Tesla batteries hanging on a wood wall

Heat pumps

US apartment buildings have tipped toward heat pumps

The climate-friendly appliances are becoming the norm among American home builders. Here are the factors driving the shift.

By Alison F. Takemura
Batteries

In Michigan, LG opens one of America’s biggest battery cell factories

Trump officials touted the storage and EV plant as an example of “energy dominance,” underscoring increasing bipartisan acceptance of grid batteries.

By Claire Hao
Geothermal

Sage Geosystems brings its first next-gen geothermal plant online

It’s only the third such project to hook up to the U.S. grid. It comes as surging electricity demand drives interest in the source of around-the-clock clean power.

By Maria Gallucci
Clean energy manufacturing

How Qcells’ Georgia factory is surviving US solar policy whiplash

American solar manufacturers are navigating shifting federal policies on tariffs and tax credits, all while demand for their product continues to grow.

By Emily Jones, Grist

Chart of the week

Home battery installations climb despite loss of federal incentives

While solar and EV sales cratered after the Republican Congress eliminated federal tax credits, batteries bucked the trend. Here’s why.

By Dan McCarthy

Trump’s DOE keeps forcing coal plants to stay open. Here’s the latest.

California was mostly solar-powered in May — a global first

Solar is having its best summer yet in Europe

Nuclear energy could be in for a big decade

Geothermal

Geothermal has big potential. Here’s how states can help realize it.

Next-generation geothermal projects are underway in the U.S. West, but states will need more targeted policies for the industry to scale, a new report argues.

By Maria Gallucci
Politics

California gubernatorial candidate pledges two hours of free power a day

Democrat Xavier Becerra estimates his plan can cut bills by $1,000 per year. A similar program in Australia offers a blueprint — and some caveats.

By Alison F. Takemura
Data centers

Major data center bills advance in California despite industry pushback

As the legislative session nears an end, lawmakers push ahead bills that aim to stop AI centers from raising utility costs and spur builders to opt for clean energy.

By Jeff St. John
Solar

After a 2-year wait, will Ohio’s largest solar project get the OK?

The Oak Run solar and storage project has been in legal limbo since 2024, showing local opponents’ power to delay clean energy. A decision may come soon.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski
Data centers

Data centers are officially shaping election season

Data center opponents are winning primaries, and governors are instituting moratoriums — but will the action last beyond Election Day?

By Kathryn Krawczyk
Electric vehicles

Your gas car works fine. Consider an EV anyway.

Swapping your gas car for an electric vehicle is a climate win in almost all cases, says a new study, which even “tipped the scales” against EVs.

By Tik Root, Grist
Clean aluminum

US aluminum is poised for a comeback — if it overcomes these hurdles

Tariffs and rising grid demand are spurring a revival, but high electricity costs and community concerns threaten to stall key new smelter projects

By Maria Gallucci
Wind

Huge new turbines could let biggest UK wind farm do more with less

ScottishPower’s Whitelee onshore wind farm could double its capacity with far fewer turbines. It’s an example of how much wind technology has improved.

By Julian Spector
Virtual power plants

Federal ruling hands virtual power plants a win in PJM

Firms that enlist homes to reduce energy demand — and costs — have long complained that utility data rules prevent them from helping in PJM. FERC agrees.

By Jeff St. John

Subscribe to Canary Media newsletters

Rural America & The Clean Energy Transition at Climate Week NYC

Canary Live Bay Area

Beyond Compliance: Turning Building Performance Standards into a Long-Term Facility Strategy

Behind the Meter: A Research-Backed Guide to Electrification and Customer Participation

Northeast Freight Corridor Charging Plan

California Legislature passes balcony solar bill

Geothermal needs better tools for superhot drilling. Hephae can help.

As Ohio grapples with fake comments on clean energy, some want crackdown

Tesla ditches solar roof — and embraces regular solar panels

California virtual power plant bills clear key legislative hurdle

Is Maine finally about to make wind power happen?

PJM has finally greenlit a lot of new clean power. Can it get built?

Today’s headlines: Solar-plus-storage investment soars, EPA looks to curb data center opinion, and more

Editor's picks

1 Where does balcony solar stand in your state?

2 The coal industry gave Trump a wish list. He’s checking items off it.

3 In this Brooklyn warehouse, stoves are turned into batteries

4 Duh, solar power doesn’t work at night — but it excels during the day

5 Want a home battery on a budget? Consider a portable, DIY system.

Solar delivers as Europe’s power plants struggle amid heat and drought

Arizona is having a grid battery growth spurt. Will that last?

Trump turns $500M grant for clean steel into funding for coal furnace

America’s hydropower challenge goes beyond the West

Solar and storage still dominate US power plant construction

PJM wants data centers to bring their own power. Pennsylvania’s on it.

Duke Energy deals double whammy to its poorest North Carolina customers

Regional spotlight:

Boston explores sea- and river-source heat pumps for big buildings

Massachusetts embraces backyard homes as housing and climate solution

‘It’ll take more’: CFS nets another $1B to chase nuclear fusion dream

Solar-powered EV carshare pilot launches in Massachusetts

Startup offers low-cost home batteries to Massachusetts residents

US apartment buildings have tipped toward heat pumps

In Michigan, LG opens one of America’s biggest battery cell factories

Sage Geosystems brings its first next-gen geothermal plant online

How Qcells’ Georgia factory is surviving US solar policy whiplash

Chart of the week

Home battery installations climb despite loss of federal incentives

Trump’s DOE keeps forcing coal plants to stay open. Here’s the latest.

California was mostly solar-powered in May — a global first

Solar is having its best summer yet in Europe

Nuclear energy could be in for a big decade

Geothermal has big potential. Here’s how states can help realize it.

California gubernatorial candidate pledges two hours of free power a day

Major data center bills advance in California despite industry pushback

After a 2-year wait, will Ohio’s largest solar project get the OK?

Data centers are officially shaping election season

Your gas car works fine. Consider an EV anyway.

US aluminum is poised for a comeback — if it overcomes these hurdles

Huge new turbines could let biggest UK wind farm do more with less

Federal ruling hands virtual power plants a win in PJM