Canary Media | Covering the clean energy transition

Batteries

The US built more grid batteries last quarter than ever before

The outlook for storage construction keeps getting brighter as everyone from the Trump White House to clean energy advocates to AI giants clamors for more.

By Julian Spector

Geothermal

Fervo and Google sign world’s largest deal for next-gen geothermal power

By Maria Gallucci

Geothermal power plant equipment on a long lot surrounded by a road with wind turbines in the distance

Virtual power plants

California declines to fund its biggest virtual power plant

By Jeff St. John

Solar

Can the Obama Presidential Center help Chicago embrace community solar?

By Kari Lydersen

Democrat Xavier Becerra, who's running for governor in California, wants to give people up to two free hours of electricity a day. Here's why.

Politics

Meet the super PAC working to crush clean energy’s political foes

By Julian Spector
Offshore wind

Trump’s $4B in offshore wind buyouts spur legal blowback from states

By Maria Gallucci
Solar

Virginia to cut rooftop solar costs with nation-first bulk-buy program

By Elizabeth Ouzts

Regional spotlight:

Northeast

Clean energy news from the Northeastern U.S.

Is Maine finally about to make wind power happen?

For nearly two decades, the state has sought to bring wind turbines to its breezy northern reaches. Now it's one step closer to realizing the vision.

By Sarah Shemkus

Tesla ditches solar roof — and embraces regular solar panels

Close-up of roof with solar panels that look like black roof tiles, brick and white wood home

America’s hydropower challenge goes beyond the West

A view of Lake Mead shows a bathtub ring where water levels previously sat.

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

Man in suit with flaggs behind him at lectern, hand pointing in air

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

A section of dark river with brick buildings to the left and midrise buildings in the center, with a bridge to the right

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.

For next-gen geothermal to scale, drilling costs must drop. Startup Hephae says its novel tech can make that happen — and developers like Fervo are giving it a try.

By Maria Gallucci
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
Clean energy

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

Apparently fake public input has promoted fossil fuels and attacked clean energy in Ohio and beyond. Here’s what officials could do to try to stymie the problem.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski

Chart of the week

Solar and storage still dominate US power plant construction

Despite Trump’s attacks on renewables, it’s the same old story so far this year: The U.S. is building lots of solar and storage and a little bit of everything else.

By Dan McCarthy

Home battery installations climb despite loss of federal incentives

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

Solar

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

Extreme weather spiked power demand just as nuclear, gas, and coal plants had to reduce their output. Solar and batteries helped keep people cool.

By Austin Corona, Grist
Batteries

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

So far this year, it has built more battery capacity than any state besides Texas. But political shifts could complicate the long-term growth trajectory.

By Julian Spector
Energy markets

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

More than 50 GW of solar, wind, and batteries can now connect to PJM’s grid. It could help drive down costs — if states, utilities, and hyperscalers make it happen.

By Jeff St. John
Green steel

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

The money was mandated by Congress to help manufacturers like Cleveland-Cliffs adopt low-carbon tech. Now it’ll be used to extend the life of a polluting facility.

By Maria Gallucci
Utilities

Duke Energy deals double whammy to its poorest North Carolina customers

A pilot program that applies a credit to low-income households’ monthly bills is poised to end at the same time rates rise for everyone

By Elizabeth Ouzts
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

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Northeast Freight Corridor Charging Plan

The US built more grid batteries last quarter than ever before

Fervo and Google sign world’s largest deal for next-gen geothermal power

California declines to fund its biggest virtual power plant

Can the Obama Presidential Center help Chicago embrace community solar?

Meet the super PAC working to crush clean energy’s political foes

Trump’s $4B in offshore wind buyouts spur legal blowback from states

Virginia to cut rooftop solar costs with nation-first bulk-buy program

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.

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

Gary power outage underscores stakes of Solar for All cancellation

So, where exactly does the US energy transition stand?

America's big but uncertain gas boom

How much of a threat do heat waves pose to nuclear plants?

New York’s grid is struggling to handle the heat

Heat-pump water heaters just keep getting better

Regional spotlight:

Is Maine finally about to make wind power happen?

Tesla ditches solar roof — and embraces regular solar panels

America’s hydropower challenge goes beyond the West

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

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

California Legislature passes balcony solar bill

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

California virtual power plant bills clear key legislative hurdle

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

Chart of the week

Solar and storage still dominate US power plant construction

Home battery installations climb despite loss of federal incentives

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

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

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

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

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

Duke Energy deals double whammy to its poorest North Carolina customers

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