Canary Media | Covering the clean energy transition

Climate crisis

Gary power outage underscores stakes of Solar for All cancellation

Some city residents went two weeks without power following storms. The federal program, ended by Trump, would have enabled many to access solar and batteries.

By Kari Lydersen

Clean energy

So, where exactly does the US energy transition stand?

By Dan McCarthy, Kathryn Krawczyk

A solar panel array and a collection of wind turbines sit on brown, desert-like ground.

Balcony solar

California Legislature passes balcony solar bill

By Alison F. Takemura

Nuclear

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

By Alexander C. Kaufman

Solar

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

Teaming up to buy solar can get residents deep discounts. Virginia is the first to try a statewide campaign as utility bills rise and data centers stress the grid.

By Elizabeth Ouzts

Man stands on porch with "We Went Solar" sign

Regional spotlight:

Northeast

Clean energy news from the Northeastern U.S.

America’s hydropower challenge goes beyond the West

Lakes Mead and Powell have sunk to unprecedented lows, jeopardizing their generation capabilities — but drought persists in the Northeast, too.

By Kathryn Krawczyk

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

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

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
Clean energy

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

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

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
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

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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

Gary power outage underscores stakes of Solar for All cancellation

So, where exactly does the US energy transition stand?

California Legislature passes balcony solar bill

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

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

America’s big but uncertain gas boom

Is Maine finally about to make wind power happen?

Today’s headlines: California sues over wind buyout, Trump makes an oil deal with Venezuela, 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.

New York’s grid is struggling to handle the heat

Heat-pump water heaters just keep getting better

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

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

Tesla ditches solar roof — and embraces regular solar panels

Regional spotlight:

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

Massachusetts embraces backyard homes as housing and climate solution

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

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

Solar and storage still dominate US power plant construction

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

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

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?