Canary Media | Covering the clean energy transition

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Geothermal

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

Energy storage

Home battery installations climb despite loss of federal incentives

By Dan McCarthy

Virtual power plants

Federal ruling hands virtual power plants a win in PJM

By Jeff St. John

Solar

Solar on storage units? Here’s how Illinois is making it happen.

By Kari Lydersen

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The Trump administration has both canceled billions of dollars in clean energy grant and left plenty more in limbo.

Regional spotlight:

Northeast

Clean energy news from the Northeastern U.S.

Massachusetts embraces backyard homes as housing and climate solution

The state needs more housing, fast. ADUs offer a path forward — and their compact, sometimes all-electric designs offer lower energy bills and carbon emissions.

By Sarah Shemkus

‘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

Massachusetts bill would end a costly gas pipeline repair program

Hard-hatted worker below concrete ground next to yellow ladderw

Utilities

3 ways to fix California's utility spending problem — if lawmakers act

SB 905 would curb returns on wildfire costs, seek new financing, and explore performance metrics to curb sky-high electric rates. Can it overcome utility opposition?

By Jeff St. John
Solar

Why Illinois has struggled to turn old coal sites into solar farms

The state’s plan to replace defunct coal infrastructure with renewable energy has fallen short, but the experience holds lessons for future coal-to-solar efforts.

By Kari Lydersen
Offshore wind

Trump’s war on offshore wind is robbing a generation of workers

Building trades spent the past five years preparing for an offshore wind boom that went bust, leaving workers to mourn good-paying jobs that may never come back.

By Ajani Stella, Inside Climate News
Solar

In North Carolina, rooftop solar is alive and well despite headwinds

While the industry has suffered the loss of federal tax credits and other economic hits, leasing and batteries make the panels pencil out for many homeowners.

By Elizabeth Ouzts

Chart of the week

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

We’re tracking the seven fossil-fuel plants the Trump admin has required to operate past their retirement dates — and which facilities could be hit next.

By Ysabelle Kempe

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

Trump’s clean energy attacks are costing the US jobs

Heat pumps

World’s oldest cheddar-maker slashes energy bills with novel heat pumps

Innovative tech from U.K.-based Arkaya Energy cools fresh milk and redirects the resulting heat, saving Barber’s Farmhouse Cheesemakers more than $90,000 a year.

By Alison F. Takemura
Solar

Trump launched big new solar tariffs. Here's what it means.

The cost of installing solar panels will rise. But now the U.S. has a large and fast-growing solar manufacturing industry to take advantage of the trade protections.

By Julian Spector
Electric vehicles

Can Ford’s affordable new electric truck hit the sweet spot?

With the sub-$30,000 Fathom, Ford hopes to capitalize on growing demand for low-priced EVs and avoid the fate of its now-defunct Lightning.

By Kathryn Krawczyk
Wind

The Pentagon's wind farm blockade is over — for now

A federal judge issued yet another blow to Trump’s war on wind, ruling that the Defense Department must resume its review of onshore wind permit applications.

By Dan McCarthy
Offshore wind

Why Trump’s claim that offshore wind is a security risk is ‘ludicrous’

Offshore wind farms not only pose no threat — they provide national security benefits, in addition boosting the grid and economy, according to military experts.

By Sarah Shemkus
Nuclear

Nuclear startup Oklo splits its first atoms in test reactor

It’s a demonstration of the tech Oklo will use for its medical isotope business — not power plants — but marks a milestone nonetheless for the buzzy firm.

By Alexander C. Kaufman
Politics

Trump is blocking billions of dollars of grants that would fix the grid

The Department of Energy has canceled or stalled funding for thousands of projects that would improve the country’s stressed grid — and not just in blue states.

By Jeff St. John
Green steel

Ohio steel giant aims to use Biden climate funds for polluting project

Cleveland-Cliffs got $500M for a big green-steel push. Under Trump, the firm is “rescoping” to work that perpetuates coal use and will boost local pollution.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski
Sponsored

The Missing Link to VPP Success? Customer Knowledge.

A new Franklin Energy report reveals how widespread customer confusion about home energy technologies could limit virtual power plant adoption — and what utilities can do to close the knowledge gap.

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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

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

Home battery installations climb despite loss of federal incentives

Federal ruling hands virtual power plants a win in PJM

Solar on storage units? Here’s how Illinois is making it happen.

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

Data centers are officially shaping election season

Today’s headlines: NextEra’s climate backtrack, a geothermal lease record, and more

Editor's picks

1 Here’s how offshore wind helped New England beat record heat

2 The US clean energy boom will continue to 2030. Then things get hazy.

3 Hawaiʻi committed to 100% clean energy. Now it’s flirting with natural gas.

4 Trump’s ​‘big, beautiful’ law was supposed to kill clean energy. It didn’t.

5 Installing a heat pump might increase the value of your home

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

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

In Puerto Rico, Trump admin backs big battery project but snubs solar

Regional spotlight:

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

Massachusetts bill would end a costly gas pipeline repair program

3 ways to fix California's utility spending problem — if lawmakers act

Why Illinois has struggled to turn old coal sites into solar farms

Trump’s war on offshore wind is robbing a generation of workers

In North Carolina, rooftop solar is alive and well despite headwinds

Chart of the week

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

Trump’s clean energy attacks are costing the US jobs

World’s oldest cheddar-maker slashes energy bills with novel heat pumps

Trump launched big new solar tariffs. Here's what it means.

Can Ford’s affordable new electric truck hit the sweet spot?

The Pentagon's wind farm blockade is over — for now

Why Trump’s claim that offshore wind is a security risk is ‘ludicrous’

Nuclear startup Oklo splits its first atoms in test reactor

Trump is blocking billions of dollars of grants that would fix the grid

Ohio steel giant aims to use Biden climate funds for polluting project

The Missing Link to VPP Success? Customer Knowledge.

4 Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ law was supposed to kill clean energy. It didn’t.