Canary Media | Covering the clean energy transition

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

Hydropower

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

Batteries

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

By Claire Hao

Geothermal

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

By Maria Gallucci

Politics

California gubernatorial candidate pledges two hours of free power a day

By Alison F. Takemura

Data centers

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

The biggest U.S. energy market hopes to make data centers find their own power resources or face grid cutoffs. Gov. Shapiro is aligning his state with that plan.

By Jeff St. John

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

Clean energy

Solar and storage still dominate US power plant construction

By Dan McCarthy
Utilities

Duke Energy deals double whammy to its poorest North Carolina customers

By Elizabeth Ouzts
Geothermal

Sage Geosystems brings its first next-gen geothermal plant online

By Maria Gallucci

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

Energy storage

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
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

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

Solar

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

Illinois community solar incentives spurred plans to put 60 arrays on top of Public Storage facilities in the state. So far, 10 are online.

By Kari Lydersen
Batteries

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

The Energy Department closed a $490 million loan to Pattern Energy for a 220-MW battery project in Puerto Rico, which could be tied to natural gas instead of solar.

By Maria Gallucci
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
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

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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

America’s hydropower challenge goes beyond the West

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

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

California gubernatorial candidate pledges two hours of free power a day

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

Solar and storage still dominate US power plant construction

Duke Energy deals double whammy to its poorest North Carolina customers

Sage Geosystems brings its first next-gen geothermal plant online

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.

US apartment buildings have tipped toward heat pumps

How Qcells’ Georgia factory is surviving US solar policy whiplash

Major data center bills advance in California despite industry pushback

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

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

Data centers are officially shaping election season

Your gas car works fine. Consider an EV anyway.

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

Home battery installations climb despite loss of federal incentives

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

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

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

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

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

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?