Balcony solar is this year’s clean energy superstar in the US

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Summer is only just coming to a close, but this year’s top clean energy trendsetter is already clear.

It turns out balcony solar was just waiting for its moment in the sun — a moment that arrived in 2026 as Americans searched for ways to reduce their skyrocketing power bills.

More than two dozen state legislatures had introduced balcony solar bills as of February, and several started legalizing the systems throughout the year. Virginia became the second state to allow plug-in panels in April, and Colorado and states across the Northeast soon followed suit. Today, nine states have balcony solar laws on the books, and three have passed bills that await their governors’ signatures. 

The above map is set to keep changing in the coming months as state legislatures that deferred their measures start new sessions and get back to work.

Still, even if you do live in a balcony solar–supporting state, you can’t simply run out to an Ikea to buy panels like you can in Germany. Just a few vendors are selling plug-in panel kits in the U.S., given the nuances of state and federal electrical codes. Only time will tell if American solar makers decide to get in the game — and which state will be the next to join the plug-in panel crew.

More big energy stories

Bipartisan love for a nuclear renaissance

America is coming around on nuclear power. Case in point? Both the Trump administration and Democrats in California are backing the industry’s resurgence.

This week, the Trump administration closed its third loan to help a shuttered nuclear power plant fire back up, offering up to $1.9 billion to NextEra Energy as the firm restarts Iowa’s Duane Arnold Energy Center. 

Meanwhile in California, leaders are rethinking the state’s ban on reactor construction and considering whether to stop its only operational nuclear plant from shutting down in the first place. The Diablo Canyon plant was supposed to cease operations in 2025, but California lawmakers already extended its life once, through 2030, and may let it run through 2045. The effort has support from the Trump administration, too, with the DOE awarding utility Pacific Gas & Electric $271 million to help it keep Diablo Canyon operating.

Carbon capture finally moves forward in Europe

Two major carbon capture facilities came online in Europe this week — big steps forward for an industry that has floundered around the world.

The first facility, Europe’s largest of its kind, opened at Yara International’s ammonia plant in the Netherlands. The system will capture and liquefy as much as 800,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, which will be transported and stored beneath the seabed off Norway. A second, smaller carbon capture setup meanwhile opened in Germany. Cool Planet Technologies built the facility at a cement plant owned by materials giant Holcim, where it’ll capture as much as 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually to be reused in other industries.

Still, despite these wins, carbon capture firms have a long road ahead as they grapple with high costs, environmental and landowner opposition, and doubts about the tech’s viability as a climate solution.

Clean energy news to know this week

On the bright side: The U.S. solar industry installed 11.4 GW of capacity in the second quarter of the year, up 43% from the previous quarter and 45% from a year earlier as the industry raced to take advantage of soon-to-expire federal incentives. (SEIA)

Clean spending falters: The pace of global investment in cleantech is leveling off after years of steady expansion, with spending dropping 17% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year. (Clean Investment Monitor)

Bad news for batteries: The Trump administration’s vague executive order cracking down on foreign-made grid components could pose problems for the U.S. battery storage industry, which has thrived despite federal clean energy attacks. (Canary Media)

Look who’s back: Global coal demand is on track to rise again this year as war in the Middle East shakes up oil and gas markets and a powerful El Niño increases the need for cooling power. (IEA)

Lost in translation: A new poll finds that 57% of American voters say renewable energy advocates exaggerate just how cheap wind and solar power generation has become — but less than a third cite clean energy as a driver of higher power bills. (Heatmap)

Virginia’s climate choice: While Virginia hasn’t backtracked on its ambitious emissions goals, unlike some other states, a top utility’s plans for a major gas plant could make meeting the targets impossible. (Canary Media)