Clean energy supply chain

Food and farms

The USDA just made it way harder for farmers to get grants for solar

Even farmers who were already promised funds from the REAP program may never get them under the Trump admin’s new restrictions. Some are suing.

By Kari Lydersen . 1 October 2026

Woman in shorts walking black dog by a red barn with rooftop solar on a cloudy day — (Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)

Batteries

Trump emergency order casts uncertainty over grid battery growth

A sweeping yet vaguely worded national emergency declaration targeting Chinese grid tech could put gigawatts of grid battery projects on uncertain legal ground.

By Jeff St. John . 10 September 2026
Solar

Tesla ditches solar roof — and embraces regular solar panels

The product that was supposed to redefine both roofing and home solar never moved beyond expensive niche status. Does the new plan reflect lessons learned?

By Dan McCarthy, Julian Spector . 24 August 2026
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 . 19 August 2026
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 . 19 August 2026
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 . 7 August 2026
Green steel

Could a new iron ore mine turn Minnesota into a green steel powerhouse?

Mesabi Metallics is opening a mine and processing plant on the Iron Range, spurring job opportunities and a chance to join the global transition to low-carbon steel.

By Brian Martucci . 23 July 2026
Solar

Solar and wind try to navigate Trump’s obstacle course for tax credits

Many solar and wind projects will meet a July 4 deadline for tax credits. But to keep them, they must be built in four years — and that involves yet more hurdles.

By Jeff St. John . 15 June 2026
Solar

Are long-promised solar perovskites finally hitting mass production?

Tandem PV has built an automated factory line in California to produce glass coated with materials that it says can improve solar panel efficiency by one-third.

By Julian Spector . 20 April 2026
Geothermal

Fervo Energy inks big turbine deal to build more next-gen geothermal

The Houston-based startup signed a deal with Turboden America for up to 1.75 GW in power-plant units to turn more of Earth’s heat into clean electricity.

By Maria Gallucci . 9 April 2026
Nuclear

Next-gen nuclear has a chicken-and-egg problem

A new report suggests that advanced reactor companies face a difficult path to success — and that the U.S. would be better off narrowing in on fewer designs.

By Alexander C. Kaufman . 20 March 2026