Down to the Wire | Deep dives into complex energy issues

Climatetech finance

What challenges will confront DOE loan program for energy retrofits?

It takes more than money to retool dirty energy infrastructure to be clean. Can utilities, regulators and communities agree on how to spend it?

Climatetech finance

How will DOE loan out $250B to make dirty energy systems clean?

A new Biden admin program can help replace coal plants with clean energy, switch gas pipelines to hydrogen, upgrade transmission, and more. Here are the wonky details.

Energy markets

Texas plan to stop next grid disaster could cost customers billions

A new report finds that a proposal to improve grid reliability could cost much more than alternatives and still fail to prevent winter blackouts.

Grid edge

Californians saved the grid again. They should be paid more for it

Smart thermostats, solar-charged batteries, EVs and other household devices can shore up the stressed grid. Why isn't the state going all in on incentives?

Transmission

New software can find more room for clean energy on transmission grids

Grid-enhancing technologies include high-tech software that can uncover more interconnection options for new wind and solar power projects.

Transmission

How to move more power with the transmission lines we already have

Grid-enhancing technologies enable us to get more out of existing power lines. Here’s an in-depth look at one such technology: dynamic line rating.

Hydrogen

US green hydrogen hub will put long-haul energy storage to the test

The ACES Delta project in Utah is betting billions of dollars that clean hydrogen can provide months of energy storage. Will it work?

Policy & regulation

Here are ways to connect clean energy projects to the grid more quickly

It won’t be easy to fix the massive pileup of energy projects that need to be connected to the transmission grid, but regulators and developers are ready to try.

Energy markets

A deeper dive into 24/7 carbon-free energy

Tech giants and startups are chasing more precise data to make the grid cleaner by the hour — and asking governments and regulators to catch up.

Policy & regulation

FERC Order 2222: Experts offer cheers and jeers for first round of filings

U.S. grid operators have to open up their energy markets to distributed energy. Here's what's good, bad and downright ugly in their initial plans.