Land use

Food and farms

How a reluctant Iowa farming county undid a ban on battery storage

Three brothers wanted to use some land for solar, batteries, and cattle grazing. First they had to convince local officials — and the community — to allow batteries.

By Julian Spector . 8 October 2026

Field with corn and soybeans — (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Electrification

The Senate wants to pass a permitting reform bill. So what’s the holdup?

A bipartisan group of senators has a plan to speed up energy permits to meet rising demand, but data center backlash and environmental rollbacks are sticking points.

By Austin Corona, Grist . 28 September 2026
Land use

The challenges and opportunities of clean energy in rural America

Agricultural communities don’t always welcome clean energy developments. But projects can provide significant economic opportunities.

By Dan McCarthy, Wendy Becktold, Sarah Shemkus . 25 September 2026
Solar

Ohio’s biggest solar project finally gets permit after long legal limbo

Regulators’ approval of Oak Run Solar after a court forced them to consider more evidence is a rare clean-energy win in a state where it's tough to build renewables.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski . 21 September 2026
Guides and how-tos

How to stick up for renewable energy projects near you

Showing up at local government hearings to support a proposed wind, solar, or battery project could be the most effective climate action you ever take.

By Alison F. Takemura . 21 September 2026
Solar

Coal-to-solar project lands a rare clean-energy win in Ohio

The solar-plus-storage project faced no opposition despite growing pushback to clean energy in the state — likely because of its brownfield location.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski . 10 September 2026
Wind

Wind energy benefits North Dakota. So why has the state soured on it?

Turbines generate tax revenue and sizable payments for farmers, but development has slowed as the political winds have shifted.

By Daniel Cusick . 2 September 2026
Clean energy

As Ohio grapples with fake comments on clean energy, some want crackdown

Apparently fake public input has promoted fossil fuels and attacked clean energy in Ohio and beyond. Here’s what officials could do to try to stymie the problem.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski . 25 August 2026
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 . 13 August 2026
Energy efficiency

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 . 4 August 2026
Food and farms

Virginia lays groundwork to combine more solar with farming

A new state law aims to spur agrivoltaics projects where crops or livestock thrive amid solar panels, as AI power demand booms and concerns about farmland loss rise.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 3 August 2026