Policy & regulation

Solar

Sunnova and Mosaic bankruptcies highlight deepening rooftop solar woes

High interest rates and state policy headwinds have destabilized major rooftop solar firms. The GOP’s tax credit cuts could make a bad situation worse.

By Jeff St. John . 11 June 2025
Heat pumps

SoCal rejects plan to phase down new gas furnaces and water heaters

After an opposition campaign waged by SoCalGas and others, regulators tanked rules that would’ve encouraged, but not required, a transition to electric heat pumps.

By Alison F. Takemura . 10 June 2025
Clean energy

Texas finalizes $1.8B to build solar, battery, and gas-powered microgrids

The state Legislature finally passed a proposal to fund backup power for critical facilities like nursing homes and fire stations.

By Jeff St. John . 10 June 2025
Transmission

How sensors, software, and other tech could help Ohio’s aging power grid

A new state law will require utilities and regulators to explore advanced transmission technologies before pursuing conventional grid expansion projects.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski . 10 June 2025
Solar

This food bank saved big with solar. GOP cuts could crush similar efforts.

A North Carolina nonprofit could save $143,000 per year thanks to rooftop solar. House Republicans want to end the federal incentives that made it possible.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 9 June 2025
Policy & regulation

A proposal for a Massachusetts wood-burning plant is back from the dead

Springfield residents thought they had defeated a plan to burn wood waste for energy that would greatly worsen air quality. Now they’re gearing up for another fight.

By Sarah Shemkus . 9 June 2025
Clean industry

Trump deals a ‘big blow’ to clean heat with Energy Department cuts

The loss of $3.7 billion in funding for industrial decarbonization threatens efforts to replace large-scale fossil-fueled boilers with electric options.

By Alexander C. Kaufman . 6 June 2025
Virtual power plants

California’s successful virtual power plant program faces big budget cuts

Companies tapping smart thermostats and solar-charged home batteries to help the grid say funding cuts could undermine their efforts and cost customers.

By Jeff St. John . 5 June 2025
Food and farms

Biden’s climate-smart ag program was better than nothing. Trump killed it.

In a climate-dumb move, the Trump administration ended a flawed but necessary program aiming to lower agricultural emissions. We can still draw useful lessons from it.

By Michael Grunwald . 4 June 2025
Solar

Massachusetts grid breakthrough could benefit customers while boosting solar

The state's regulators and utilities are working out a mutually beneficial way to share the costs of the grid upgrades required to build more community solar.

By Jeff St. John . 4 June 2025