Policy & regulation

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
Clean energy

House budget threatens billions in clean energy investment in Virginia

The state’s solar, offshore wind, and manufacturing jobs would be jeopardized if the president’s One Big Beautiful Bill clears the Senate in its current form.

By Charles Paullin, Inside Climate News . 3 June 2025
Utilities

Why an Ohio ban on settlements to close 'base load' power plants matters for clean energy

House Bill 15 forbids settlements to close or curtail "base load" power plants, which exclude renewables. The law may pave the way for future fossil-fuel subsidies.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski . 3 June 2025
Clean energy

In N.C., all eyes on Senator Tillis as IRA tax credits hang in balance

North Carolina will lose big if cuts to clean energy incentives become law. Will Tillis, on record against "wholesale repeal" of the credits, go to bat for his state?

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 2 June 2025
Clean industry

Trump admin cuts $3.7B for industrial decarbonization and carbon capture

The decision will devastate ambitious efforts to cut emissions from heavy industry ranging from food production to chemicals.

By Jeff St. John . 30 May 2025
Solar

Why the solar industry is counting Ohio’s newest energy law as a win

Although legislators highlighted the law’s potential to spur “dispatchable” power like gas and nuclear, its tech-neutral incentives can benefit solar, too.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski . 29 May 2025