Utilities

EV charging

NYC's grid is stressed. A 'smart' EV charging program aims to help

Con Ed’s revamped SmartCharge program will tap direct-to-EV communications to track and pay drivers for charging at times that reduce grid strain.

By Jeff St. John . 5 April 2023
Fun stuff

Canary Live Boston: Watch the event on Thurs., April 6 at 6:00 PM ET

We're broadcasting our event live from Greentown Labs in Somerville, Mass. this week.

By Nicholas Rinaldi . 5 April 2023
Hydrogen

Test shows hydrogen blending slightly reduces gas power plant emissions

The hydrogen revolution isn’t here quite yet — but now we know what happens when a certain type of gas plant burns a small amount of hydrogen.

By Julian Spector . 24 March 2023
Fossil fuels

New York must chart new course for gas utilities to hit climate targets

They can’t keep spending on pipelines, and alternative fuels can't scale. But electric heat and thermal networks could save utility business models and jobs.

By Jeff St. John . 20 March 2023
Utilities

This software factors climate risk and energy equity into grid planning

Utilities need to know how their equipment upgrades will impact vulnerable communities. UrbanFootprint’s platform provides the necessary data.

By Jeff St. John . 23 February 2023
Batteries

Nomad's mobile batteries deliver utility-scale power where it's needed

The company sources lithium-ion batteries from parent Kore Power, then stacks them in reinforced truck beds for portable grid storage.

By Julian Spector . 16 February 2023
Geothermal

Utilities may use their pipes for geothermal heat instead of gas

Several utilities in the Northeast already have pilots underway to explore a switch to networked geothermal. Will it help them ride out the energy transition?

By Lisa Prevost . 13 February 2023
Politics

Minnesota's new climate bill is ambitious: 100% clean energy by 2040

The legislation, which is about to be signed into law, will move the state to all carbon-free electricity, streamline permitting and set pay standards for energy workers.

By Zoya Teirstein . 6 February 2023
Fossil fuels

Clean energy is cheaper than coal across the whole US, study finds

Almost every coal-fired power plant in the country could be cost-effectively replaced by local solar or wind and batteries, according to a groundbreaking new analysis.

By Jeff St. John . 31 January 2023
Hydrogen

This utility is blending hydrogen into fossil gas. Can it scale?

Some households in Minnesota have been using a gas blend with 5% hydrogen to cook and heat their homes. Results have been positive so far.

By Frank Jossi . 31 January 2023