West

Batteries

Moss Landing, the world’s biggest grid battery, caught fire again

Vistra’s flagship energy-storage project in California turned into a towering inferno, forcing evacuations and raising fresh concerns about large battery installations.

By Julian Spector . 17 January 2025
EV charging

Without enough utility power, California EV-truck depots try microgrids

Truck-charging depots that need more power are installing solar, batteries, and fossil-gas generators. Could these types of microgrids serve the grid at large?

By Jeff St. John . 17 January 2025
Utilities

How to make EVs get along with the grid

Electric vehicles could overwhelm local grids. Managed charging offers a solution, and utilities are eager to get their EV-driving customers signed up.

By Jeff St. John . 13 December 2024
Carbon removal

Heirloom raises $150M for its limestone-based carbon removal tech

The startup opened the first direct air capture facility in the U.S. last year. The funding will help it build more plants capable of removing higher volumes of CO2.

By Allison Prang . 4 December 2024
ENN

Boise Airport now powered by 100% renewable energy through Idaho Power program

While Idaho does not have any climate goals, the city of Boise is working to achieve carbon neutrality citywide by 2050.

By Clark Corbin / Idaho Capital Sun . 19 November 2024
ENN

Commentary: Heat pump-assisted water heater technology could make big lift

New technology lowers prices for food service operations to electrify.

By CalNEXT . 14 November 2024
ENN

Commentary: Why businesses stood up for Washington state's cap-and-invest policy

Voters soundly defeated a measure to repeal a landmark climate policy, and some of the top employers in the state had urged them to do so.

By Kelly Trombley . 13 November 2024
Politics

Republicans sweep key utility regulator races in Arizona and Louisiana

Public utility commissions hold significant sway over state energy systems. Clean energy advocates failed to break through in elections this year.

By Julian Spector . 7 November 2024
Politics

California voters pass $10B bond to help protect people from climate change

States will need to ramp up climate action in the face of rollbacks from a new Trump administration. California is off to a good start.

By Jeff St. John . 6 November 2024
Politics

Washington voters uphold the state’s pioneering climate law

Voters rejected a ballot measure that aimed to repeal the state’s cap-and-invest program. A measure blocking fossil-gas bans may pass, though.

By Akielly Hu . 6 November 2024