West

Virtual power plants

What kind of virtual power plant would you choose?

Some 200 California households will help design VPPs that prioritize their needs in a Living Laboratory project. The goal: to vastly scale up VPP participation.

By Jeff St. John .

22 October 2026

Photo collage of three houses —with solar panels, heat pump, batteries — connected with lines over a streetscape — (Binh Nguyen/Canary Media; Agile Electrification; Eric Brehm/Unsplash)

Clean energy

New Mexico’s transition to clean energy is actually ahead of schedule

The state is forging ahead on wind, solar, and batteries after hitting its 2030 renewables goal early. The transition for coal workers has been more complicated.

By Julian Spector . 21 October 2026
Clean energy

Will a second US city tax billion-dollar firms to fund clean energy?

Eugene, Oregon, will soon vote on whether to set up a climate fund paid for by fees on companies like Amazon. Nearby Portland has already put the idea to the test.

By Alison F. Takemura . 20 October 2026
Geothermal

This geothermal startup produced a tiny bit of power from the seafloor

Endurance Energy tested its novel underwater geothermal tech off the coast of Oregon. The firm has raised $63 million for its “eyebrow-raising” approach.

By Maria Gallucci . 19 October 2026
Data centers

Nuclear-powered data centers? It’s a tough sell in Utah coal country.

To power two new data centers, companies are planning a giant gas plant and 456 small nuclear reactors in Carbon County. Locals are pushing back.

By Leia Larsen . 14 October 2026
Batteries

What to say to Californians worried about grid batteries

Large-scale batteries are safer than ever, but a few battery fires have spurred public backlash. Clean energy experts are working to win back trust.

By Jeff St. John . 13 October 2026
Electrification

A new gas line or cash to electrify? California lets households choose.

Before replacing gas service lines, utilities will need to offer customers a financial incentive to electrify instead, thanks to a new law.

By Alison F. Takemura . 12 October 2026
Transmission

California amps up pressure on grid buildouts that take too long

Transmission lines are hard to build — but they can’t take forever. A new law holds utilities accountable for delays that are holding back gigawatts of clean energy.

By Jeff St. John . 7 October 2026
Carbon-free buildings

California cities face months of delays in building code approvals

State law AB 130 has stalled local building efficiency rules for up to nearly a year, hampering progress on climate goals.

By Alison F. Takemura . 5 October 2026
Virtual power plants

Newsom finally says yes to virtual power plants

California’s outgoing governor approved bills to contain utility spending and allow customers to get paid to let batteries, EVs, and appliances ease grid stress.

By Jeff St. John . 1 October 2026
Clean fleets

Electric trucks cost too much. California has a law for that.

SB 1213 will force truck manufacturers to disclose data to curb price gouging — and open new state financing options to help fleets switch to cleaner vehicles.

By Jeff St. John . 30 September 2026