Energy

Energy Department Sets Aside $550 Million for State and Local Clean Energy Efforts

The money is available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

  • By Frank Konkel

The West’s Biggest Source of Renewable Energy Depends on Water. Will it Survive the Drought?

Glen Canyon and the Hoover Dam are “not the whole story.”

  • By Emily Pontecorvo, Grist

Why a Power Line Project Can Take 14 Years to Permit

Amid a push to greatly expand the nation’s clean energy infrastructure, key grid upgrades require approvals that can take years to complete. Can regulators strike the right balance between speed and environmental protection?

  • By Kery Murakami

A Cost-Effective Way to Convert Buildings from Gas to Electric

COMMENTARY | Strategically decommissioning, or “pruning,” portions of the gas system could offer a cost-effective and coordinated approach to convert whole neighborhoods from gas to electric.

  • By Bentham Paulos and Nick Chaset

Curbside Composting Program Billed as Nation's Biggest Gets Underway

New York City launched the collection program for waste like food scraps and yard debris in Queens. The city's sanitation department is relying on a range of tactics to get buy-in from residents.

  • By Daniela Altimari

California’s 2030 Ban on Gas Heaters Opens a New Front in the War on Fossil Fuels

The first-of-its-kind plan will purge gas from existing buildings, not just new construction.

  • By Emily Pontecorvo, Grist

Why the Permitting Reform Debate Isn’t Going Away Anytime Soon

Even if Sen. Joe Manchin succeeds in getting his proposed overhaul of environmental regulations for infrastructure attached to a critical spending bill, Republicans plan to push for further changes, including restoring Trump-era policies.

  • By Kery Murakami

These Red States Don’t Want Climate Targets—But They Do Want Green Jobs

How Georgia and other Republican-led states are trying to benefit from the clean manufacturing boom.

  • By Emily Jones, Grist

State Lawmaker Discusses New $125M Program That Will Help Pay for Home Repairs

Pennsylvania State Sen. Nikil Saval's Whole-Home Repairs Program was included in this year’s state budget.

  • By Justin Sweitzer

$45M in Federal Funding Awarded for Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity

The Department of Energy’s investment will help to fund 15 research projects to protect critical energy infrastructure.

  • By Kirsten Errick

The Plan to Turn Blighted Houses into a New Source of Green Power for the Grid

A California nonprofit is retrofitting homes to make a "virtual power plant" — and fighting gentrification at the same time.

  • By Emily Pontecorvo, Grist

Senate Approves Democrats' Sweeping Climate and Health Bill

The legislation would unlock billions in new grants for states and local governments. But some lament its lack of help on housing and other issues. It will next go to the House.

  • By Kery Murakami
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New 5-State Pilot Will Link Low-Income Households to Solar Power

Households could see electricity bill savings from the program in the 10% to 50% range, according the Biden administration.

  • By Molly Bolan

A Key US Energy Efficiency Program Has a Major Flaw. Pennsylvania Is Trying to Fix It

Homes are rejected for efficiency upgrades because they need repairs. Many owners can't afford them.

  • By Emily Pontecorvo, Grist

The Rising Partisan Discord Over the Infrastructure Law

Republicans are clashing with the Biden administration over the rollout of the $1.2 trillion package, including on priorities like getting more electric vehicles on the road.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Energy-Producing States Lag in Latest Economic Numbers

Energy companies, short of workers, aren’t ready to increase production.

  • By Tim Henderson, Stateline

85 Airports Awarded Nearly $1B for Terminal Improvements

The federal dollars will go to airports in metro and rural areas across the country and will help pay for a variety of upgrades.

  • By Molly Bolan

Republicans Look to Reverse Biden’s Infrastructure Permitting Changes

They’re raising concerns that reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act will slow down projects, now that the Biden administration has scrapped a Trump-era rules rewrite.

  • By Kery Murakami

The Legal Clash Over a City’s Landmark Natural Gas Ban

Since Berkeley, California prohibited gas connections to most new buildings, dozens of cities have followed suit with similar policies. Now, a federal appeals court will decide whether the local statute is allowed under federal law.

  • By Ben Ikenson

How to Draft Effective Energy-Efficient Building Policies

A new report offers recommendations to governments about better design and implementation of these policies and the program evaluations.

  • By Andre Claudio

Can My Electric Car Power My House?

Bidirectional charging is the next big stage for electric vehicles. But storing power in your car and sending it back to your house involves more than flipping a switch.

  • By Seth Blumsack, The Conversation