Policy & regulation

Clean fleets

‘Green bank’ launches $250M effort to electrify California’s port trucks

The program, from Climate United and Forum Mobility, will help secure the EV trucks and charging stations needed to phase out diesel trucks at the state’s busy ports.

By Jeff St. John . 29 October 2024

A driver plugs in an electric truck at a Forum Mobility charging depot at the Port of Long Beach. — A driver at Hight Logistics, a drayage operator at the Port of Long Beach, plugs in an electric truck at a charging depot operated by Forum Mobility. (Forum Mobility)

Energy storage

Hawaii used rooftop solar to shore up the grid. New rules threaten that

A nation-leading virtual power plant program helped keep the lights on when Oahu's coal plant shut down. But rule changes may drive away future customers, advocates say.

By Julian Spector . 18 January 2024
Clean industry

These startups are teaming up to decarbonize cement and concrete

Producing these key materials takes a toll on the climate. A new alliance aims to accelerate the adoption of low-carbon solutions.

By Maria Gallucci . 17 January 2024
Carbon-free buildings

New York will replace gas pipelines to pump clean heat into buildings

A state law has spurred 13 utility pilot projects aimed at creating neighborhoodwide thermal energy networks — a climate strategy gaining traction nationwide.

By Jeff St. John . 16 January 2024
Hydrogen

Tax-credit rules leave key 'blue hydrogen' issues unanswered

Environmental watchdogs worry the Biden administration’s proposed rules for hydrogen tax credits may allow fossil gas and biogas to pollute at taxpayer expense.

By Jeff St. John . 12 January 2024
Solar

The fight over US solar tariffs hasn't gone away — it's just hibernating

A new lawsuit from Auxin Solar is an important reminder that the threat of destabilizing tariffs remains very real for the U.S. solar industry.

By Eric Wesoff . 11 January 2024
EV charging

3 ways to help EV charging bloom in 'charging deserts'

For EV chargers to take off in disadvantaged communities, we'll need public-sector support — and private-sector innovation to make the economics work.

By Jeff St. John . 10 January 2024
Hydrogen

The new hydrogen tax credits could revolutionize how clean energy is counted

Green hydrogen is just the first sector that will need to start tracking clean power on an hourly basis to adapt to a renewables-rich grid, energy experts say.

By Jeff St. John . 9 January 2024
Clean fleets

A small Texas town is home to the state's first all-EV school bus fleet

With a new tranche of federal funding for electric school buses just unveiled, more districts across the country will likely follow suit.

By Pooja Salhotra . 9 January 2024
Fossil fuels

Berkeley’s gas ban is all but dead. What does that mean for other cities?

A court ruled again that the city can’t enforce its pioneering gas ban. But experts say cities can pursue other paths to keep fossil gas out of new buildings.

By Akielly Hu . 8 January 2024
Hydrogen

New 'clean' hydrogen rules will favor some regions more than others

Strict tax credit rules will reward hydrogen production where wind and solar thrive — and are drawing ire in regions with nuclear and hydropower that won't qualify.

By Jeff St. John . 4 January 2024