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)

Batteries

Hawaii is paying home-battery owners to help the grid. How's that going?

Hawaii's main utility reached a deal with pro-solar groups to reward households for sharing their clean energy. We check in on the results at the six-month mark.

By Julian Spector . 6 October 2022
Just transition

The best policies to help coal towns weather the switch to renewables

A new report singles out Colorado, Illinois and New Mexico as trailblazers in just-transition laws. Could fossil strongholds Wyoming and West Virginia follow suit?

By Alison F. Takemura . 3 October 2022
Clean energy

Chart: Clean energy jobs still lag dirty ones, but they're growing fast

The U.S. had more than 600,000 jobs in carbon-free electricity and fuels in 2021. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, it’s poised to add millions more.

By Shel Evergreen . 30 September 2022
Marine transport

Zero-emissions cargo shipping catches on in cities and port communities

Los Angeles and Long Beach are now joined by Minneapolis, home to retail giant Target, in asking importers to slash all shipping emissions by 2030.

By Joseph Winters . 26 September 2022
Transmission

Manchin's permitting-reform bill splits Dems, pro-renewables groups

The transmission-buildout process is broken — but is the chance to fix it worth the perks and giveaways to the fossil industry?

By Jeff St. John . 23 September 2022
Emissions reduction

Chart: Net-zero targets have gone global — but how meaningful are they?

National pledges to cut emissions to zero now cover 91% of the global economy, but many of them are too vague and reliant on offsets and carbon removal.

By Maria Virginia Olano . 23 September 2022
Clean energy

6 clean energy companies that are ramping up US manufacturing

The Inflation Reduction Act provides billions of dollars in tax credits and loans, helping to spur investment in domestic production.

By Shel Evergreen . 21 September 2022
Emissions reduction

California could ban new gas heaters after 2030. The goal: Healthier air

Ditching fossil-gas furnaces and water heaters isn't just good for the climate. Research shows it's a smart move for human health.

By Jeff St. John . 20 September 2022
Utilities

Why does Duke Energy's carbon plan shortchange solar?

The utility wants to build new gas plants. Its critics want it to build far more solar and batteries. North Carolina regulators have until year's end to decide.

By Jeff St. John . 19 September 2022
Solar

How solar donors can cut the power bills of low-income families

Boston-based Resonant Energy pioneers a new way to share solar savings with disadvantaged communities in Massachusetts.

By Alison F. Takemura . 16 September 2022