Policy & regulation

California just passed a suite of bills to tackle rising energy costs

The state’s lawmakers got serious about reducing electricity rates this session, with measures to help with summer bills and enable public financing for power grids.

By Jeff St. John . 17 September 2025

Government building with a domed top. Three flags fly on a pole on the building. — The California state Capitol in Sacramento (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Offshore wind

Trump admin tries to sink Maryland’s first offshore wind project

The permitted project already faced financial strain from the GOP’s early end to tax credits. Now Interior wants a judge to cancel the wind farm’s approvals.

By Clare Fieseler . 16 September 2025
Solar

The solar industry threw a party in Vegas, and it actually wasn’t sad

After relentless setbacks from the Trump administration, solar and storage pros are finding solace in booming demand for electricity.

By Julian Spector . 16 September 2025
Utilities

As data centers go up, North Carolina weighs how to handle energy demand

Duke wants to build gas plants, but clean energy advocates argue that solar, battery storage, and demand response could help alleviate growing strain on the grid.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 16 September 2025
Emissions reduction

Chart: Trump is slowing climate progress. Here’s how much.

After Trump’s budget law and regulatory rollbacks, the country’s carbon emissions are set to fall much slower than they would have under the Biden admin.

By Dan McCarthy . 12 September 2025
Virtual power plants

California quietly guts ambitious virtual power plant bill

Bills boosting solar, batteries, EVs, and smart thermostats to rein in California’s utility costs moved ahead — but the most innovative approaches were cut.

By Jeff St. John . 5 September 2025
Policy & regulation

Chart: State lawmakers introduced a ton of anti-renewables bills this year

Legislatures considered far more bills that would hamper clean energy than ones that would help it, a new analysis finds.

By Dan McCarthy . 5 September 2025
Offshore wind

‘Bizarre’ and ‘unlawful’: States and Ørsted challenge Revolution Wind freeze

Trump halted the huge, nearly complete offshore wind project two weeks ago. Rhode Island, Connecticut, and its developer want courts to block that decision.

By Clare Fieseler . 4 September 2025
Clean energy

Colorado goes big on clean energy before tax credits vanish

States are under pressure to expedite wind and solar projects before GOP policies make them more expensive. Colorado is leading the way.

By Julian Spector . 4 September 2025
Clean energy

These conservatives want government to stop working against clean energy

At the National Conservative Energy Summit in Cleveland, developers and regulators warned that restrictive laws are stalling wind and solar projects.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski . 4 September 2025
Utilities

Virginia’s data center boom tests clean energy law

Exploding electricity needs are pushing Virginia's largest utility to seek new gas plants — despite a state mandate to eliminate fossil fuels by 2045.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 4 September 2025