The Latest
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9 US electric power sector issues to watch in 2025
From rising electricity prices and demand to emerging opportunities and challenges around nuclear energy, virtual power plants, renewables and more, we’ve highlighted nine of the most important issues for the year ahead.
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Treasury finalizes guidance for IRA’s tech neutral, clean electricity tax credits
They’re “the most important clean energy tax credits ever enacted,” said Brad Townsend, vice president of policy and outreach at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.
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DOE conditionally commits to $1.8B loan guarantee for Arizona Public Service
The first project supported by the funds would be the 150 MW/600 MWh Agave Battery Energy Storage System. APS must still meet certain conditions to finalize the loan.
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Opinion
How to keep electric vehicle investments on track in the new political climate
A clean fuel standard has worked in several states to fund EV infrastructure. It should be tried in more places.
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Fervo Energy nabs $255M to deploy carbon-free geothermal power
The Houston-headquartered energy company said the new funding would help it deploy geothermal energy to meet the “skyrocketing demand for clean, firm power.”
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Data centers drive growth, risk for PG&E, Constellation, NorthWestern: BofA
Electric utilities that can increase earnings related to data center energy demand should see their share prices rise in 2025, according to Bank of America Global Research.
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FERC approves Shell purchase of 600-MW gas-fired plant in Rhode Island
The deal, expected to close this quarter, gives Shell “valuable trading opportunities” in the New England power markets, according to the company.
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DOE issues draft energy storage road map to accelerate cost reductions, diversify supply
The document updates DOE’s Energy Storage Grand Challenge Roadmap and reflects significant advances in energy storage technology and deployment since 2020, the agency said.
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Energy Trust of Oregon awards CLEAResult 5-year building efficiency contract
The latest phase of the program outlines initiatives to guide the design of energy-efficient renovations and new construction projects, the organizations said.
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Voltus agrees to pay $18M to settle allegations it violated MISO demand response rules
Through a program called “Scranta” — a combination of “scrape” and “Santa” — Voltus obtained data from an Ameren Illinois website without customers’ knowledge, per the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
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DOE says 90% of US wind turbines are recyclable
“Researchers estimate that up to 30% of the total U.S. recycling capacity for copper and aluminum in 2021 could be occupied by wind energy systems by 2040,” according to a Department of Energy report.
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Biden bans most new US offshore oil and gas drilling in clean energy push
President-elect Donald Trump vowed on Monday to undo the executive order that applies to more than 625 million acres of federal coastline.
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Microgrids boost grid reliability, lower costs: Colorado road map
Rising transmission costs and extreme weather impacts prompted a fresh look at the benefits of self-contained grids for rural Colorado communities.
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Toyota Motor North America lands $4.5M DOE grant for EV battery recycling
As end-of-life and battery scrap volumes increase from rising global EV adoption, a new approach is needed to extend the useful life of many standard battery pack components, researchers said.
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Opinion
Midwest to lead in ‘build, baby, build’
MISO has proven itself as a national leader in regional transmission planning — and other regions should take note.
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BMW shores up EV rare earth materials source
The automaker’s private equity firm invested in mining startup Phoenix Tailings, which is building a New Hampshire plant expected to begin production in June.
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Virginia to get world’s first commercial fusion power plant
Commonwealth Fusion Systems announced it will build the multibillion-dollar project in Chesterfield County.
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National Grid, Con Edison urge FERC to adopt gas pipeline reliability requirements
To bolster the gas system during cold weather, the federal agency should set pipeline reporting requirements, adopt enforcement mechanisms and tighten the use of “force majeure,” the utilities said.
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Final 45V hydrogen tax credit guidance draws mixed response
While hydrogen industry leaders generally welcomed the final rule’s increased flexibility, some said the complicated tax credit guidelines will stymie industry growth.
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Texas, Utah, Last Energy challenge NRC’s ‘overburdensome’ microreactor regulations
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s “incredibly costly” licensing process hinders the U.S. nuclear industry, the two states and nuclear developer said in a federal lawsuit filed Dec. 30 in Texas.
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Utility conferences to watch in 2025
We’ve updated our conferences to watch list, with events on virtual power plants, nuclear energy, load management and more.
Updated Jan. 6, 2025 -
Opinion
Big tech must stop passing the cost of its spiking energy needs onto the public
We need new policies that ensure the cost of new data centers is carried by the tech companies that profit from them, not by regular energy consumers such as family households and small businesses.
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Equinor secures $3B for Empire Wind 1 offshore wind farm
Equinor expects capital investments in Empire Wind 1 to total around $5 billion, including fees for the use of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, the company said.
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Constellation NewEnergy, GSA ink $840M deal for emissions-free power to federal facilities
The procurement agreement will involve supplying over 1 million MWh of electricity each year over the course of a 10-year contract, Constellation said.
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‘Take all appropriate actions’: NERC rings in 2025 with winter storm warning
Forecasts call for Arctic air to challenge the eastern half of the U.S. starting this weekend. Storms “could result in the lowest January temperatures in more than a decade in some places,” said meteorologists.