Massachusetts implements nation’s 1st clean peak standard
March 11, 2021
In August of 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources announced the launch of its Clean Peak Energy Standard (CPES), the first CPES in the nation. This standard is designed to provide incentives for utilities to use clean energy technologies that supply electricity or reduce demand during seasonal peak demand periods. These incentives come on......
First Gas-Hydrogen Power Plant in the U.S. Makes Waves in Ohio
March 11, 2021
The 485-MW Long Ridge Energy Terminal combined cycle power plant has transitioned to running on carbon-free hydrogen by way of blending hydrogen in the gas stream, allowing the plant to burn 100% green hydrogen over the next decade. This is the first hydrogen-burning power plant in the U.S. and the first that blends hydrogen in......
Oregon city generates renewable energy from underground water pipeline
March 11, 2021
The City of Hillsboro, Oregon has put into place a first-of-its-kind water utility technology that converts excess water pressure to carbon-free electricity. The project, called the Hillsboro In-Pipe Hydroelectric Project, is the first renewable energy project that features the In-PRV ™ smart water technology. The groundbreaking technology is expected to generate anywhere from 185,000 to......
Small Colorado Town Uses Innovative Water Filtration Design to Save Money
July 10, 2020
Branson, a small town in southern Colorado, only has 55 residents – with a population so small, infrastructure funding is hard to come by. Colorado tightened its water safety regulations, which proved to be just outside the performance standards Branson’s purification system was capable of. Local company Innovative Water Technologies introduced a filtration design that......
Assisting Illinois Rural Communities with Water and Broadband Two-For-One
July 10, 2020
Rural communities often have difficulty accessing the same services as suburban and urban communities. Accessibility to broadband services and clean drinking water are among the greatest concerns for these areas. To combat the issue of access, Illinois nonprofit and water utility EJ Water Cooperative joined Illinois Fiber Connect for a first-of-its-kind initiative that runs fiber......
STAR School, First Elementary School Completely Solar-Powered
July 10, 2020
Flagstaff, Arizona is home to STAR School, the first public elementary school in America to be completely dependent on solar power. In addition to solar panels, STAR School also has wind generators and a small propane tank on standby for consecutive cloudy days. The school’s architecture showcases large open windows facing the south and few,......
July 06, 2017
In the aftermath of 2012’s Superstorm Sandy, New York State set out to revisit its approach to energy infrastructure to be more resilient and sustainable. Through the state’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy, a multitude of state agencies are coordinating as never before to promote innovation and secure new investments that will make cleaner,......
July 06, 2017
Texas is among the leading producers of wind energy. But with the size of the Lone Star State, wind energy still needs to be moved from where it is captured to where it is most needed. Through the Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ), the state invested $7 billion in the erection of 3,600 miles of......
May 19, 2017
The Ray, a 16-mile stretch of I-85 in Georgia, is challenging the idea that roads are just for driving on. It is the country’s first solar-paved road, with 5,400 square feet of solar panels capable of producing 7,000 kilowatt-hours of energy annually. The solar panels are placed on top of the asphalt road surface and......
Turning Food Waste into Renewable Energy
March 07, 2017
Each year, every American family throws out an average $640 worth of food. Much of it goes into landfills, decomposes, and turns into methane. Several cities have found new ways to convert leftovers into biogas to produce electricity. The City of Philadelphia mandated in-sink garbage disposals in all new construction in the hopes that residents......
