The Trump administration is seeking new avenues to revive coal and nuclear, such as research to diversify coal use and design new reactors. Although new technologies may slow the downturn of coal and nuclear, hopes of a renaissance remain dim as the industries lose out to cheaper, cleaner, and more efficient resources.
The recent surge in electric vehicles (EVs) highlights the crucial role of electric utilities in developing comprehensive charging networks, including public charging stations. As more EVs draw electricity from distribution systems, state regulators must balance reliability, cost-effectiveness, and utility planning.
With the federal government’s U-turn on climate policy, states are taking the lead in regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, carbon trading is gaining traction as more jurisdictions are joining cap-and-trade markets.The two regional blocs in the U.S., California, Quebec, and Ontario’s cap-and-trade system and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) involving nine Northeastern states, recently outlined their plans after 2020 ending uncertainty about their medium-term future.
Ever more states are embracing pro-renewable policies by committing to clean energy and ramping up their clean energy targets despite federal policy uncertainty under the Trump administration. Frontrunners like California, Hawaii, New York, and Massachusetts are encouraging other states with nascent markets to follow suit.
