Clean Energy Blog
Stay up to date on the latest news related to clean energy in our region and beyond.
Helion Breaks Ground on First Fusion Plant in Washington
Helion Energy officially breaks ground on its planned 50-megawatt fusion reactor in Malaga, WA., on July 30, 2025. (Helion Photo) Helion Energy announced last week that it has broken ground on the site of its first commercial fusion power plant, beginning initial...
FERC to discuss COVID-19 impact
According to industry insiders, the pandemic is highlighting issues facing power generators and the energy industry in general as COVID-19 slows the U.S. and global economy. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is planning a technical conference this summer...
Economic stimulus packages will help renewable energy sector
The clean energy sector has been one of the fastest growing industries in the United States for the last ten years, employing 3.4 million farmers, electricians, manufacturers, scientific personnel, and more — serving a wide variety of industries throughout supply...
Bill Gates backs hydropower technology as renewable energy source
Microsoft founder Bill Gates is backing a hydropower technology that may potentially "fundamentally change how water is leveraged as a renewable energy source." Breakthrough Energy Ventures, which was set up by Gates, joined Schneider Electric in an $11m investment in...
Large-scale, floating offshore wind turbine to be built in the North Sea
Plans are underway to build a huge, floating offshore wind turbine in Europe. Europe is already home to the world’s first floating offshore wind farm, which is located in waters off the coast of Scotland. Spanish utility Iberdrola is heading a consortium aiming to...
Wind is largest single source of electricity in Iowa
According to the trade association's Wind Powers America 2019 Annual Report, Iowa is now generating more than 10,000 megawatts of wind energy, accounting for more than 40% of the state's electricity. Wind became the leading source of electricity in both Iowa and...
Wind power plant shuts down amid virus outbreak
An outbreak of Covid-19 at a wind power facility in North Dakota has forced it to temporarily close, the latest example of how the pandemic is impacting the renewable energy sector. The North Dakota Department of Health said there were 110 confirmed cases of...
Wind power: Airfoils instead of turbines?
A new device could open more areas to wind production by using stationary airfoils instead of twirling turbines. Past efforts to scale down the towering turbines that generate wind power to something that might sit on a home have been plagued by too many technical...
New solar panel sets record for efficiency
A new kind of solar technology has set a world record for the most efficient generation of energy by a solar cell. By stacking six different photoactive layers, the record-setting multi-junction cell has reached nearly 50 percent efficiency in the lab and nearly 40...
Public Power COVID-19 Information Hub
Through virtual forums and events, the American Public Power Association (APPA) has been engaging public power leaders to discuss COVID-19 actions being taken on the local and regional levels. APPA reports on government relations and policy activities, as well as...