Canary Media

• Chart: Surprise — batteries got cheaper again last year February 6, 2026
  See more from Canary Media’s "Chart of the Week” column . Yes, batteries got cheaper again last year. It’s so predictable at this point, it’s almost boring. Almost. In 2025, the average price of a lithium-ion battery pack was $108 per kilowatt-hour, down 8% from the year prior, according to research firm…
• What’s driving up Maine’s energy bills? Natural gas. February 6, 2026
  Natural gas, not solar panels and wind turbines, is the primary driver behind soaring power prices in Maine, according to a new report released this week by the state’s energy department. Mainers pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country — only five states had higher residential prices in November…
• In U-turn, Trump approves low-income energy-assistance funds February 5, 2026
  Last May, the Trump administration proposed eliminating a key federal program that lowers energy bills for low-income households. Now, amid a mounting energy-affordability crisis , that program has officially survived — and even gotten a funding boost. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed a spending bill with…
• Are faked public comments about to tank an Ohio solar farm? February 5, 2026
  Ohio is poised to block a major solar farm because of local pushback — even though a substantial number of public comments opposing the installation appear to be fabricated. Open Road Renewables plans to invest roughly $98 million for the 94-megawatt Crossroads Solar Grazing Center , which would use land in three…
• Massachusetts scrutinizes pipeline-safety program as gas bills spike February 5, 2026
  In Massachusetts, many natural gas customers are receiving what they say are the highest utility bills they’ve ever faced. The reasons for these spiking costs are complex, ranging from volatile gas supply prices to this winter’s unusually frigid weather. Less discussed, however, is the effect of utilities’ Gas…
• Missouri Senate considers bills to halt solar development on farmland February 5, 2026
  This story was first published by the Missouri Independent . The conversion of Missouri farmland from food to solar power production creates feuds among neighbors, pits residents against developers, and raises questions about property rights. Those tensions were on full display Tuesday in the Missouri Senate…
• Lunar Energy lands $232M to boost smart home batteries February 4, 2026
  Silicon Valley–based startup Lunar Energy has spent the last six years building a business for its smart home batteries and the virtual power plant software that can orchestrate those systems to support the grid at large. Now, it has a massive new pot of cash to expand that effort, as utilities and state policymakers…
• California has abundant solar power. Here’s how factories can use it. February 4, 2026
  California’s power system has an infamous problem. Solar projects produce more electricity than is needed during the day but too little to satisfy demand at night. So the state’s major utilities are developing new electricity rates to encourage their largest customers to shift to using more power during those hours…
• How Iowa has turned against wind February 3, 2026
  This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News , a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that covers climate, energy, and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here . SHENANDOAH, Iowa — First viewed from a pickup truck driving south on U.S. 59, the wind turbines seem small and delicate. The…
• Colorado co-ops to Trump: Let us close our aging coal plant February 3, 2026
  The Trump administration is facing lawsuits from states and environmental groups opposing its use of emergency power to force aging coal plants to stay online. Now, add utilities to its list of challengers. Last week, the cooperative utilities Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and Platte River Power…