Clean Energy

Gaslamp Quarter

America’s 10 ‘Greenest’ Cities

A new analysis ranks cities based on their environmental quality, energy consumption and production, transportation, density, and other factors.

October 28, 2024 - The Street

Close-up of top of white offshore wind turbine with other turbines in sea in background.

New York Offshore Wind Farm Offers Hope for Nascent Industry

The first commercial-scale offshore wind installation in the United States is powering roughly 70,000 homes in Long Island, New York.

October 16, 2024 - CNBC

Aerial view of Central de Abasto food wholesale market in Mexico City, Mexico.

Rooftop Solar on Mexico City Market to Power 300 Transit Buses

A solar project atop a massive food market will provide electricity to Mexico City's public transit buses.

October 7, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

View of Three Mile Island nuclear power plant with four reactor towers on a sunny day.

Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant Could Power Microsoft Data Centers

The proposal to restart one unit of the infamous plant, which suffered a partial meltdown in 1979, still requires federal, state, and local approvals.

September 24, 2024 - Reuters

Solar panels installed as shade panels over parking lot with small cars parked underneath.

Commercial Buildings, Parking Lots Offer Significant Potential for Solar Energy

Massive swaths of flat rooftops, garages, and surface parking lots go underutilized. They could be producing renewable energy.

September 19, 2024 - Clean Technica

Legislative Hall in Dover, Delaware.

New Delaware Laws Address Renewable Energy, EVs, Climate Resilience

Recently enacted legislation promotes offshore wind projects, solar energy, and electric vehicle infrastructure.

September 17, 2024 - Delaware News Journal

Miami-Dade public transit bus.

Miami-Dade Building Electric Bus Operations Center

The 20-acre facility will help the county reach its goal of electrifying 20 percent of its bus fleet.

September 6, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Blue and white Zero-Emission Multiple Unit (ZEMU) hydrogen-powered train in San Bernardino, California.

Hydrogen-Powered Train to Launch in Southern California

The 9-mile rail line could be a welcome breath of fresh air for one of the region’s most polluted communities.

September 5, 2024 - The Guardian

Yellow electric school bus with preteen students exiting.

Oakland Electric School Buses Can Return Power to Grid

The district’s fully electric fleet features vehicle-to-grid technology that lets buses act as batteries when not in use.

September 4, 2024 - Grist

Open Space

BLM Proposes Opening 31 Million Acres of Public Lands to Solar Development

The Biden administration has released a proposal that would open tens of millions of acres in 11 Western states to solar development, a move that has clean energy advocates celebrating and environmental groups concerned.

September 2, 2024 - The Daily Caller

Large solar panel installation and wind turbines with Southern California desert mountains in background.

California’s Shift to Renewables: Successes and Challenges

The state aims to run on 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.

August 22, 2024 - CALmatters

Construction site of offshore wind farm near the Dutch coast.

US Offshore Wind Industry Gains Momentum

Federal support for offshore wind projects is helping the industry grow, with nine projects approved so far this year.

August 20, 2024 - Sierra

Teal Detroit public bus

Michigan Transit Systems Awarded Federal Grants for Clean Vehicles

Federal grants are helping to ease the transition to electric and hybrid buses.

July 10, 2024 - Michigan Public Radio

Roadside "Fire Danger Extreme Today!" sign in Cleveland National Forest, California.

California Voters to Decide on Major Climate Funding in November

Californians will determine whether to approve a $10 billion bond for climate and environmental projects, which seeks to address critical issues such as wildfire prevention, safe drinking water, and protection of disadvantaged communities.

July 7, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

White and peach Florida state capitol building with palm trees in front in Tallahassee, Florida.

Florida Rolls Back Renewable Energy Goals

A new state law eliminates language calling for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and makes it easier to build natural gas pipelines.

May 27, 2024 - News Service of Florida

Aerial view of large solar panel installation in rural area in Indiana.

Solar Production Threatens Fertile Farmlands

Solar installations are causing soil erosion and raising concerns among farmers in some of the nation’s most productive agricultural regions.

April 30, 2024 - Reuters

Wind turbines and solar panels against a backdrop of mountains in the Mojave Desert near Palm Springs, California

California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours

The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.

April 24, 2024 - Fast Company

Renewable Energy

Just Transition: Bringing Equity to the Clean Energy Conversation

A new report from the Environmental Defense Fund offers a roadmap for countries, energy companies, and other stakeholders to navigate the complexities of transitioning to clean energy while ensuring equity at every step of the process.

April 22, 2024 - Environmental Defense Fund

Two workers in white hard hats looking up at large photovoltaic solar panels.

‘Green Bank’ Network To Fund Climate Projects

The federal government announced a $20 billion investment to support low-interest loans for climate and clean energy projects.

April 8, 2024 - Inside Climate News

Worker in safety vest and white hard hat installing rooftop solar panel.

New Solar Capacity Outpaces New Fossil Fuels in the US

Solar energy still makes up just 5 percent of the nation’s energy mix, but could grow faster in coming years.

March 13, 2024 - Popular Mechanics

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.