The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has not implemented a proactive power shut-off protocol during high-risk fire conditions, unlike other major California utilities and many utilities in Western states prone to wildfires. While LADWP claims to have alternative safety measures in place, it lacks other widely adopted fire-risk reduction tactics like camera and weather station networks. PacifiCorp and Hawaiian Electric faced litigation over their responses to wildfires and the issue will likely become more important as climate change-induced extreme weather events become more common.

The Loan Programs Office has awarded a $1.76 billion conditional loan guarantee to Hydrostor to support a compressed-air energy storage project in California. The Willow Rock project is expected to begin operations in 2030 and would be able to store up to 4,000 megawatt-hours of power. "What LPO is saying is this is creditworthy technology that is ready for deployment," said CEO Curt VanWalleghem.

Many homeowners have been racing to deploy rooftop solar systems before President-elect Donald Trump takes office due to concerns about potential changes in tax credit and tariff policy that could drive up costs. Installers are also preparing for changes, with companies like Exact Solar stockpiling panels to lock in current prices.

The Biden administration has transformed US climate and energy policy with the Inflation Reduction Act, federal infrastructure intiatives and other actions, but it remains to be seen which aspects of the president's agenda will have a lasting impact. During this episode of the Political Climate podcast, the team discusses Biden's climate wins and losses, with a focus on last-minute activities that may be vulnerable under the incoming Trump administration.

Battery technology has experienced rapid growth since 2021 and grid-scale installations are becoming more common. In this episode of The Indicator podcast, the team dives into three grid-scale battery success stories, with a focus on how the technology is increasing grid reliability as more renewables come online.

Artificial intelligence presents a huge opportunity for grid modernization and clean energy deployment in the US, says national climate adviser Ali Zaidi in this interview. Zaidi envisions federal, state and private stakeholders working together to scale clean power cost-effectively and in a way that supports data center development. "I don't see these objectives at cross purposes with one another. I actually see AI as an accelerant to our ambition on the electricity grid," says Zaidi.

The 2022 experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory marked a pivotal moment in fusion research by demonstrating ignition -- a fusion reaction that produced more energy than it consumed. Efforts are underway on multiple fronts to scale fusion as a clean energy source and private investment in the field has soared to more than $7 billion in recent years, but first some engineering obstacles must be overcome. Challenges include developing materials that can perform well under extreme conditions, producing sufficient tritium fuel and creating efficient laser systems.

Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between CIP and Avangrid, has finished installing all 62 monopiles at the 804-megawatt Vineyard Wind 1 site in Massachusetts. Cable installation efforts are underway and will continue through April.

Ireland-based marine robotics startup Xocean has raised $119 million to expand its ocean data services to more sectors. The company uses uncrewed surface vessels to collect data for energy and hydrography clients, including BP and Shell. The funding will help Xocean grow geographically and enter sectors such as wind energy and carbon capture.