energy industry

Owen Henry, standing on the roof of his Baltimore rowhome, painted his roof white in 2023 so he could help cool the home and save on energy costs. It worked, he says, reducing electricity use by 24%.

This little-known ‘dark roof’ lobby may be making your city hotter

As cities heat up, reflective roofs could lower energy bills and help the climate. But dark roofing manufacturers are waging a quiet campaign to block new rules.

A crew of linemen use bucket trucks to repair a utility pole and restore electricity near Houma on Sept. 12, 2024, one day after Hurricane Francine made landfall in Terrebonne Parish.

Politics

Bill prioritizing domestic fuel sources for grid resilience advances

Brooke Thorington

A bill that would require the Department of Energy and Natural Resources (DENR) to work with the Public Service Commission (PSC) on prioritizing domestic fuel sources in Louisiana advanced from House Appropriations on Tuesday.

Logan Burke of the Alliance for Affordable Energy, left, and Billy Anderson from the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, testify Wednesday against a move to halt an energy efficiency program for Louisiana’s residential customers. In a hastily called meeting, the Louisiana Public Service Commission voted 3-2 to kill the program.

Coastal Desk

Energy efficiency program killed; advocates say Louisianans will pay the price.

Pam Radtke, Floodlight

The state Public Service Commission voted along party lines to end a program to save energy and money for residential customers — who already top the US in electricity use.

Crews work to restore power lines in south Louisiana following Hurricane Francine. Entergy Louisiana has proposed charging customers about $1 per month to help pay for repairs from the storm. Customers are already paying about $20 per month to pay for damage from previous hurricanes.

Coastal Desk

US electricity prices are surging. These Louisiana companies want out.

Pam Radtke, Floodlight

Citing few renewable options and projected price jumps, industries in one state propose their own power generation, free from monopoly utilities.

Workers install solar panels on the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility in Gaithersburg, Md. Funding that had been frozen for Solar for All, a federally funded program to provide rooftop and community solar to low-income residents, has now resumed, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said. (Photo courtesy of NIST)

Coastal Desk

‘Solar for Y’all’ faces hazy future in Louisiana

Elise Plunk (Louisiana Illuminator)

The future of millions of dollars in funding to help low-income Louisiana residents access solar energy has grown increasingly uncertain as the Trump administration attempts to slash grant programs awarded under its predecessor.