Plug-in solar soars

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26 February 2026

Good morning! Utah is home to a clean energy solution worth bragging about. It’s the only state that explicitly lets residents install DIY “balcony solar” systems, which plug in to standard outlets without the need for complex interconnection processes — but it may not be alone for long, Alison F. Takemura reports.

In Illinois, Kari Lydersen shares the story of two cities looking to make a clean change of their own. These Chicago suburbs say they won’t renew a power purchase agreement that includes coal, and are seeking cheaper renewable energy instead.

Looking for more local clean energy reporting like Kari’s? Sign up for one of our regional newsletters covering the latest from the Midwest, Southeast, Northeast, and Western U.S.

NEW FROM CANARY MEDIA

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Balcony solar is taking state legislatures by storm

by Alison F. Takemura

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Illinois cities move to cut ties with a massive coal plant

by Kari Lydersen

TODAY'S TOP NEWS

FEDERAL FUNDING

The DOE announces a $26.5 billion loan, its largest ever, to help Southern Co.’s Georgia and Alabama subsidiaries build new gas plants and transmission lines and upgrade existing power plants. (Associated Press)
The DOE offers $171.5 million to support advanced geothermal exploration and development. (news release)

OFFSHORE WIND

Iberdrola says it has installed 60 of 62 turbines at its Vineyard Wind project on the Massachusetts coast, and the last two will likely be completed in a matter of days. (E&E News)

DATA CENTERS

Even some Republicans are questioning the specifics of President Donald Trump’s claim that his administration will ensure data centers don’t drive up residential electricity costs, as he promised in his State of the Union. (Politico)
U.S. data centers could consume as much as 17% of the country’s power generation by 2030, the Electric Power Research Institute projects — a doubling of previous estimates. (E&E News)

NUCLEAR

Fusion startup Shine Technologies raises $240 million as it looks to recycle nuclear waste into new fuel. (Heatmap)

PIPELINES

FERC authorizes Williams Cos. to start building a major gas pipeline in Virginia and North Carolina, despite concerns over the project’s redundancy with the Mountain Valley Pipeline. (E&E News)

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