EUCI Blog

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Soaring U.S. data center power demand for firm generation is reviving the prospects of coal-fired, nuclear, and natural gas-fired plants and creating a pivot in policy for the utility sector, according to two analyses. “After years of emphasis on decarbonization, the strategic shift to firm legacy power generation sources…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Winter electricity demand is outpacing new generation, but resources should still be adequate, although some regions with data center demands may be vulnerable in extreme weather, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC). Peak demand is projected to be 20 gigawatts (GW) higher this winter than last,…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer An estimated $1.6 billion in clean energy factories and projects were cancelled in September facing pressure from Trump administration and 500 solar projects, nearly 116 gigawatts (GW) of capacity, are also at risk, according to industry analyses. There has been a steady drum beat of cancellations for clean energy…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The Trump administration is making a $625 million push to “reinvigorate and expand” the country’s coal industry, but even as it moves ahead another 8.1 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired capacity is set to close in 2025. The administration’s package includes $350 million for recommissioning and retrofitting old coal-fired plants…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The virtual power plant (VPP) market grew by 13.7% year-over-year in 2025, reaching 37.5 gigawatts (GW) of capacity with an increase in company deployments, companies buying VPP energy credits, and utility-run programs, according to a Wood Mackenzie market report. The 33% in the number of a participants in the…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Solar and storage continued to dominate in new capacity in the first half of 2025, accounting for 82% of all new installations, but the sector faces headwinds from Trump administration policies with some areas already faltering. In the first half of the year, 18 gigawatts (GW) of solar were…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer U.S. installations in the first quarter of 2025 more than doubled year-over-year with 2.1 gigawatts (GW) of capacity coming online, but tariffs and shifting federal regulations led to a sharp drop in wind turbine orders, according to the U.S. Wind Energy Monitor. The report – a collaboration of consultant…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer Prices for guaranteed power in the PJM Interconnection – through a capacity auction – rose 22% from last year’s price to $329.17 a megawatt-day, the nation’s largest grid operator announced July 22. The jump would have been even sharper at $389 a megawatt-day, if the PJM had not agreed…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer U.S utilities have been caught “flat-footed” in the face of the soaring demand for electricity from data centers and manufacturing plants, according to a Wood Mackenzie study. Wood Mackenzie is tracking 134 gigawatts (GW) of proposed data centers across the U.S., a 68% increase from the 50 GW in…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The solar industry posted a solid first quarter in 2025, but is already seeing a slowdown that will continue through 2030 due to federal tax and tariff policies, according to a Wood Mackenzie-Solar Energy Industries market analysis. The industry installed 10.8 gigawatts (GW) of solar generating capacity in the…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has canceled $3.7 billion in grants to industries aimed at cutting carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency at facilities ranging from cement kilns to a ketchup factory. “DOE found that these projects failed to advance the energy needs of the American people, were…

By Mark Jaffe, EUCI energy writer The repeal of renewable energy tax credits, part of the proposed Republican budget bill, would lead to a 15% decline in wind, solar, and battery storage capacity by 2035 and an increase in wholesale and retail electricity prices, according to an S&P Global forecast. “As renewable generators lose the…