DOE cancels $7.6B in clean energy funding, hitting projects in 16 states

DOE officials say the cancellations target projects that were rushed through with weak documentation, while critics argue the move is political and will drive up costs for cities and consumers.

By Robert Walton • Oct. 2, 2025

Top smart city conferences in 2026

Technology, housing, climate action, transportation, public safety and more take center stage at events for local government leaders in 2026.

By Smart Cities Dive Staff • Oct. 1, 2025

Master-metered multifamily: The missing ingredient for scalable virtual power plants

Master-metered multifamily unlocks the missing ingredient for virtual power plants: reliable, scalable load.

By Teresa Ringenbach, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs • Sept. 29, 2025

Cities and states split on EPA proposal to repeal endangerment finding

On the final day of public comment, mayors and attorneys general submitted opposing letters on the rule that has shaped federal climate policy since 2009.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 24, 2025

Republic Services and Teamsters reach 5-year agreement in Boston

The new collective bargaining agreement brings an end to a monthslong strike that triggered a wave of labor action in other cities this summer.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 24, 2025

Newsom signs California energy package into law

The new provisions seek to address rising electricity costs, wildfire mitigation and climate funding. The package includes a blueprint for a regional Western electricity market and requires community air monitoring in select locations.

By Meris Lutz • Sept. 23, 2025

Residential electricity rates up 6.6% over last year

Local leaders call for relief as gas prices rise and AI demand strains grids.

By Emma Penrod • Sept. 19, 2025

Cities can lead the way on resilient cooling, report says

Local officials have the tools to expand access to affordable cooling while boosting grid resilience and economic development, according to the Federation of American Scientists.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 17, 2025

CenterPoint Energy courts Minnesota communities for networked geothermal pilot

The utility is hoping to prove to local governments that such decarbonization efforts can meet residents’ energy needs in a cold-weather climate.

By Brian Martucci • Sept. 16, 2025

4 ways smart meters can help manage water scarcity (and boost revenue, too)

Why smart meters are a game-changer for water conservation, revenue and resilience.

Sept. 15, 2025

Trash piles up as cities are squeezed in Republic Services labor strike

Local governments face mounting service disruptions as the largest sanitation strike in decades drags on.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 5, 2025

Beneath the stadium lights: aging water systems threaten 2026 event preparations

Cities face a hidden challenge before 2026 games: Aging water systems threaten big event success.

By Keaton Clay • Sept. 2, 2025

This small Oregon city voted to stop adding fluoride to its drinking water. It’s part of a larger trend.

Sweet Home, Oregon, joins a growing number of states and cities in voting to end the practice that major dental organizations have recommended for 75 years.

By Ryan Kushner • Aug. 18, 2025

Texas city pioneers tech that uses waste heat to generate drinking water

AirJoule’s first U.S. field deployment will tap into a geothermal well to turn air into distilled water for the municipal supply.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 13, 2025

EPA considers terminating $7B Solar For All program

If the Trump administration moves forward to claw back the funding, “we will see them in court,” said Kym Meyer, litigation director at the Southern Environmental Law Center.

By Diana DiGangi • Aug. 7, 2025

Xcel Energy ‘prepared to go to trial’ to fight Colorado fire liability

The company contends that it did not start the late 2021 Colorado blaze, which caused an estimated $2 billion in damages.

By Emma Penrod • Aug. 4, 2025

The weather is changing. Here’s how utilities can adapt.

Climate READi, developed by energy providers, policymakers and government agencies, can help energy companies prioritize investments and adapt the evolving electric system to the climate of the future.

By Morgan Scott • Aug. 1, 2025

Cities and waste facility operators turn to AI for recycling education revamp

As recycling rates stagnate, cities are testing smarter ways to help residents sort waste — from tamales to chopsticks — right at the bin.

By Leslie Nemo • July 31, 2025

EPA’s move to gut key climate regulation raises stakes for city leaders

A repeal of the endangerment finding would make local climate policy a new battleground in continuing tensions between the Trump administration and cities, a legal scholar suggests.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 30, 2025

Workforce issues put new demands on municipal water management

Water systems are aging and leaking as water experts are retiring. Can tech save our most vital resource?

By Chris Cummings • July 14, 2025

Building community through play

The right playground equipment fosters community spirit and helps direct youth energy in the right direction

By Michael Keating • June 30, 2025

AI could hold the key to help cities solve traffic issues

By harnessing AI to optimize traffic flow and reduce congestion, cities are finding themselves in a far more advantageous position to create and maintain efficient and sustainable urban environments.

By Wes Guckert • June 27, 2025

Summer power bills are going up, federal government warns

Consumers will see a “slight increase” in power bills this summer, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said Monday. But that analysis is based on expectations for cooler weather.

By Robert Walton • June 25, 2025

No surprise: The public sector faces more ransomware and cloud-based attacks in 2025

Several factors leave cities and counties more vulnerable to cyber-attacks, including limited security budgets, less mature security programs and slower ability to adapt to evolving threats.

By Michael Keating • June 16, 2025

Securing our water future through strategic action

How utilities can overcome aging infrastructure, unfunded mandates and emerging contaminants.

By Stephanie Cuthbert • June 13, 2025