Factor This This Week in Cleantech (03/20/2026) - A rare victory for offshore wind
Mar 20, 2026
Jennifer McDermott, a reporter for the Associated Press who covered Revolution Wind, discusses the project now sending power to New England. She talks about how Revolution Wind pushed past legal and security hurdles. She outlines the uncertain permitting landscape for future offshore wind and previews Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind as the next milestone.
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Ann Arbor's City-Owned Clean Energy Utility
- Ann Arbor launched a city-run Sustainable Energy Utility to speed local renewable adoption and lower costs for residents.
- The SEU will install and own solar, batteries, and microgrids while customers remain on the main grid, starting with a low-income Bryant pilot.
Use Opt-In City Programs To Scale Distributed Clean Tech
- Local utilities and cities can partner to scale clean upgrades by offering opt-in programs that own and maintain distributed assets for residents.
- Ann Arbor's SEU expects cost savings and plans to scale from 100–150 Bryant customers to thousands annually by installing solar and microgrids.
Federal Settlements Threaten Future Offshore Wind
- The Biden administration's counterpart story: the Interior and Justice Departments propose canceling some offshore wind leases and paying winners to abandon projects.
- The settlements would redirect investment toward gas infrastructure, effectively trading clean power volumes for fossil-fuel builds.