The decade-long shale fracking boom in North Dakota sent the population of oil patch communities soaring. They built up their public services to accommodate the newcomers, but now many of these cities are tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars in debt. They’re looking for stable funding to pay back their loans while hoping all the newcomers choose to stay.

The Window For Wyoming’s Wind IndustryWyoming has the sixth highest wind capacity potential in the country, but it sits at 15th in actual production. With new transmission lines and soon-to-end federal subsidies, now could be the time for Wyoming to take a leap forward in wind investment. But several barriers block the western state’s way from becoming a leader in this renewable energy.

Oil & Gas Dollars Pour In To Broomfield Ballot FightTough talk on tariffs on imported solar panels is creating confusion and turmoil in the U.S. solar industry. Big solar projects, like utility scale solar, are especially concerned that the Trump administration will seek trade protections from cheap solar imports. This would help solar panel manufacturers but potentially hurt the rest of the industry. The Solar Energy Industries Association has described the proposed tariff as an “existential threat” that could undermine the solar business model and make solar no longer affordable.

The Bakken Gears Up For Its Second DecadeA decade into North Dakota's shale fracking boom, the state consistently produces one million barrels of oil per day. Now, officials there are looking to double production.