Cleantech accelerators bridge gap left by traditional venture capital
By Hannah Levitt Chicago-based clean energy technology accelerators are playing an increasingly large role in bringing cleantech startups to market by providing them with funding as well as structural and scale-up support. According to Clean Energy Trust Director of Technology Development Ben Gaddy, the number of cleantech accelerators is growing in response to the specific […]
NiSource Inc. misses Q4 expectations, pledges more infrastructure spending
By Hannah Levitt NiSource Inc.’s profit in the final three months of 2016 missed Wall Street’s expectations, but the natural gas and electric utility company said it would spend more on utility investments such as pipe and underground electric cable replacements in 2017. The Merrillville, Indiana-based company said net income in the fourth quarter rose 49 […]
Analysts recommend holding NiSource stock in 2017
By Hannah Levitt The majority of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg recommend holding NiSource Inc. stock in 2017, expecting a revenue increase to $4.6 billion from $4.52 billion expected in 2016 and a stock price increase to a 12-month target of $23.95 per share from Tuesday’s closing price of $22.25. Analysts expect steady growth due to […]
Energy experts: future of clean power lies in changing incentives
By Hannah Levitt The future of clean power depends on state and local governments implementing policies that expand the market for renewable energy development, according to energy policy experts at a seminar hosted by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago Thursday. Energy policy and economics expert Susan Tierney and New York State […]
Consumer prices decline, but inflation threat rises
By Xiumei Dong Consumer prices eased in February as gasoline prices continued to fall, but prices for non-energy items maintained their upward trend, offering further evidence that inflation remains a threat. The consumer price index, which measures what Americans pay for everything from cereal to car insurance, declined 0.2 percent in February on a seasonally […]
Millennials’ sustainability attitudes contrast with actions
By Kaitlin Schuler Although millennials grew up surrounded by conversations of sustainability and conservation, do their actions now reflect what they have learned? Jenni Corcoran, 22, grew up in Evergreen Park, Illinois, but now lives in a Bridgeport apartment with two roommates and works for AmeriCorps. Growing up, her parents pushed the habits of turning […]
Franklin Electric reports record Q4 earnings
By Kaitlin Schuler Franklin Electric Co. Inc. said fourth-quarter earnings strengthened despite falling revenues and soft prices for oil and other commodities. In the latest quarter, Fort Wayne-based Franklin Electric posted net income of $16.2 million or 33 cents per diluted share, up from $3.1 million or 6 cents per share in the year ago quarter. […]