Tim Fitzpatrick

Renewable Energy Reporter

Tim Fitzpatrick is the renewable energy reporter at The Salt Lake Tribune. In his 40 years at The Tribune, he has produced award-winning journalism as a reporter, writer and editor.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Roger Graham reaches up to feel the flow of hot air coming from the electrical heat pump system in his Hooper home on Friday, April 29, 2022.

Why more Utahns are turning to heat pumps. Should you?

By Tim Fitzpatrick | May 26, 2022, 12:51 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Valarie Williams with her dog, Ellie Mae Noodle, at the all-electric apartment building Project Open in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, May 10, 2022. Williams says she wanted to live in an emission-free building to reflect her beliefs.

All-electric homes in Utah: It’s getting easier to douse the fire and embrace the wire

By Tim Fitzpatrick | May 26, 2022, 12:51 p.m.

(Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Huntington coal-fired power plant owned by Rocky Mountain Power is shown in 2011. An Illinois study found Utah has the lowest electricity costs in the country, but it is more dependent on fossil fuels than most states.

Utah has the nation’s cheapest electricity, but it’s not very climate-friendly

By Tim Fitzpatrick | May 24, 2022, 1:43 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Taylor Randall addresses the crowd during his inauguration March 23, 2022. Randall told The Tribune editorial board the school is still going forward with a plan to divest fossil fuel holdings from its $1 billion endowment, but it would be at least another year before it happens.

U. of U. may dump oil and gas stocks, but it will take at least a year. Why the wait?

By Tim Fitzpatrick | May 14, 2022, 12:00 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gov. Spencer Cox activates machinery at an event announcing that Rio Tinto has started producing tellurium at its Kennecott copper operation, on Wednesday, May 11, 2022.

How Kennecott’s Utah copper mine may be key to our solar future

By Tim Fitzpatrick | May 16, 2022, 10:43 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Wind turbines, solar panels and hog farms north of Milford on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. Utah unveiled its new energy plan, and it may lead to the state setting new goals for clean energy.

Utah lags behind others in clean energy goal. Is that about to change?

By Tim Fitzpatrick | May 16, 2022, 10:42 p.m.

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune

The Intermountain Power Plant, shown here in 2013, will be converting from burning coal to eventually burning green hydrogen. The hydrogen will be stored in a massive salt cave under the plant. The project received a big boost this week with conditional approval for a $504 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Plan to fill giant Utah caves with hydrogen gets $504M federal boost

By Tim Fitzpatrick | April 29, 2022, 12:48 p.m.

(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Renerable Innovations CEO Robert L. Mount demonstrates a mobile electric vehicle charging trailer at the company's facility in American Fork, Friday, April 15, 2022. Using hydrogen as a fuel source, the unit can provide charging in places away from the electric grid.

Could a ‘hydrogen hub’ energize Utah and the West to a cleaner future?

By Tim Fitzpatrick | May 16, 2022, 10:42 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Wells at Trans-Jordan Landfill capture methane gas from rotting waste in the landfill and use it to produce electricity in South Jordan on Wednesday, March 16, 2022.

Climate-minded Utah gas customers now can pay to remove as much carbon as they generate

By Tim Fitzpatrick | March 24, 2022, 3:16 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Tim Fitzpatrick.

Renewable energy is climate change’s solution story, and I’m covering it for The Tribune

By Tim Fitzpatrick | March 21, 2022, 3:31 p.m.