Oil majors are increasingly investing in emerging renewable technologies, driven in part by a bleak market and pressures from governments to address climate change. Some experts say it's a sign of a fundamental change within the industry, but others are skeptical it will last.

The Climate Leadership Council is not your typical group of greens in favor of a carbon tax. It counts BP PLC, Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell PLC among its members, along with a healthy roster of prominent economists, elder Republican statesmen and other blue-chip corporations.

Another Western utility thinks it can save money by swapping coal for renewables.

Massachusetts has long been one of America's most successful carbon cutters. The state regularly tops national energy efficiency rankings, helped launch the offshore wind industry in America and is a driving force behind a Northeastern cap-and-trade program for cars.

NORTH KINGSTON, R.I. — Offshore wind is closer than ever to being a reality in the United States. But it's facing new challenges — and opponents — as a major project seeks final approval from the Trump administration.