This week’s Resources roundup begins with several offshore wind developments, including New Jersey beginning its rebound from the abrupt cancellation late last year of Ocean Wind 1 and 2.
NetZero Insider’s John Cropley reports that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities awarded contracts to two proposals totaling 3.74 GW of offshore wind capacity: Leading Light Wind and Attentive Energy Two. Cropley also reports that the last of the offshore projects contracted by New York but not already under construction canceled their agreements and two were rebid in the latest solicitation. Also, Ørsted moved to take over Eversource’s share of one project, while Equinor and bp, partners on four projects, agreed to split up with two projects apiece.
Cropley also reports that Ørsted has canceled its Skipjack Wind agreement
with Maryland but will continue preparations to build the 966 MW offshore wind farm, in hopes of securing a better deal. And he tells us that federal regulators have finalized their strategy to develop offshore wind while protecting a critically endangered whale species.
Correspondent John Stang has a piece on a Washington legislator’s proposed study to gauge offshore wind’s ecological impact on the state’s coastline. And Ayla Burnett reports on stakeholder workshops by the Department of Energy and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to address the challenges to siting transmission for the first generation of West Coast offshore wind projects.
Back East, the New York Public Service Commission approved a $1.2 billion Con Edison plan to expand
capacity in its busiest network with two new substations and a new network. Cropley reports that the work will address reliability needs as buildings and transportation are electrified and also create points of interconnection for future clean energy projects and for the energy storage the utility seeks to add in the area.
Elsewhere, our James Downing covered a discussion of how demand response has evolved into virtual power plants and what a Department of Energy official calls “a tsunami of DER adoption” from home technologies such as storage, EVs and hot water heaters.
Downing also covered a joint meeting of FERC and the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission to discuss the roll out of advanced reactors and grid reliability.
Our curation includes news on a wide range of other resources, including:
Biofuels — a Georgia company is making low-carbon jet fuel.
Lithium — lack of water could doom Southwest mining proposals.
Onshore wind — the first wind farm on California’s coast comes online.
Renewable energy — how the Inflation Reduction Act is helping the coal state of Kentucky go green.
Energy storage — Connecticut residents get more help buying home batteries.
Wave energy — a look at technology being tested in the Orkney Islands.
All this and more in this week’s Resources Intelligence Report:
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International
More "influencers" are talking up sustainability topics to large followings on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and others. They offer examples on how to do it well. GreenBiz
Maine
Mainers are increasingly using heat pumps, driving electric vehicles and switching to electric equipment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the growing demand will test the state's power grid. Planning to update Maine's vast electrical infrastructure has begun -- the Maine Public Utilities Commission held two work sessions last week after soliciting comments from utilities and other stakeholders -- but the upgrades will take years. Portland Press Herald
Minnesota
Xcel Energy customers in Minnesota will likely soon have good reason to hold off on running dishwashers or charging vehicles until bedtime. The state's largest utility is asking regulators to approve a major change to how residential customers have paid for their electricity for decades. In December, the company proposed moving away from the standard, flat hourly rate that almost all its customers currently pay and replacing it with a variable "time-of-use" rate design that charges more for power during periods of high demand. Energy News Network
South Dakota
Pennington County commissioners signed off on a letter to the Federal Railroad Administration in August, urging consideration of a working group to study passenger rail in South Dakota. But the state Department of Transportation's latest state rail plan asserts that "[o]utside of the advocacy sphere, there is doubt among other stakeholders as to whether South Dakota has the appropriate population density to justify investments in developing and operating passenger rail service." Daily Montanan
U.S.
It marks the first time since the 2020 pandemic that GHG emissions dropped and the economy grew, by 2.4 percent, to be exact. U.S. emissions are now 17.2 percent below 2005 levels and 6 percent below 2019 levels. Daily Energy Insider
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Georgia
LanzaJet will produce millions of gallons of sustainable aviation fuel this year, just as the Biden administration finalizes rules for lucrative SAF tax credits. Canary Media
U.S.
The main candidates in the recent Iowa GOP presidential caucus agreed on a lot of issues, from immigration crackdowns (wonderful) to federal incentives for electric cars (evil). But no topic brought them into more violent consensus than the sanctity of federal support for corn-based ethanol. The New Republic
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U.S.
Startups are processing plant waste into concentrated carbon to be buried or injected underground. It's like fossil fuels, but in reverse. Grist
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Colorado
Carbon America has submitted a Class VI CO2 Injection Well permit application to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Region 8 office to permanently store carbon dioxide produced by two ethanol plants in northeastern Colorado. Carbon Herald
Indiana
Today, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency issued permits that allow Wabash Carbon Services LLC to construct two wells for the eventual injection and permanent storage of carbon dioxide underground, one at a site in Vermillion County and another in Vigo County. Tribune-Star
International
To combat climate change and move towards the goal of carbon neutrality, researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have developed a durable, highly selective and energy-efficient carbon dioxide (CO2) electroreduction system that can convert CO2 into ethylene for industrial purposes to provide an effective solution for reducing CO2 emissions. Phys.org
International
Sorting mixed waste before incineration is a more cost-effective strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than Carbon Capture and Storage, a study by Zero Waste Europe found. Circular
International
Big food companies are touting regenerative agriculture as a way to cut greenhouse gas emissions, but in practice there are significant hurdles Financial Times
Iowa
Final arguments over Summit Carbon Solutions' pipeline permit have concluded, and the Iowa Utilities Board is set to decide whether to approve the controversial project. Summit says its expansive carbon dioxide pipeline system in Iowa would benefit the public economically and by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and eminent domain should thus be used to acquire land easements to build it. Opponents say the company's sole motivation is to make money and that the project's environmental benefits are embellished. Iowa Capital Dispatch
Louisiana
A legislative task force heard last week from industry leaders aiming to counter south Louisiana residents' widespread concerns about carbon capture and sequestration projects. Greater Baton Rouge Business Report
Massachusetts
A research team from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has presented a novel carbon capture solution focusing on removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the world's oceans. Carbon Herald
U.S.
Aker Carbon Capture and MAN Energy Solutions have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly pursue opportunities related to carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) and CO2 compression in the North American market. Carbon Herald
U.S.
The US Department of Energy has a small business Funding Opportunity Announcement for research to improve on data collection for geothermal exploration. Think GeoEnergy
Wyoming
Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) and Black Hills Energy have received a $16m grant from the Wyoming Energy Authority to fund the development of a coal-to-hydrogen production facility with carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration. H2 View
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Alabama
The EPA now recognizes the risks of gamma radiation from radium in coal ash, but many states aren't even sure where the toxic waste has been used. In Alabama, environmental regulators say they do not track so-called 'beneficial' uses of coal ash. Inside Climate News
Tennessee
One of the concerns the environmental groups and community members have about leaving the coal ash where it is in its current state is if the ash is coming into contact with groundwater, especially since Bull Run is adjacent to the Clinch River. Tennessee Lookout
Tennessee
TVA's plans to deconstruct its coal-fired Bull Run plant is in line with the agency's transition to cleaner energy and economic goals, but the process has raised questions from environmental groups about how TVA will clean up hazardous waste and limit impact to local communities. Public comments expressed concerns over TVA shutting down a plant some members of the public think is integral for the stability of the region's electric grid, with some citing the December 2022 rolling blackouts. Tennessee Lookout
U.S.
The EPA now recognizes the risks of gamma radiation from radium in coal ash, but many states aren't even sure where the toxic waste has been used. Inside Climate News
Wyoming
A seemingly trivial zoning change unceremoniously approved by Campbell County commissioners this month could open the door to a new economic development strategy and help backfill future job and revenue losses in the coal industry here. WyoFile
Wyoming
State regulators this month approved a $1.1 million annual "low-carbon" surcharge for Black Hills Energy's Wyoming customers -- an overall 0.67% increase that will be added to monthly bills beginning in February. That's just the beginning of what could add up to $1 billion in additional costs for the company's 145,000 customers in the state, and more than $2 billion for Rocky Mountain Power's Wyoming customers, according to preliminary filings with the state, if the utilities move forward on a state-imposed mandate to retrofit coal-fired power plants with mechanisms to scrub carbon dioxide from smokestacks. WyoFile
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New Mexico
It's a decision clean energy and environmental advocates say will help deter utilities from further slowing down the set-up of community solar. AOL
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New York
The city has made progress retiring fossil-fuelled peaker plants, but 75% of them could still be online beyond a 2025 emissions deadline, say advocates, with the city's most vulnerable people suffering as a result. The Energy Mix
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U.S.
A growing number of colleges and universities are using deep underground pipes to heat and cool their buildings without burning fossil fuels. Princeton University is among them. It is using the earth beneath its campus to create a new system that will keep buildings at comfortable temperatures without burning fossil fuels. The multimillion dollar project, using a process known as geoexchange, marks a significant shift in how Princeton gets its energy, and is key to the university's plan to stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by 2046. The New York Times
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Hawaii
Hawaii State Senate Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism Vice Chair Glenn Wakai stopped by Wake Up 2Day Wednesday morning with some insight on how we can improve our grid. KHON 2
International
Work to prepare a geothermal development plan for Ecuador is due to begin in the coming months. BNAmericas
International
Northern Germany, the Netherlands and
Belgium are key potential locations for boosting the supply of geothermal energy, an expert told Euronews, as EU lawmakers backed a strategy to boost the bloc's development of the renewable source. EuroNews
International
A funding award from the government has jumpstarted a flurry of geothermal exploration studies in Spain with activity concentrated in the Canary Islands. Think GeoEnergy
Nevada
BHI, a full-service commercial bank, announced that it has entered into an agreement with Reno, Nevada-based Ormat Technologies (NYSE: ORA) to provide a new $75 million term loan for the company. Green Prophet
U.S.
A growing number of colleges and universities are using deep underground pipes to heat and cool their buildings without burning fossil fuels. The New York Times
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Georgia
The plant, located in Woodbine, Georgia, is meant to produce 15 tons per day of liquid hydrogen. Albany Business Review
International
An international research team has investigated the economic and technical green energy potential of Saudi Arabia and has found that the country should address a series of structural challenges to become a global hydrogen hub. pv magazine
U.S.
Caterpillar announced the success of its collaboration with Microsoft and Ballard Power Systems to demonstrate the viability of using large-format hydrogen fuel cells to supply reliable and sustainable backup power for data centers. The demonstration provided valuable insights into the capabilities of fuel cell systems to power multi-megawatt data centers, ensuring uninterrupted power supply to meet 99.999% uptime requirements. Caterpillar
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Arkansas
ExxonMobil joins a growing rush to supply the natural resources needed to drive the green transition. Oil producers and coal companies like Ramaco Resources are looking to collaborate with the Department of Energy to uncover them and, in some cases, wring more money from land they already own. Grist
International
Nearly 15m tonnes of EV battery material discovered at 1 of 2 deposits in country's south. Nikkei Asia
U.S.
Current policies, including regulations from the Inflation Reduction Act, are doing exactly the opposite. They are hurting demand for electric vehicles, the very products that will incentivize the development of these supply chains. Atlantic Council
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U.S.
Critical minerals for the clean energy transition are abundant in the Southwest, but the dozens of mines proposed to access them will require vast sums of water, something in short supply in the desert. Inside Climate News
U.S.
The United States has a lithium problem. More precisely, U.S. demand for lithium is growing exponentially while access to secure supplies of lithium is becoming more tenuous. But it isn't the United States' ubiquitous use of products such as smartphones, laptops and Bluetooth headphones -- or even the demand for life-saving devices such as pacemakers and carbon-monoxide detectors -- that is causing the problem. The amount of lithium used in these products is tiny compared to the lithium needed for electric vehicles, semiconductors and specialized batteries. The average EV battery, for example, needs about eight kilograms of lithium, whereas an iPhone battery uses less than one gram of the metal. Atlantic Council
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California
Look into how the extended operation of Diablo Canyon will impact natural gas demand Natural Gas Intelligence
Ohio
Dominion's Ohio subsidiary is testing hydrogen blending on its natural gas system at a site it set up for the purpose Spectrum News 1
Washington State
Washington legislators introduce bill that would stop state utilities from hooking up new customers to natural gas The Center Square
Washington State
Puget Sound Energy pulls plug on LNG expansion after opposition from Tribes, environmentalists et al The Seattle Times
U.S.
U.S. exports are slated to grow regardless, thanks to new projects already taking shape, but many other plans still await approval. Axios
U.S.
The Biden administration has presided over a vast buildout of liquefied natural gas infrastructure that threatens its climate goals. Here's what could happen next. Canary Media
U.S.
The Biden admin has presided over a vast buildout of liquefied natural gas infrastructure that threatens its climate goals. Here's what could happen next. Canary Media
U.S.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, Duke Energy and Georgia Power all want fossil fuel generation to remain a fundamental part of their energy mix and each has plans up for review by regulators this year. E&E News
U.S.
But grids are not scaling back their reliance on gas. In 2022, gas plants provided 40% of total U.S. electricity generation and accounted for 43% of generating capacity. The Energy Mix
Tennessee
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Jan. 18 approved two natural gas pipeline projects, including one that will supply a planned power plant the Tennessee Valley Authority intends to use to help replace a 2,470-MW coal-fired generating station. Utility Dive
Tennessee
Replacing the Cumberland power plant with gas-fired generation will reduce carbon emissions by about 7 million metric tons a year, FERC said. Utility Dive
Southeast
A look into Duke, Southern and TVA's requests for more natural gas plants and what that means for climate change E&E News by POLITICO
Oregon
Oregon regulators starting to redo climate regs after losing to gas utilities in state court Jefferson Public Radio
New Mexico
NM Governor proposes treating fracking water to reuse in industrial applications, opposed by environmentalists because it might lead to more drilling in oil/gas rich state Manufacturing.net
Illinois
Chicago is the latest polity to consider banning natural gas appliances going forward MyStateline.com
National
Kinder Morgan analysts are bullish on U.S. natural gas demand due to LNG and exports to Mexico over pipelines Reuters.com
National
Look into how Biden's decision to look into climate impacts of CP2 will play out in November's election New York Times
Montana
In December, residents packed the small city hall in Laurel largely to protest the construction of a large industrial power generation station being built by NorthWestern Energy and the greenhouse gases that will be emitted by the 18 reciprocal internal combustion engines fired by methane, or natural gas. They were ready to do the same on Jan. 17, but the planning commission decided to hold another public workshop in hopes of clarifying some legal questions, as well as giving the public more opportunity to give feedback. Daily Montanan
Maine
Hearing on legislation to slow down natural gas infrastructure in Maine in response to climate change (and state law curtailing emissions) featured strong views on both sides of the issue Press Herald
Louisiana
FERC is expected to vote in weeks or months on approval of Venture Global's Calcasieu Pass 2 liquefied natural gas terminal project. Reuters
International
Geopolitical analysis on the impact of increased LNG exports from USA Zeihan on Geopolitics
International
Shipments to China are filling up more and more of Russian gas supplies after Europe cut back post Ukraine invasion Bloomberg
International
These include the need for storage development, resilient gas demand, the growth of LNG exports and infrastructure positioning for production growth. Hydrocarbon Engineering
International
Intel's new manufacturing plant in Leixlip, Ireland, which cost $18.5 billion to build, is replete with technologies touted for conserving energy and water including programmable, all-LED lighting and a water reclamation and filtration system that could save 275 million gallons a year. One of its more unusual features, however, is an approach that's often overlooked: capturing heat generated by equipment in the facility and funneling it into production processes rather than expelling it through cooling towers. GreenBiz
International
High wind power production pushes down energy prices in Europe, natural gas down 6.4% - lowest level since mid summer Bloomberg
International
Financial Times gives a long look at changes in the global LNG market, with US working to replace Russia in Europe and Fukushima in Japan via gas exports Financial Times
West Virginia
WV regulators compelling water company to cooperate in probe of massive that knocked out gas service to thousands of Charleston residents for months WOWK 13 News
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International
Tesla Inc., the company best known for electric vehicles, said its energy-storage division -- the unit that makes utility and home batteries -- will likely be its growth engine for rate of deployments and revenue in 2024. Power Engineering International
International
The COP28 environmental conference at the end of last year saw unprecedented support for nuclear power and concluded with a pledge by more than 20 countries and over 120 companies to triple the power generated by the technology by 2050. Reuters
International
The U.K. government says nuclear projects like the Hinkley Point C plant are a key part of its plans to ensure greater energy independence and achieve its "net zero" by 2050 strategy. Yahoo
U.S.
Pro-nuclear advocates angry over what they saw as Jeff Baran's unwillingness to overhaul the regulatory process in favor of building new types of reactor technologies launched a campaign against the commissioner last year. HuffPost
Virginia
Charging customers for a nuclear plant before and during construction, including cost overruns and with no guarantee of completion, is precisely how residents of South Carolina got stuck paying billions of dollars for a hole in the ground. That amount of money buys a lot of low-cost renewable energy and storage, right in the here and now. Virginia needs to be a clean energy state for the sake of ratepayers, the economy and the climate, and there is no time to waste, writes former EPA employee and current Sierra Club renewable energy Chairperson Ivy Main. Virginia Mercury
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California
The state estimates that its coast contains 35.8 GW to 59.6 GW of potential offshore wind capacity. Utility Dive
California
It includes assessments and recommendations related to marine resources, sea-space planning, tribal, and fishery relations, permitting, workforce development, port development and transmission. reNEWS.biz
California
The funding is for construction of the onshore facilities to support ambitious state and federal clean energy goals that call for at least five gigawatts of power to be generated offshore of California by 2030 and 25 gigawatts by 2045. The Press Democrat
California
The CEC's strategic plan follows earlier action by California lawmakers to enact legislation that enables the state to procure large-scale, long lead-time clean energy resources and bring offshore wind online. Riviera Maritime Media
Connecticut
Wind power staging areas that are in relatively close proximity to each other run the risk of stealing work from each other. CT Insider
International
The first of a total of three offshore substations for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project has been delivered to Bladt Industries in Denmark, where it will now undergo further outfitting. Offshore Engineer
International
A highly responsive, functional and cost-efficient industrial supply chain, is pivotal to the renewable energy transition. Arup
Maine
Some environmental advocates are striking a new tone as they urge skeptical neighbors to see the larger climate benefits of a proposed port that would help build future offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Maine. The fast-warming area of the North Atlantic is thought to have one of the world's best wind resources in its deeper waters. Tapping into this huge renewable energy potential will likely require massive floating turbines, with a deepwater port to help construct and assemble them before they're towed out to sea. Energy News Network
Maryland
Convened by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) and billed as a hearing even though it didn't have official committee sanction, the gathering in Ocean City, Maryland, characterized the nascent industry as a blow to U.S. security, as well as a threat to maritime safety, horseshoe crabs, fishing grounds and tourism. E&E News
Massachusetts
The lack of existing options to connect to the grid is a fundamental hurdle, especially on Cape Cod, which is the nearest landing point for many proposed offshore wind projects, writes John O'Brien, COO of JERA Americas, which owns the Canal Generating Plant. Commonwealth Beacon
Massachusetts
We urge regulators to accept the Surplus Interconnection Service as a practical, ready-to-implement interconnection option and to require future solicitations, whether for renewable or other clean power solutions, to permit SIS as a qualifying option. This simple rethinking about transmission infrastructure would create an important new role for mature power plants like Canal, which could be reborn as agents of change in facilitating Massachusetts' clean energy future while minimizing cost and disruption to communities, writes John O'Brien, chief operating officer of JERA Americas, which owns the Canal Generating Plant in Sandwich. Commonwealth Beacon
Massachusetts
Learnings gleaned by Vineyard Wind will aid other developers and tax credits in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act will boost the economics of future projects but the U.S. must accelerate infrastructure investments and regulatory changes. Reuters
U.S.
It is emerging that the significance of cybersecurity for offshore wind has reached unprecedented levels due to grid modernization and digitalization. Maritime Executive
U.S.
An offshore wind project off the coast of Virginia -- the largest approved in the nation -- and other prospective projects are bringing that potential to life, and could demonstrate major Southern success in the effort to grow the renewable power industry that will propel our region forward. Southern Environmental Law Center
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New Mexico
New bills could curb industry excesses; enforcement agencies offered small increases. Source
NM
Ohio
The Ohio Oil & Gas Land Management Commission is arguing its decisions last fall to allow oil and gas drilling under a state park and two wildlife areas are final and cannot be appealed. Environmental groups challenging the commission say it failed to follow state law. State lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss, claiming the court can't review the decisions because the statute doesn't expressly provide for judicial review. The plaintiffs say the commission's actions amounted to licensing, which can be appealed under the Ohio Revised Code. Energy News Network
U.S.
The motion would force a vote on their proposal to set reduction targets for Scope 3 emissions, or emissions created by the company's products on the consumer end. Exxon Mobil is the only one of the five major Western oil companies without Scope 3 targets. The Hill
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Alaska
"Wind and solar ended up being pretty consistently the cheapest sources of energy," contributing author Jeremy VanderMeer said. Newscenter Fairbanks
Georgia
Georgia, a capital for electric vehicle production, needs to increase its supply of electricity produced without burning fossil fuels in order to meet industries' demand for clean energy, Gov. Brian Kemp told world business leaders Jan. 18. Speaking as part of a panel focused on electric vehicles at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Republican governor highlighted the construction of the Georgia Power's two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle, near Augusta -- the country's first new reactors in decades. The Associated Press
International
IEA report says low-emission technologies would cover the increase. reNEWS.biz
International
Australia's electricity could be over 95% renewable by 2035, according to the latest release of Australia's electricity market operator's Integrated System Plan. But many people are sceptical. They regularly witness days with little wind and sun and deduce that relying primarily on wind and solar generation will lead to disaster. They firmly believe that 24x7 baseload generators are an essential ingredient in our energy mix. Cosmos
International
Grid Beyond's Global Energy Trends 2024 is a white paper that looks at the reality of, expectations for, and pathways towards net zero. It evaluates whether the world is on the right track and contextualizes net zero. Clean Technica
Kentucky
To maximize IRA benefits, the Kentucky legislature proactively passed legislation that helped prime coal closure communities for federal investment. The law supports 41 Kentucky counties that have been directly impacted by coal-related economic loss. Renewable Energy World
Montana
Montana has almost everything we need to catch up with other states. But perhaps the first step is for our leadership to want to make Montana better and stronger, and help steer us toward new areas of expertise. Instead of using the cold weather as an opportunity to learn and plan, they used it as a means to divide and diminish us. And that, sadly, is a complete waste of energy, writes geologist and science journalist Karin Kirk. Daily Montanan
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania H.B. 1467 would increase the amount of electricity the state gets from renewable sources from 8% now to 30% by 2030. If passed, it would fulfill one of Gov. Josh Shapiro's campaign pledges. Supporters say it would help ratepayers save on energy bills and create jobs in the wind and solar industries. But some Republican lawmakers questioned how more renewables on the grid could affect reliability during a recent hearing on the bill. The Allegheny Front
Pennsylvania
The Keystone State ranked 50th among the states in percent growth in total solar, wind and geothermal generation since 2013, the nonprofit PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center reported in October. Pennsylvania Capital-Star
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro waffled on hot-button climate issues on the campaign trail -- walking a fine line on fracking and neglecting to take a stance on a state cap-and-trade program for the power sector. But on one issue, he was resolute: By 2030, 30% of the energy sold in Pennsylvania would come from renewable sources, up from 8% now, he pledged. But in the year since Shapiro was sworn into office, his office has provided no updates on what the administration is doing to reach the 30% goal. Capital & Main
U.S.
Will grids be able to handle the massive upgrade? Renewable energy installers, developers and everyone in between must assert smart substations as the solution for making a more resilient, scalable grid. AltEnergyMag
U.S.
Diesel generators have been the workhorse of disaster relief for decades but as the frequency of extreme weather events rises, so do calls to decarbonize the emergency response. pv Magazine
U.S.
GE Vernova acknowledged the challenges faced by its power business, citing a 5 percent rise in orders amounting to $5.7 billion. Despite double-digit service growth in gas power, equipment revenue fell due to the company's exit from steam new builds. greentechlead
U.S.
You want to move the needle on climate change? Stop trying to be net zero this year. Start investing in large, scalable, new capacity to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Those are investments that will change the planet's fate, real investments everyone can point to as making a real difference -- and that will have an impact far into the future, writes Terraformation CEO Yishan Wong. GreenBiz
U.S.
Wind and solar are expected to account for 18.5% of all the electricity generated in the U.S., and hydro is anticipated to add another 6.5%. Wind and utility-scale solar by themselves will generate more power than coal in 2024. Solar Builder
Virginia
Newly empowered Virginia Democrats are pushing legislation this session that would elevate the role of customers and private developers in meeting the state's clean energy targets. A chief aim of the ARC bill -- shorthand for Affordable, Reliable and Competitive -- is to significantly expand the amount of power generated by less expensive, third-party solar and onshore wind projects in the service territories of both Dominion Power and Appalachian Power. Energy News Network
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California
CALSSA reports that roughly 17,000 rooftop solar jobs have been lost, demand for rooftop solar has fallen about 80%, and solar business insurer Solar Insure told pv magazine usa that 75% of its covered companies are considered a "high risk" for bankruptcy. pv Magazine
Georgia
The rapid rise of rooftop solar panels in Atlanta's poorer and majority Black neighborhoods has been driven by gentrification, not necessarily higher rates of adoption of clean energy among Black people, according to a new study. Axios
U.S.
Some of the nation's biggest public solar companies are struggling to stay afloat as questions arise over the viability of the financial products they sold to both consumers and investors to fund their growing operations. TIME
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New Hampshire
New Hampshire's energy department is preparing to road-test a grant program meant to help disadvantaged cities and towns access the environmental and financial benefits of solar power. The state plans to use $1.4 million from the 2021 federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act to help fund the installation of solar projects up to 60 kilowatts on municipal buildings or land. The grant will cover up to 95% of the costs of a qualifying solar project for lower-income cities and towns and 60% for other municipalities. Energy News Network
U.S.
Whether they know it or not, all of these politicians are calling for the government to prop up what is a particularly byzantine and wasteful form of ... solar energy. You can't grow corn without photosynthesis, which converts energy from sunlight into plant tissue. But to liberate this embedded sun power, ethanol-bound corn must be pulverized, inundated with water, fermented, and distilled into alcohol, which can then be mixed with gasoline and burned to power engines. And that's after the corn is planted, doused with fossil fuel-derived fertilizers, shielded from weeds and insects with toxic chemicals, and harvested. The New Republic
U.S.
A limited domestic solar manufacturing marketplace, coupled with trade barriers set to kick in this year, could mean a diminished supply of cheap solar equipment. Interconnection challenges continue to slow down projects, while some states are reducing policies that once offered a hefty incentive for homeowners to install solar. E&E News
U.S.
On Jan. 18, the Department of Energy released new funding for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I program for fiscal 2024. The SBIR/STTR programs are competitive funding opportunities that encourage U.S.-based small businesses to engage in high-risk, innovative research and technology development with the potential for future commercialization. North American Clean Energy
U.S.
With so much space in cities allocated for parking, the dual pronged approach of the Inflation Reduction Act -- production tax credits to drive investment in domestic manufacturing and investment tax credits to attract consumer-side investment -- means solar canopies can make a huge contribution to the net zero drive. pv Magazine
U.S.
After the solar industry's boom in 2023, experts say that the financial landscape this year will be shaped by the Federal Reserve's decisions regarding interest rates, and further guidance from the IRS on tax credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act. Utility Dive
U.S.
One common objection to utility-scale solar is that local communities will have to cover cleanup costs, despite the fact that state and local rules in nearly all of the country are clear that the developer or owner pays. A new report from NC Clean Energy Technology Center, "50 States of Solar Decommissioning," offers a comprehensive review. Inside Climate News
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California
The Edwards & Sanborn solar-plus-storage project in California is now fully online, with 875 MWdc of solar PV and 3,287 MWh of battery energy storage system capacity, the world's largest. The 4,600-acre project in Kern County is made up of 1.9 million PV modules from First Solar and BESS units from LG Chem, Samsung and BYD totaling 3,287 MWh of energy storage capacity. Energy Storage News
California
Terra-Gen and Mortenson have announced the activation of the Edwards & Sanborn Solar + Energy Storage project, the largest solar-plus-storage project in the United States. Mortenson served as engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for the project. pv magazine
California
The largest combined solar and energy-storage project in the U.S. is now online and operating in California's Mojave Desert. The sprawling megaproject stretches across 4,600 acres in Kern County and is located on private land as well as the Edwards Air Force Base. It's the biggest public-private partnership the U.S. Air Force has ever been involved in. Canary Media
Massachusetts
Joining several neighboring communities in the Pioneer Valley, Whately's Selectboard has signaled its support to write a letter to the Legislature advocating for legislation that could allow municipalities more control over solar energy facilities. Greenfield Recorder
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Arizona
Developer and operator Strata Clean Energy has started construction on its 255-MW/1,020MWh Scatter Wash BESS project in Arizona. The project in Phoenix is expected to become operational in 2025 and will provide energy to utility Arizona Public Service under a 20-year tolling agreement signed in May 2023. The project resulted from an All-Source request for proposals issued shortly before. Energy Storage News
Arizona
The 255 MW facility that is expected to become operational next April and will service Arizona Public Service customers. Solar Industry Magazine
Connecticut
Residential customers can get as much as $16,000 in upfront incentives -- up from the previous maximum of $7,500 Utility Dive
Connecticut
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority recently announced updates to the Energy Storage Solutions program to increase accessibility and adoption by residential customers in Connecticut. The program provides incentives for the installation of battery storage, and key changes include an increase in upfront incentives and an increase in the maximum incentive residential customers can receive. North American Clean Energy
Connecticut
Connecticut's home battery storage program, Energy Storage Solutions, just doubled its upfront incentive to help homeowners invest in backup power. Here's how it works: In exchange for installing battery storage for 10 years to help reduce demand from the electrical grid and provide home backup during power outages, Connecticut's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority has increased the maximum residential upfront incentive to $16,000 from $7,500. Electrek
Connecticut
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority has updated its Energy Storage Solutions program to increase accessibility and adoption by Connecticut residential customers. The program provides incentives for the installation of battery storage. PURA stated the program will now provide residents with up to $16,000 in upfront incentives, an increase from the previous maximum incentive of $7,500. Westfair Business Journal
International
Renewable energy company Apex Clean Energy has entered into a joint venture with leading Korean liquefied petroleum gas company SK Gas and Korean green energy developer SK D&D that will own energy storage projects in the U.S. Utility Dive
New York
Battery storage is playing an active role in helping New York City retire its fleet of peaker power plants, with around 700 MW of its most polluting power generation assets already fully retired. According to a new report, 4,019 MW -- about two-thirds of a 6,093-MW fleet -- has either retired or put in place plans to replace turbines with cleaner technologies since New York adopted its climate goals and environment protection policies in 2019. Energy Storage News
New York
Can community-scale battery installations hit the sweet spot for the country's densest city? NineDot Energy has raised $225 million more to take a crack at it. Canary Media
New York
Can community-scale battery installations hit the sweet spot for the country's densest city? NineDot Energy has raised $225 million more to take a crack at it. Canary Media
Texas
State utility regulators shot down efforts by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to impose new rules on large-scale battery sites, siding with operators who decried the grid operator's rules as costly and discriminatory. The unanimous decision by the Public Utility Commission of Texas came after five months of contentious discussion among ERCOT, its regulator and battery operators. San Antonio Express-News
U.S.
The American Clean Power Association has announced the official launch of its new annual Energy Storage Summit -- ACP RECHARGE. The summit will connect the nation's leading storage manufacturers, renewable developers, policy makers and thought leaders for discussions on technological advances, market conditions, and the policy frameworks required to sustain rapid growth in this critical sector. American Clean Power
U.S.
Tesla boss Elon Musk said growth in its energy storage operation will outpace its iconic car business this year after deployments more than doubled, with EV volume expansion set to stall in 2024. Recharge
U.S.
Image: POWERGEN International Microreactors, referred to by some as 'nuclear batteries,' are squarely in the spotlight at this year's POWERGEN International. Yahoo
U.S.
Environmental degradation has shed light on the need for new sources of energy. A shift in energy sources calls for innovative means of storing energy. For centuries, buildings have proven able to store people, objects and systems, inviting a conversation about their untapped potential to efficiently store large amounts of energy. In this new era, can buildings go beyond being structures of function to potential reservoirs of power? ArchDaily
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Arizona
Their lawsuit accuses the U.S. Interior Department and Bureau of Land Management of refusing for nearly 15 years to recognize "overwhelming evidence of the cultural significance" of the remote San Pedro Valley to Native American tribes. Yahoo
California
Despite the challenges, a top California grid executive says the state's clean energy goals can be reached and the power system will be more reliable San Diego Tribune
U.S.
Together a team from Sandia National Laboratories and New Mexico State University is making this vision possible -- not with tiny robots, but rather a cutting-edge library of algorithms. Clean Technica
U.S.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should finalize a strong regional transmission planning and cost allocation rule, which has been under consideration since 2021, writes Michelle J. Howard, who sits on the Energy Security Leadership Council of SAFE. Utility Dive
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California
The 875 MW California solar project is comprised of nearly 2 million solar panels and has over 3 GWh of energy storage. pv Magazine
Illinois
Lee County holds the title of the top Illinois county for total acreage of proposed solar projects, but is facing utility-scale solar project proposals that would remove more than 12,000 acres of prime farmland from production. Farm Week Now
New York
As the Petition admits, the utility is seeking an "expansive" interpretation of the cost allocation rules. It involves both future projects and those with finalized interconnection agreements. Renewable Energy World
U.S.
A new Berkeley Lab study identifies the most prevalent community concerns around projects, as well as strategies for developers and others to improve those perceptions. pv Magazine
U.S.
Those who listen to Faux News jumped into the fray and started wailing about how Biden's plan would desecrate huge swaths of land. (Those same people would cheer if the announcement was about drilling oil and gas wells on those 22 million acres, however.) Clean Technica
U.S.
We asked our experts, what is the top challenge or concern you have for large-scale solar project development in 2024? Here's what they had to say. Solar Builder
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International
The array has been set up as a demonstration project, to show that the equipment can be deployed effectively. So far, it has generated more than 50 gigawatt hours of electricity in its lifetime, becoming the first tidal turbine scheme in the world to do so. BBC Business
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California
The 98-megawatt Strauss Wind is near Lompoc, on the Central Coast, with Vandenberg Space Force Base to the south, west, and northwest. Electrek
Kansas
Supplemental income from 50 wind turbines helps a fourth-generation family ranch stay viable. Yale
Climate Connections
Kansas
Supplemental income from 50 wind turbines helps a fourth-generation family ranch stay viable. Yale
Climate Connections
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