This week’s Resources Intelligence Report starts off with a progress report: a look at new renewable energy generation coming online in early 2024 and at construction planned in the remainder of the year.
The American Clean Power Association announced that capacity additions were 28% higher in the first quarter of 2024 than in the same quarter of 2023, and that the pipeline of planned projects nationwide has reached 174 GW. Within the numbers is a milestone: Utility-scale solar installations have surpassed 100 GW. John Cropley has the story.
NetZero Insider published two reports on one of the more polarizing sources of zero-emissions electricity: nuclear fission.
Our Holden Mann dove into a report postulating that small modular reactors are not the solution they appear to be. The next-generation technology being developed will solve few of the problems of traditional large nuclear plants and may come with new problems of their own, a George Washington University expert
says.
Constellation Energy is not among the skeptics. Cropley covered the first-quarter earnings call by the largest U.S. operator of nuclear generation, during which the company said it plans to extend the operational life of its existing fleet, increase the reactors’ output with technology upgrades and
co-locate new generation on-site with existing nuclear stations.
We covered two other earnings calls relevant to the net-zero space:
The relationship between Eversource Energy and Connecticut continues to sour; New England’s largest energy delivery company said it would trim its investments in the state by $500 million because of its “negative regulatory environment.” Jon Lamson reports that Connecticut’s utility regulator is pressing to
make utility profits more dependent on performance.
Cropley has an update on Siemens Energy’s struggling wind turbine business, which has temporarily halted sales of two popular onshore models to address quality control problems. Siemens’ CEO told financial analysts the company has a strategy to return them to market and return to profitability.
On the subject of profitability, Maryland’s governor signed a measure allowing US Wind to ask for more money from ratepayers for the two wind farms it is proposing off the state’s coast, which would provide 1.1 GW of capacity. Cropley reports the state is trying to preserve remaining momentum toward its 8.5-GW offshore wind goal after Ørsted canceled contracts for Skipjack Wind.
Turning to our curated collection of reports by other media outlets, we see that other aspects of the clean energy transition are not proceeding as well as had been hoped:
All this and much more is gathered for your information in this week’s Intelligence Report:
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International
U.S. imports of used cooking oil, an ingredient to make renewable diesel, more than tripled in 2023 from a year earlier, with more than 50% coming from China, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission. Yahoo
U.S.
The Biden administration will allow ethanol producers to access tax credits for sustainable aviation fuel. Farmers and climate groups have mixed reactions. Canary Media
U.S.
As the aviation industry lobbies for sustainable jet fuel, new tax breaks could help lower the carbon footprint of business travel. GreenBiz
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International
The Elon Musk-backed Xprize competition announced 20 finalists to advance breakthrough solutions for CO2 removal using air, rocks, land and oceans. Canary Media
International
Climeworks just began operating its Mammoth plant in Iceland. The 36,000-ton facility is a significant step up for the costly, energy-intensive tech. Canary Media
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U.S.
A lot of them don't work and some might even be harmful. But there are things you can do if you really have to fly. New York Times
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U.S.
The new rules require power companies across the nation to dig up millions of tons of coal ash from defunct power plants and old, unlined landfills that have contact with groundwater and move them to dry, lined landfills. Tennessee Lookout
U.S.
Communities across the Great Lakes are struggling to make use of massive properties that are too polluted to sell and too costly to clean. Inside Climate News
U.S.
The power sector's biggest emitters have less than a decade to start capturing their carbon or shut down. Grist
Wyoming
An attorney for the Wyoming-supported Energy Policy Network says a court injunction is critical to keep coal plants open and prove carbon capture technology. WyoFile
Wyoming
Some Wyoming coal mines are likely facing extinction-level headwinds -- even before the prospect of new federal coal pollution reduction rules taking effect in 2032, some market analysts say. WyoFile
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California
The Golden State has lagged in solar projects for renters and people who can't install rooftop solar -- a fact that affects President Joe Biden's clean energy plans. E&E News
Vermont
The dairy industry generates over $2.2 billion for Vermont annually, yet, with increasingly thin profit margins, local farmers are looking for ways to compete without losing use of any of their land. Solar Power World
Virginia
Legislation passed this year requires Appalachian Power to start working with utility regulators on a solar subscription program by Jan. 1. Energy News Network
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California
SunRun says it has network 16,200 customers with solar and storage to provide capacity to California this summer Electrek
U.S.
Renew Home, the new VPP firm based on the combination of Ohm Connect and Google Nest Renew, introduces itself PR Newswire
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U.S.
Puerto Rico moved to build a more distributed energy system following the dismantling of the island's centralized energy grid in 2017, in the wake of Hurricane Maria. pv Magazine
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Texas
Oncor Electric Delivery has filed a System Resiliency Plan with Texas regulators, proposing $2.9 billion in capital expenditures and $520 million in operations and maintenance expenses to harden and modernize its grid, including addressing wildfire and cybersecurity risks. Utility Dive
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Arizona
Arizona Hydrogen is slated to produce up to 11,000 tons of liquid green hydrogen annually and is strategically positioned to significantly contribute to the decarbonization of the heavy-duty on-road transportation sector. Fortescue
California
The Tri-gen system uses biogas to produce renewable electricity, renewable hydrogen, and usable water, and was built to support the vehicle processing and distribution center for Toyota Logistics Services at Long Beach Port News
Mississippi
The special geology of Mississippi is again giving the state a stab at playing a key role in the energy sector, this time for a burgeoning renewable power source called "green hydrogen." Mississippi Today
U.S.
The goal of the projects is to explore early-stage research and development to accelerate the advancement of hydrogen production that is low in emissions and cost. Hydrogen Fuel News
U.S.
The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office also plans to demonstrate next-generation tech to produce extremely low-cost H2 by 2031. Hydrogen Insight
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Idaho
Hydropower is an important provider of reliable and clean energy for everyone in the Northwest, writes Jason Mercier, vice president and director of research for the Mountain States Policy Center. Idaho Capital Sun
International
Canada imported 2.7 million MWh of electricity from the U.S. in February, slightly more than the 2.6 million MWh it exported, marking the first time electricity imports have exceeded exports since StatCan changed the way it collects such data in 2016. The Energy Mix
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International
The company introduced two versions of the new BESS with enclosures of 7 feet and 20 feet with power ranges from 60 kW to 500 kW. pv Magazine
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International
A new report highlights more than 400 allegations against mining companies operating in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, home to large deposits of minerals used in low-carbon technologies. Inside Climate News
U.S.
Century Aluminum Company hopes half a billion dollars in federal funding will help it revive a dying industry while making it less polluting. Grist
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Alaska
Alaskan legislators work to encourage more natural gas production as state's existing supplies runnning low, ran into tight conditions this past winter. Alaska Public Media News
Carolinas
EDF report argues Duke Energy rate changes are due to utility's reliance on natural gas. WFAE
International
The US gets just 23 percent of its electricity from renewable energy, according to Ember, falling below the global average of 30 percent. The Verge
Montana
A controversial new methane-fired electric plant being built by the state's largest public utility has hit another bump as a group of residents filed a lawsuit charging Montana's largest county with intentionally switching zoning maps, cutting the public out of the process and railroading the project to NorthWestern Energy's advantage. Daily Montanan
New Jersey
Plans for a pipeline to serve the NY through NJ are scrapped, but another project with LNG on trucks is moving forward NJ.com
Pennsylvania
Article explores potential political fallout from LNG pause on key swing state/gas producer of Pennsylvania. The Hill
Tennessee
The Environmental Protection Agency asked the utility in a March 25 letter to redo several aspects of its analysis, citing "numerous" concerns with the plan to install new gas turbines. TechXplore
U.S.
The report, led by former U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, came as an investigation by Democrats in Congress exposed efforts by the oil and gas industry to downplay the climate impact of natural gas. Inside Climate News
U.S.
Chevron CEO sees natural gas demand rising from AI and data centers, CEO expects it will outstrip expectations. CNBC
U.S.
After years of debate, the MVP pipeline is finally poised to come online - expects to start authorization May 31 if authorized by FERC. West Virginia MetroNews
U.S.
spot power and natural gas prices turned negative in Texas and Southwest recently MSN
U.S.
Article details grtowth in oil and natural gas storage as production is at high levels. Texas Border Business
Wisconsin
Consumer and environmental advocates say the state's lack of long-range planning requirements along with utilities' financial incentive to "build, build, build" threaten to strand customers with obsolete infrastructure. Energy News Network
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California
Pacific Gas and Electric Company first proposed building a nuclear power plant in 1963, and it has had a complicated relationship with the Central Coast ever since. KSBY
New York
New York's four reactors generate 22 percent of the state's electricity, while fossil fuels continue to power nearly 50 percent. Times Union
Tennessee
The TVA the closest thing the U.S. has to the kind of government-controlled entity that other countries have tasked with completing their own years-long nuclear megaprojects. HuffPost
U.S.
Natrium is a 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor with molten salt-based energy storage system and was originally projected, opens new tab to begin generating power in 2028. The target was moved to 2030 after Russia, the only commercial source of high-assay, low-enriched uranium, invaded Ukraine in 2022. Reuters
U.S.
Rather than focusing exclusively on certain forms of nuclear power, state and federal lawmakers should pursue policies that unleash competition in the industry to reduce costs and meet America's economic and environmental goals. Real Clear Energy
Wyoming
An MIT professor of nuclear science breaks down the benefits of the TerraPower plant. Inside Climate News
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California
CADEMO, a floating wind project intended for construction offshore California, has signed an agreement with California Community Power to advance the company's floating offshore wind project. Riviera Maritime Media
International
A study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature concluded that most estimates of seabird collision so far are based on theory rather than empirical evidence, because of the difficulties of monitoring and carcass collection offshore. Renewable Energy Magazine
Massachusetts
Suction bucket foundations are an alternative foundation type that allow for installation of turbines without the need for pile driving. The technology could minimize underwater noise from installation and allow for more flexibility around supply chain constraints. reNEWS.biz
New York
Each year of delays on scotched projects amounts to future electric-bill savings of upwards of $1 billion -- and gives Albany another chance to find a better, less expensive way to go green, The Empire Center for Public Policy writes. Empire Center
Texas
Questions about a shift to renewables were front and center, with a throughline related to how an approach to this shift can make sense in the short and long term. Takeaways that resonated most with attendees focused on how they needed to approach answering the following questions. Workboat
U.S.
The Department of Energy's new ARROW Center points to increased engagement from the executive branch in offshore wind energy. Environmental and Energy Study Institute
U.S.
The Gulf of Maine auctio is poised to be the largest ever in terms of both acres and numbers of leases; the other sale off of Oregon would represent the smallest number of acres BOEM has put up for sale JDSupra
U.S.
Dominion Energy confirmed that offshore work will begin next week on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project while in Connecticut the first components for the Revolution Wind project are arriving at the staging point. Maritime Executive
U.S.
Altogether, projects that had been canceled by the end of 2023 were expected to total more than 12 gigawatts of power, representing more than half of the capacity in the project pipeline. The Conversation
Virginia
A federal judge will soon decide whether Dominion Energy obtained necessary federal approvals for its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, a 176-turbine wind farm environmental groups are backing as a critical source of renewable energy needed to combat climate change. Virginia Mercury
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Florida
The proposal comes amid continued interest in expanding oil production within the Big Cypress National Preserve, an Everglades wilderness the tribe considers sacred. Grist
Texas
The company's climate strategy could result in more emissions than it prevents. Grist
U.S.
The effort stems from the industry's skepticism that the Trump campaign will be able to focus on energy issues as election day draws closer. Politico
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U.S.
Robots, which have been utilized in the wind energy sector for tasks such as painting and polishing, are now being employed for more complex operations like trimming, grinding, and sanding the blades. Wind Daily
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International
Microsoft just agreed to support the development of 10.5 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity around the world, a massive amount of electricity to fuel its AI ambitions and climate goals. The Verge
International
Of the types of clean energy generated last year, hydroelectric dams produced the most. That's the same as in most years. Yet droughts in India, China, North America and Mexico meant hydropower hit a five-year low. The Associated Press
Massachusetts
The governor and the Legislature should help statewide stakeholders reach agreement before implementing siting reforms. These reforms should ensure enforceable community benefit agreements are in place before renewable energy siting decisions are made, write MIT progressor Lawrence Susskind, MIT graduate student Sanjana Paul and Sierra Club Massachusetts state political director Jess Nahigian. Commonwealth Beacon
Virginia
Ultimately, the key to Virginia's energy future lies not in a false choice between SMRs and solar but in a comprehensive approach that recognizes the strengths and limits of each energy source, writes Jared Burden, whose law practice includes land use, with a focus on solar power project development and emerging renewable energy technologies. Virginia Mercury
U.S.
EIA expects electricity from solar, wind, and hydropower combined to account for 22% of total U.S. generation in 2024, increasing to 24% in 2025. Electricity from those three sources had made up 21% of U.S. generation in 2023. Energy Information Administration
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U.S.
bp's Archaea Energy business is the leading US producer of RNG, producing 11 trillion British thermal units of RNG last year from landfills and farms across 32 states. The business is aiming to significantly drive up its production and suggests some regulatory changes. bp
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International
An analysis suggests rooftop solar will increase in value by between 19% to 25% due to warming and changing weather patterns increasing onsite electricity demand. pv Magazine
U.S.
University of Michigan researchers have found that the value of rooftop solar will increase by between 5% and 15% by the mid-century across a range of U.S. cities under moderate climate change. pv Magazine
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California
New regulations made new solar installations financially unviable for school districts where utility bills remain a top budget expense. A legislative fix, Senate Bill 1374, could help restore the incentives, write Sam Davis and Hugh Awtrey, presidents of the Oakland and Clovis unified school district boards of education, respectively. CalMatters
International
IEA reports that around 80% of the global PV manufacturing industry is currently concentrated in China, while India and the United States each hold a 5% share. pv Magazine
International
According to the U.S. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), 2023 saw the announcement of 51 new and expanded factories, with a total capacity reaching 155 GW and investments surpassing $100 billion. Energy Trend
South Carolina
South Carolina's effort to build a large natural gas plant between Columbia and Charleston has been justified as a way to meet future energy needs. But testimony filed with the federal government last year shows that solar power and battery storage are cutting into the need for natural gas -- and critics of the proposed natural gas plant say that's further evidence against a facility that could cost ratepayers up to $2 billion. The State
Texas
Cypress Creek Renewables announced it has completed construction of a 208-MW solar facility in Texas. The facility includes 80 MWh of short-duration energy storage that has already served the ERCOT grid during times of peak electricity demand, showing the ability of hybrid solar-storage plants to flexibly serve electricity demand oscillations. pv magazine
U.S.
Overall, photovoltaic solar accounted for 53% of all new U.S. electricity-generating capacity additions in 2023, making up more than half of new generating capacity for the first time. POWER Magazine
U.S.
The Nevados All Terrain solar tracker can be assembled and installed faster than any tracker in its class. A report indicated that other solar trackers require between 159 to 244 work hours per megawatt compared to 118 for Nevados. Solar Builder
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Texas
A 208-megawatt solar farm with 80 megawatt hours of storage has come online west of San Antonio, Texas. Solar + storage developers Cypress Creek Renewables has brought Zier Solar + Storage online; it can produce enough energy annually to power 41,600 homes. Electrek
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International
You drive by miles and miles of these ghastly things while your car is literally riding right above oceans of oil that is sitting there waiting to be drilled and put to human use. Frontier Centre for Public Policy
Michigan
It would also require registration of contractors and subcontractors working on state prevailing wage projects and require contractors on those projects to submit certified payroll to the state. Michigan Advance
Virginia
A working group has proposed a special electric rate for "distributed energy resources" to help break a current interconnection backlog holding up smaller-scale wind and solar projects. Inside Climate News
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California
California's record 10 gigawatts of grid batteries are finally pushing solar generation into post-sunset hours at a meaningful scale, new data shows. Canary Media
International
A recent IEA report says China holds all the cards in chemistry and production. pv Magazine
International
From the beginning of 2023 to the end of the first quarter of 2024, the decline in lithium battery main materials is generally more than 40%. Energy Trend
Massachusetts
The first-in-kind energy storage deployment will lower utility costs by approximately $200 million, while improving resilience and sustainability at community and state levels. Businesswire
Michigan
Natron Energy's sodium-ion facility in Holland, Michigan, will begin deliveries in June, the company said. Production will eventually scale to 600 megawatts annually of sodium batteries slated for grid storage. E&E News
Nebraska
An Omaha, Neb.-based power development company is looking to build a 200-megawatt battery storage system in the Town of Wheatland. It has been proposed to hold and release energy to compensate for gaps in energy needs during peak usage and emergencies, supplying power to as many as 125,000 homes over the next two decades. Kenosha News
Nevada
Nevada ratepayers are experiencing the left's green energy dream. Higher rates and less reliable energy while a politically connected company laughs all the way to the bank, writes columnist Victor Joecks. Las Vegas Review-Journal
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's Public Utility Commission released a policy statement last month that included a definition of energy storage assets but took a neutral stance on their ownership. Utility Dive
Texas
Base Power aims to provide a more reliable and potentially cheaper alternative to the existing system. It has secured $68 million in funding from investors like Thrive Capital and Valor Equity Partners. Benzinga
U.S.
A recent Department of Energy analysis indicates that up to 15 GW per year of manufacturing capacity will be needed by 2035 "to support mature technology deployment at scale for long duration energy storage." Utility Dive
U.S.
They're delivering solar power after dark in California and helping to stabilize grids in other states. And the technology is expanding rapidly. New York Times
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Arizona
Southern Arizona tribes and San Pedro Valley residents continue their legal challenges to halt construction of the largest renewable energy project in U.S. history. Inside Climate News
U.S.
North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center's recent report looks at how states are doing with legislative and regulatory action related to shoring up the power grid. pv Magazine
U.S.
A little more than two years ago, a clean energy record was broken. For the first time, a regional transmission organization met more than 90% of its electric demand, called load, with renewable power. Source NM
U.S.
Transforming the electric grid requires a coordinated strategy between technology, markets, and policy. The Office of Electricity is actively engaging all stakeholders. T&D World
U.S.
Tailored approaches that leverage a mix of clean energy technologies and consider localized challenges and opportunities are necessary to ensure effective decarbonization. Utility Dive
U.S.
New clean power and batteries could supplant fossil fuels and meet short-term grid reliability needs -- if the U.S. can get them plugged into the grid. Canary Media
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U.S.
A big catalyst for solar NIMBY-ism stems from a lack of understanding about certain projects, according to Gina Brown, senior director of economic development and community engagement at Silicon Ranch. Solar Builder
U.S.
In 2023, solar developers pushed back the scheduled online date for an average of 19% of planned solar capacity compared with an average of 23% in 2022. Energy Information Administration
Wyoming
Wyoming now has more than 3.2 GW of solar, wind and storage capacity, which places it in the top half of states in terms of renewable energy generation, according to the U.S. Energy Department. Cowboy State Daily
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Alaska
A report released by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that the existing power grid in Alaska known as the Railbelt can support 200 MW of tidal energy and up to 300 MW with grid upgrades. Renewable Energy World
International
Tidal and wave energy may be the largest untapped resources of renewable energy on the planet. But will they work? Inverse
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