January 8, 2025

Happy New Year! I realize it’s already been 2025 for a week, but the greeting is still appropriate, especially for this newsletter, as it aims to catch you up on all the late-year developments of 2024 while looking ahead at the remaining 51 weeks.

We had developments in two nascent technologies recently. The IRS last week issued final clean hydrogen tax credit rules, which received measured praise from both industry and environmental advocates. And toward the end of last year, two Republican state attorneys general and micro nuclear reactor firm Last Energy filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking an easier regulatory hand from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on small modular reactors. 

In New York, two troubled projects are showing signs of life. Equinor announced it had closed on the finances for Empire Wind 1, which already has begun onshore construction. The project had seemed dead in 2023 before it won a new state contract last year. Meanwhile, the New York Power Authority filed a petition with the Public Service Commission asking it to designate Clean Path NY, whose contracted with NYSERDA was terminated in November, as a Priority Transmission Project under state law. 

Finally, I’d like to highlight a great feature Ayla Burnett wrote about how California’s batteries are displacing gas-fired generation: enough to lower emissions, but not enough to reduce the need for gas-fired capacity just yet. 

Here’s what else we had this past week: 

• After Budget, Energy Could be a Top Priority for Md. Lawmakers 

• DC Circuit Rejects Challenge to FERC Approval of Ind. Pipeline 

• Delaware, US Wind Finalize $100M+ in Community Benefits
  

• Feds Boost Constellation Nuclear Plans with $840M PPA 

• Mass. Electricity Rates Working Group Issues Recommendations 

• WAPA Sued Over 504-MW Wind Farm Interconnection Plan 

And check out our features on what 2025 might hold: 

• Data Centers and Demand Growth Top 2025 Agenda 

• How FERC Under Trump Might Advance Energy Affordability in 2025 

• How Much of the IRA Can be Saved in 2025? 

• Offshore Wind Industry Girds for 2025, Trump Presidency 

• Uncertainty Clouds NJ Clean Energy in 2025 

See you next week!