NetZero Insider Weekly Intelligence Report: Policy & Impacts

This week, NetZero Insider’s David Krause covered a report from the University of California, Berkeley finding that it could be cheaper for the 20,000 structures destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires this January to be rebuilt as all-electric. All-electric homes can be $7,500 to $8,000 cheaper to build than one for gas, which comes with the cost of installing a new gas line at $500 to $2,000. But the underground gas delivery system in impacted neighborhoods is already there, and gas is cheaper per unit than electricity area, so that could make “dual fuel” homes more affordable overall.

Across the country in New Jersey, NetZero’s Hugh Morley wrote about a split decision from the Board of Public Utilities to delay a fee on the offshore wind projects under a state-approved contract and to retool a solar incentive program. Offshore wind was the state’s plan for new capacity, but the sector ran into trouble before President Trump started throwing up regulatory roadblocks to its development. Now at least one commissioner is calling for the state to shift focus to solar, storage and efficiency.

In a neighboring state, NetZero’s John Cropley has the details on what stakeholders think about the Clear Path New York project, which would be a 175-mile underground HVDC line to bring clean energy to New York City. It suffered a setback last year when related renewable energy developments were canceled, but the New York Power Authority wants to press ahead with the transmission component, which would cost $5.2 billion; 60% of its costs would be assigned to the city, and the rest would be spread around the state on a load-share basis.

Transmission is at issue way Down East as NetZero’s Jon Lamson wrote about the Maine PUC’s transmission and generation procurement effort. The state is considering investing in infrastructure to bring 1,200 MW of wind capacity in its far north to markets in ISO-NE. The region has plenty of resources, but its grid is run by the Northern Maine Independent System Administrator and linked to New Brunswick, Canada, rather than points southwest.

HeatMap News wrote about Texas’ SB 819 and SB 715, which renewable advocates say would curtail new development of wind and solar. The first bill cleared the Senate last week, and the second is moving in that chamber as well. The real test for the legislation will be in the House, but even there the Texas Sierra Club said it would be a hard fight to stop it from passing.

Renewable energy is at issue in Washington as well, with the Republican-controlled Congress working on a tax bill that could eliminate some clean energy credits, as Reuters reported. Keeping the tax credits in place has support on the GOP side, but many would like to see them go, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright, as reported in The Hill. The Financial Times reports that clean energy manufacturing has already stalled out because of Republican attacks on the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act.

Read other stories in this week’s Intelligence Report:

Jump To

Equity & Economics
Finance & Investing
Impact & Adaptation
Policy & Politics

Equity & Economics

Environmental Justice

U.S.

Trump has canceled environmental justice grants. Here's what communities are losing.

The Biden administration awarded grants to help correct these harms, centering environmental justice and climate change across multiple federal agencies. Renewable Energy World

Workforce Development

New York

Pace of Green Job Growth in New York City Is Slow

Green job training programs are popular across the city, but will there be jobs for the New Yorkers who graduate from them? Inside Climate News

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Finance & Investing

International

US to impose tariffs of up to 3,521% on southeast Asia solar panels

Ahead of a global summit in London comes a warning that lessons on energy security have not been learned. The Guardian

U.S.

EPA Administrator Defends Sweeping Grant Terminations Amid Legal Blowback

At a press gathering, Lee Zeldin doubled down on his decision to cancel billions of dollars in clean energy grants, despite a court ruling calling the move unlawful. Inside Climate News

U.S.

Solar industry launches campaign to defend IRA credits

The Solar Energy Industries Association is intensifying its defense of climate law incentives as Republicans hone in on repeals. Climatewire

Insurance

Texas

Why Texas is seeing eye-popping insurance hikes

Worsening storms fueled by climate change, coupled with inflation, are driving some of the highest home insurance costs in the country. The Washington Post

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Impact & Adaptation

Impact

International

Sweating to Shivering: Study Finds Rapid Swings in Temperature Have Increased

Flips between warm temperatures to cold and vice versa have become quicker, more frequent and more intense in recent decades, a new study shows. The New York Times

International

World's Biggest Companies Have Caused $28 Trillion In Climate Damage: Study

A Dartmouth College research team came up with the estimated pollution caused by 111 companies, with more than half of the total dollar figure coming from 10 fossil fuel providers. The Associated Press

International

The World Seems to Be Surrendering to Climate Change

Just a few years ago, worldwide climate concern seemed to be reaching new peaks almost monthly, with cultural momentum growing and policy commitments following. The New York Times

Sea Level Rise

Connecticut

The Mystic Seaport Museum Grapples With Threats from Rising Seas

Rising sea levels are forcing the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut to address the long-term sustainability of its campus. The New York Times

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Policy & Politics

International

Hydro-Qu?bec commits to saving 10% of all electricity consumed in Quebec

HQ investing $10 billion in efficiency over decade to save 10% of electricity in Quebec - plans for smart thermostats, "smart consumption" by big customers. CityNews Montreal

Michigan

Whitmer vows to fight for healthy climate plan, while expanding home energy rebates

Michigan Gov. pressing ahead with climate policies despite change in federal government's attitdue Michigan Advance

U.S.

New survey finds strong public support for energy efficiency

Efficiency is increasingly partisan in DC, but a new poll finds widespread, bipartisan support among consumers/voters Environment America

International

Five Takeaways from the IEA's 2024 Global Energy Review

RMI weighs in on IEA forecast, showing more renewables, more fossil fuel and a huge impact on global energy from China RMI

International

How the US-China Trade War Could Derail the Energy Transition

Clean or dirty, the U.S. energy industry likely will be hard-hit. Carnegie Endowment

International

US Slaps Steep Tariffs on Southeast Asian Solar Imports

Commerce department found some Chinese producers shipped through Southeast Asia to avoid tariffs. The Wall Street Journal

International

With Trump in power, World Bank walks a tightrope on climate

The bank's messaging on climate represents a delicate balancing act between the institution and the U.S., its largest shareholder. Climatewire

Maryland

How Maryland Hit Its 30x30 Goal

Nine states have set goals to conserve 30% of their land by 2030. Maryland got there first. The New York Times

New York

In Good Climate News, a Federal Judge Upholds NYC's Ban on Gas in New Buildings

Cities looking to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings have notched a decisive court victory: A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by plumbing and building trade groups against a New York City ban on natural gas in new buildings. Grist

Oklahoma

Oklahoma bill would clamp down renewable energy buildout with more state oversight

Solar development has quickly accelerated in Oklahoma, a state ranked 41st for solar capacity, and lawmakers are considering legislation under an emergency expediency to place restrictions on renewable energy development. pv magazine

Texas

All Eyes Are On Texas as Anti-Renewables Bills Advance

Plus, what a Texas energy veteran thinks is behind the surprising turn against solar and wind. Heatmap

U.S.

Climate Leaders Warn About Potential Trump Action Against Environmental Groups

On the eve of Earth Day, they vowed to defend groups that have worked to combat the climate crisis and are expected to be targeted by the current administration. Inside Climate News

U.S.

Details emerge on surging DOE departures

Key offices in the Department of Energy face a staff exodus that could undermine policy objectives. Energywire

U.S.

DOE withdraws, postpones multiple appliance energy efficiency rules

DOE announces reversals on more efficiency rules, which have become increasingly partisan Utility Dive

U.S.

Energy Security: It's Electricity Realism, Not Climate Denialism

Electrifying everything comes with plenty of risks of its own. Bloomberg

U.S.

How EIA staffing purge could boost Trump's view of fossil fuels

Conservatives want to reshape U.S. Energy Information Administration analysis to downplay clean energy and peak oil. Energywire

U.S.

Lawyers Get Ready To Pounce On Trump's Energy Deregulation Moves

This will pose a test for the Trump administration's strategy since January of relying mainly on emergency authorities and executive orders to slash what it views as obstructions to a surge in fossil fuel energy production. Reuters

U.S.

List of Trump's top mining projects revealed

The administration is looking to ease permitting for a handful of projects it considers a priority. Greenwire

U.S.

Republican lawmakers face clean-energy conundrum as they work on tax bill

Eleven of the 26 Republicans on the House of Representatives' tax-writing Ways & Means committee, who are now crafting the extension of the 2017 tax cut legislation, represent areas that have seen hundreds of millions to billions of dollars in green energy investments in the last few years. Reuters

U.S.

Rubio shutters State Department climate office

The move reflects President Donald Trump's effort to root out climate-related offices from the government. Climatewire

U.S.

Trump energy secretary: Clean energy tax credits a 'big mistake'

Energy Secretary Chris Wright railed against clean energy tax credits Tuesday, defending the Trump administration's efforts to increase manufacturing powered by coal, natural gas and oil. The Hill

U.S.

US clean energy manufacturing stalls as Republicans take aim at IRA

Production of crucial components of renewable energy sources is falling behind projected demand. Financial Times

U.S.

US opposes 'dangerous' anti-fossil fuel policies at global summit

Profound differences emerged at the two-day International Energy Agency (IEA) meeting over the role of renewables in satisfying the world's thirst for energy. Phys.org

Wisconsin

Trump administration affirms Biden-era clean energy grant for Dairyland Power

Dairyland Power Co-op is keeping money from Biden Administration as Trump cuts off other funds WPR

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