Western Energy News

Report: Colorado needs aggressive steps to hit emissions target

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CLIMATE: A new report finds that even with measures like widespread coal retirements and adoption of electric vehicles, Colorado will fall far short of climate targets passed by the legislature last year. (Westword)

ALSO: Most of Oregon’s House Republicans refused to attend a session last night amidst a slowdown on cap-and-trade legislation. (Associated Press)

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CALIFORNIA:
• California regulators have laid out a new proposal that would allow the state to revoke PG&E’s license if it endangers the public after emerging from bankruptcy.

U.S. Energy News

States seek to block climate liability lawsuits

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CLIMATE: As more local governments consider suing fossil fuel companies for climate damages, some states are considering outlawing such lawsuits. (Drilled)

ALSO:
• The number of cities setting — and meeting — rigorous climate goals is growing, according to an international ranking released this week. (Bloomberg)
• Tonight’s Democratic presidential debate will feature for the first time ever a climate journalist among the moderators. (Earther)
• A candidate forum Sunday featured robust discussion of climate change and infrastructure but little support for raising the federal gas tax. (E&E News)

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Midwest Energy News

Minnesota solar jobs decline amid national growth

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SOLAR: Minnesota solar jobs declined nearly 6% in 2019 while the sector grew more than 2% nationally, according to a Solar Foundation report. (Star Tribune)

ALSO:
• A We Energies program that partners with various entities to host solar projects passes the 5 MW milestone. (WTMJ)
• County City officials in mid-Michigan explore expanding solar generation while renovating a wastewater treatment plant to qualify for additional state grant funding. (Daily News)
• A 20 MW solar project nears completion in western Kansas that will be the largest in the state. (KSNW)

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Southeast Energy News

Florida, Southeast lead nation in new solar jobs

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RENEWABLES: Under two Virginia bills, consumers would be allowed to buy renewable energy from competitive service suppliers instead of their utilities, even those that offer green tariff programs. (Energy News Network)

SOLAR:
• The solar industry hired thousands of workers in the Southeast last year, including 1,000 in Georgia, according to a new industry report. (Savannah Morning News, E&E News, subscription)
• The Tennessee Valley Authority signs a contract with a Florida company to build a 200 MW solar project in north Mississippi. (Commercial Dispatch)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES: The University of Georgia would have more electric buses than any other university in the nation — 33 buses with 12 charging stations — under a new plan. (The Red & Black)

NUCLEAR: The Plant Vogtle nuclear project in Georgia now has 9,000 workers on site — an all-time high.

Northeast Energy News

New Hampshire’s largest coal plant to stay open four more years

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POWER PLANTS: A New Hampshire coal-fired power plant successfully bid into the New England power grid auction, so it will remain open through May 2024 and receive capacity payments of $8.1 million. (Concord Monitor)

TRANSMISSION:
• A new study says proposed power lines from Canada to import hydropower live up to their billing as tools to reduce emissions, countering recent studies that claim no net carbon benefits. (E&E News, subscription required)
• Legislators are questioning the legality of a lease signed by Central Maine Power in 2014 for state land needed to build a transmission line from Canada as a committee approves a bill to cancel it. (Maine Pubic, Portland Press Herald)

***SPONSORED LINK: Already on its 10th edition, ACI’s National Conference on Microgrids will be hosted in Boston on March 18-19. The conference will also feature an exclusive tour of the Sterling Municipal Light Department’s Award-Winning Microgrid!