Southeast Energy News

Southeast utilities among decarbonization holdouts

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UTILITIES: Florida’s NextEra Energy, New Orleans-based Entergy, and Oklahoma Gas & Electric are among the largest utilities that have not committed to fully eliminate their carbon emissions. (Greentech Media)

ALSO: South Carolina’s Santee Cooper and a fledgling municipal utility are in a legal tug-of-war over who gets to supply electricity to an aluminum smelting plant. (Post and Courier)

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Southeast Energy News

N.C. governor asks Trump to expand offshore drilling ban

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OIL & GAS: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper in a letter urges President Trump to include the state in his recent offshore drilling moratorium, which only covered Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. (Coastal Review Online)

ALSO:
• Oil and gas groups argue the “unique relationship” between the federal government and oil industry means that climate lawsuits from coastal Louisiana communities do not belong in state court. (The Center Square) 
• An activist calls on a Texas liquified natural gas project to hire more workers from the community that will be affected by its pollution. (Port Arthur News)
• Offshore oil and gas producers and exporters begin clearing debris from Hurricane Sally and rebooting idled facilities on the Gulf Coast. (Reuters)

***SPONSORED LINK: The National Solar Tour is going virtual!

Southeast Energy News

Net metering goes under the microscope in Florida 

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SOLAR: Florida utility regulators are set to begin revisiting the state’s net metering policy at a workshop tomorrow after a state lawmaker raised concerns about the program. (Tampa Bay Times)

ALSO:
• Duke University will buy 101 MW of solar capacity via a Duke Energy renewable energy program — enough to cover about half of its annual load. (WRAL)
• A science, art and entrepreneurship school is Georgia’s first to run on 100% solar power after acquiring an additional 126 kW system. (Albany Herald)

***SPONSORED LINK: The National Solar Tour is going virtual! Sep.

Southeast Energy News

Grid operators’ study looks to improve coordination along “seam”

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SOLAR: Virginia leaps into the top 10 in an annual ranking of K-12 school solar capacity following several years of policy progress. (Energy News Network)

ALSO:
• Ameresco, Duke Energy and the military partner on an 11 MW floating solar microgrid project at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. (Microgrid Knowledge)
• A Virginia town council considers a proposal to build a 15 to 20 MW solar array as a way to generate revenue from a property it owns. (Loudoun Now)
• A nonprofit delivered 600 solar-powered lights over the weekend to people in Southwest Louisiana still left without power from Hurricane Laura. (KPLC)

***SPONSORED LINK: The National Solar Tour is going virtual!

Southeast Energy News

Florida utility money, pressure behind net metering review

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The Energy News Network’s 40 Under 40 is now live! Meet this year’s cohort at energynews.us/40Under40

SOLAR: A Florida legislator’s push to review the state’s solar net metering rules follows direct communication with utilities and more than $20,000 in campaign contributions, a watchdog group reports. (Energy & Policy Institute)

ALSO:
• Walmart announces plans to help its U.S.-based suppliers speed up their adoption of solar and renewable energy. (Democrat Gazette)
• As a developer seeks approval to build five solar farms totaling up to 138 megawatts in capacity, local officials in South Carolina fixate on end-of-life disposal plans for the panels. (Myrtle Beach Sun)
• Two Girl Scouts in Florida earn a new renewable energy patch by making solar powered cars.