Southeast Energy News

Louisiana bill to cancel lawsuits against oil and gas companies fails

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Correction: Texas’ Austin Energy is the top U.S. municipal utility for solar power capacity per person. An item in Thursday’s email linked to a news report that incorrectly described the ranking. OIL & GAS: A bill to cancel lawsuits by Louisiana parishes against oil and gas companies fails in the state House after lawmakers say they ran out of time;  Republicans say they plan to pick it back up next year. (The Advocate)

PIPELINES: A federal appeals court rejects the Trump administration’s request to revive a water crossings permit program for new oil and gas pipelines, which could further delay projects. (Associated Press)

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Southeast Energy News

Southern Company aims to reach net-zero carbon by 2050

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Correction: Texas’ Austin Energy is the top U.S. municipal utility for solar power capacity per person. An earlier version of this digest linked to a news report that incorrectly described the ranking. EMISSIONS: Southern Company sets a net-zero carbon emissions target for 2050 with plans to expand renewable energy, nuclear and energy efficiency, while still moving ahead with new natural gas plants. (Greentech Media)  

WIND:
• Louisiana regulators approve Southwestern Electric Power Company’s plan to buy three new wind facilities in Oklahoma totaling 1,485 MW. (KATC)
• Botetourt County, Virginia, officials vote 3-2 to approve fewer, taller wind turbines for a proposed mountain-top wind farm.

Southeast Energy News

Texas lost over 26,000 oil and gas jobs in April

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SOLAR: A Virginia government agency that oversees energy and mining development launches a technical assistance program to help local governments with solar projects. (Energy News Network)

COAL: Companies owned by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice’s family, including some coal mine operators, have been involved in more than 600 lawsuits over unpaid bills in more than two dozen states. (ProPublica) 

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OIL & GAS:
• Texas lost more than 26,000 oil and gas industry jobs in April due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Houston Chronicle)
• The coronavirus pandemic has stalled pipeline projects in Louisiana as the oil industry struggles.

Southeast Energy News

Nation’s oil and gas capital will go all-renewable this summer

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RENEWABLES: Houston will begin a five-year contract in July with NRG Energy to power all city-owned properties with renewable energy. (Bloomberg)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Oklahoma’s network of supercharger stations positions it to become a leader in electric vehicles, an advocate says. (Tulsa World)

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SOLAR:
• The chair of a South Carolina solar group says installers are having a hard time finding customers during the economic downturn. (Post and Courier)
• A recent petition could prompt federal regulators to take control of how solar customers are compensated, which could boost distributed generation in states like Tennessee and Alabama that have resisted net metering.

Southeast Energy News

San Antonio enters the fray for Tesla’s next cybertruck factory

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WIND: North Carolina takes the first step toward what observers say is a crucial study of the state’s offshore wind manufacturing potential. (Energy News Network)

ALSO:
• Amazon says it will add 615 megawatts of solar to its portfolio, including an installation in Virginia, a hotspot for corporate renewables. (Greentech Media)
• Southern Power has acquired the 56-megawatt Beech Ridge 2 wind farm in West Virginia from Invenergy for an undisclosed price. (Renews)
• Wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa appoints a new North American on-shore chief executive, based in Orlando, Florida. (Renews)  

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