EFFICIENCY: The ballooning size of American homes over the past 40 years has offset the gains made in energy efficiency. (Vox)

CARBON TAX: Washington state residents are leading others in pushing for a carbon tax that would return revenues to the public. (Washington Post)

RENEWABLES:
• The IEA predicts a cumulative $7.4 trillion global investment in renewable energy by 2040. (The Guardian)
• Officials unveil the latest plan that will guide renewable development on 10 million acres of the California desert. (Press Enterprise)

COAL: Australia and South Korea are pushing back hard against U.S. efforts to sway other wealthy nations away from financing coal projects overseas. (ClimateWire)

WIND: Two companies bid $1.8 billion for rights to develop offshore wind on New Jersey’s coast. (UPI)

CLEAN POWER PLAN:
• Michigan’s Republican governor says while new federal rules may bring short-term economic challenges, “It’s a good thing for us, longer term, to move away from coal to cleaner sources of energy.” (MLive)
• The CEO of American Public Power Association says: “This is a [national] energy policy. Like it or not, we have one now.” (Lincoln Journal Star)

TRANSMISSION: The U.S. DOE approves plans for a $1.2 billion transmission project connecting New England with Canadian wind and hydro resources. (Utility Dive)

SOLAR:
• A variety of complicated fees on rooftop solar is having a chilling effect on the industry’s growth. (Climate Central)
• After a slow start, community solar is growing in Michigan with at least four new projects announced within the past year and more are coming. (Midwest Energy News)
• A North Texas utility sees value in making it easier for residential customers to install rooftop panels. (Utility Dive)
• A new report says that, under the right conditions, solar-plus-storage projects can provide an economic return and resiliency to affordable housing projects. (Utility Dive)

RAIL SAFETY: Elected officials in Minnesota and Wisconsin are pushing plans to improve safety on rails moving hazardous products. (Pioneer Press, LaCrosse Tribune)

OIL AND GAS:
• Despite opposition from lawmakers, Ohio advocates are still pushing to increase the state’s severance tax on drilling. (Midwest Energy News)
• North Dakota’s governor says the oil slump won’t hurt the state’s record population growth because its economy has diversified. (Associated Press)

ETHANOL: A national group opposed to the nationwide ethanol mandate extends its ad campaign, saying the Renewable Fuel Standard hurts the environment and food prices. (The Hill)

UTILITIES: Stagnant electricity demand is prompting a surge in mergers and acquisitions among utilities. (USA Today)

COMMENTARY: President Obama’s climate change focus should be on stemming fossil fuel production, not just consumption. (New York Times)