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CLIMATE: “Deeper and faster cuts are now required” after a United Nations report finds global greenhouse gas emissions, including in the U.S. and China, continue to rise. (New York Times)
ALSO:
• U.S. Sen. Ed Markey proposes a bill that would allow more sanctions against foreign companies and individuals for “egregious behaviors” that contribute to climate change. (The Hill)
• A majority of Americans believe the federal government isn’t doing enough to address pollution and climate change, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. (The Hill)
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GRID:
• Rising river temperatures will force more coal, natural gas and nuclear plants to curtail operations, underscoring the need for more grid infrastructure and renewables, researchers find. (E&E News, subscription)
• The head of ISO-New England says it’s challenging to balance its clean energy and low-costs objectives, and that a carbon price would help. (Utility Dive)
• PG&E’s latest filing with state regulators suggests its system remains vulnerable to wildfire risk despite ongoing and expensive upgrades. (Utility Dive)
COAL:
• Murray Energy’s bankruptcy case revives concerns about an Ohio fund meant to pay for the closure and reclamation of coal mines. (Energy News Network)
• A Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing “appears increasingly likely” for Missouri-based Foresight Energy, analysts say. (Platts)
• New Mexico’s largest utility says retrofitting the San Juan Generating Station with carbon capture technology would cost $1.3 billion more than its preferred long-term scenario. (Utility Dive)
OIL & GAS:
• Brookline, Massachusetts’ recent vote to ban natural gas hookups in new buildings signals an important shift in local climate action as New England increasingly finds itself at a home-heating crossroads. (E&E News)
• The federal government plans to reduce the cost of oil exploration and production in shallow waters off the Gulf of Mexico to increase drilling. (KLFY)
EFFICIENCY:
• Norway offers Massachusetts a potential model as the state contemplates how it can raise its already high commitment to energy efficiency. (Energy News Network)
• Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak orders state agencies to submit plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions across multiple sectors of the economy by December 2020. (Utility Dive)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A municipal power agency serving southern Minnesota plans to install dozens of fast-charging and Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations. (Energy News Network)
UTILITIES: The CEO of American Electric Power say fossil fuels, including coal, will remain part of portfolios well into the next decade “as more of an insurance policy.” (Platts)
SOLAR: The number of Virginia K-12 schools switching to solar has nearly tripled since 2017, but that growth will stop unless lawmakers lift a cap on how much solar is allowed for schools and other entities. (Energy News Network)
TRANSMISSION: Federal regulators approve a new rate for recovering costs of grid upgrades in grid operator MISO’s region, which could be a template for transmission projects across the U.S. (E&E News, subscription)
HYDROPOWER: Arizona tribes object to proposals to dam a Colorado River tributary in northern Arizona for hydropower. (Associated Press)
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BIOMASS: Vermont encourages wood burning to replace oil heat but the fuel has its own set of climate and environmental impacts. (InsideClimate News)
COMMENTARY:
• Digital circuit breakers could help manage the flow of power as more distributed resources come online, writes Vox’s David Roberts.
• A watchdog group reports Peabody Energy is having difficulty finding utilities that want to accept its annual “clean coal” award. (Energy and Policy Institute)