SOLAR: California regulators vote to require solar and battery storage in many new commercial and multifamily buildings, to incentivize a shift from natural gas and to expedite the addition of storage to existing rooftop solar installations. (New York Times)
ALSO: A California berry company covers its 155,000 square foot plant’s roof with a solar plus storage system to generate 92 percent of the facility’s power. (America Fruit)
UTILITIES:
• An Alaska judge rules that a program subsidizing rural utility costs should not have been defunded earlier this year and payments should resume. (Anchorage Daily News)
• In a New Mexico hearing, an Avangrid executive promises additional rate credits and economic development funds to curry favor with critics of a proposed merger between the company and Public Service Company of New Mexico. (Associated Press)
GRID: California regulators expect the state’s power supply crunch to worsen next year and forecast up to a 5 GW shortfall. (Bloomberg)
CLIMATE:
• Irvine, California’s city council passes an ambitious resolution pledging to become carbon neutral by 2030. (Los Angeles Times)
• Two uncontained wildfires in Montana, one of which was ignited by a burning coal seam, threaten communities and leave thousands without power. (Billings Gazette)
• Northern California’s Dixie Fire, which likely was ignited by Pacific Gas & Electric equipment, surpasses 500,000 acres and destroys more than 1,000 structures. (Los Angeles Times)
LITHIUM: The Biden administration is considering a ban on new public land mining claims on millions of acres of sage grouse habitat, potentially affecting future lithium mining projects. (E&E News, subscription)
ELECTRIFICATION: The California Restaurant Association appeals a July court ruling that upheld Berkeley’s natural gas ban in new buildings. (Daily Californian)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A two-year, $5 million project to improve electric vehicle charging on major Oregon routes is expected to begin in October. (Portland Business Journal)
WIND: The would-be developer of a 71-turbine wind project, whose project was rejected by a northern California county, plans to take a revised proposal back to the county, but critics say they will oppose it regardless of changes. (Redding Record Searchlight)
COMMENTARY:
• Two clean energy advocates say Colorado’s new clean heat standard legislation provides a model for other states to reduce methane emissions from natural gas-delivery infrastructure. (Canary Media)
• A Utah taxpayer advocate says a planned small modular reactor power project that would be built in Idaho and provide power to utilities across the West is too financially risky. (Deseret News)
• Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s lawsuit to force hydroelectric dam operators to bypass turbines to help salmon would result in increased emissions and power shortfalls, a Northwest activist argues. (Portland Tribune)