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)

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Jonathan P. Thompson

Jonathan hails from southwestern Colorado and has been writing about the land, cultures, and communities of the Western United States for more than two decades. He compiles the Western Energy News digest. He is the author of three books, a contributing editor at High Country News, and the editor of the Land Desk, an e-newsletter that provides coverage and context on issues critical to the West.