CLEAN ENERGY: Corporations’ big pledges to cut emissions are turning them into a powerful ally for clean energy as tech and retail companies in particular play a bigger role in steering energy policy. (HuffPost)
SOLAR:
• A new study shows promise for the idea of using tinted, semi-transparent solar panels to grow food and generate clean energy on the same land. (Earther)
• A Nebraska solar farm highlights the tension between an electricity wholesaler and cities seeking to transition to cleaner energy. (Energy News Network)
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UTILITIES:
• A lawsuit from environmental groups claims the Tennessee Valley Authority uses its long-term contracts to prevent local utilities from leaving or obtaining renewable power from other sources. (InsideClimate News)
• An investigation finds PG&E repeatedly pushed back against reforms in California meant to reduce the number of fires sparked by its electrical equipment. (Frontline)
STORAGE: The U.S. energy storage industry continues to grow despite a high-profile battery fire last year that could have slowed the market. (Greentech Media)
PIPELINES: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s administration will appeal state regulators’ approval of Enbridge’s plan to replace and expand the Line 3 pipeline, citing the lack of a long-term demand forecast. (MPR News)
COAL:
• U.S. utility executives signal plans to announce even more coal plant retirements as renewable energy prices decline. (S&P Global)
• Coal miners with black lung disease say that staying safe and treating their disease is more complicated during the coronavirus pandemic. (WVPB)
OIL & GAS:
• Environmental groups ask a federal judge to halt a Trump administration rule to allow the transport of liquefied natural gas by rail. (Associated Press)
• A study finds pregnant Latina women exposed to natural gas flaring in South Texas are more likely than white women to give birth prematurely. (Texas Observer)
GRID:
• California’s grid operator rejects President Trump’s false claim that Democrats “intentionally implemented” the state’s rolling blackouts. (PolitiFact)
• New Jersey lawmakers want a say in how the state procures electricity as a battle looms with the regional power grid over how much clean energy is acquired and how it is priced. (NJ Spotlight)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A partnership will bring additional electric vehicle charging stations to Love’s Travel Stops across the U.S. in an effort to relieve drivers’ range anxiety. (CNET)
BIOFUELS: Officials with four influential Iowa agriculture groups urge President Trump to fully support the federal Renewable Fuel Standard or risk political consequences. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
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POLITICS:
• The Democratic National Committee quietly drops language from its party platform that called for an end to fossil fuel subsidies and tax breaks. (HuffPost)
• The Democrats’ platform still proposes a rapid transition from fossil fuels and emphasis on clean energy jobs and investments. (E&E News)
• The nation’s pipe-fitting and plumbing union backs Joe Biden for president despite their disagreement on the Keystone XL pipeline. (Washington Post)
COMMENTARY:
• Pipeline developers would be well-served to proactively address environmental justice issues when planning projects, two attorneys write. (Utility Dive)
• The Washington, D.C., sustainability coordinator says the District is a leader in energy efficiency because its policies include building performance standards and promotion of on-site renewable energy production. (GreenBiz)