CLEAN POWER PLAN: The U.S. Supreme Court’s stay on the federal rules has caused carbon prices in the Northeast’s only cap-and-trade program to plummet. (Climate Central)
OIL AND GAS: The U.S. now has more recoverable oil reserves than any other country, according to researchers. (EnergyWire)
WIND: The Massachusetts Senate unanimously advances a bill that would require at least 2,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2027 and double the annual rate of increase of the state’s renewable portfolio standard. (State House News Service)
GRID: Critics say the California grid operator’s plan to purchase wind energy from Wyoming to meet clean energy goals would prop up out-of-state coal plants. (Los Angeles Times)
CLIMATE:
• The high-stakes legal battle over Exxon Mobil’s climate-related activities boils down to whether the company has a constitutional right to sow doubt about climate science. (Climate Desk)
• The top U.S. climate negotiator says various federal efforts to rein in greenhouse gas emissions “will survive no matter who is in the White House next year.” (ClimateWire)
• Financial services firm US Bancorp updates its climate policy to restrict the bank’s potential investments in coal. (CleanTechnica)
SOLAR: Critics say a new solar advocacy group founded by ComEd was created to help push controversial, utility-backed legislation in Illinois. However, supporters say the group is helping to expand access to solar for low-income communities. (Midwest Energy News)
STORAGE: A U.S. Senator looks to build bipartisan support for a federal energy-storage tax credit, modeled off the 30 percent solar tax credit. (Greentech Media)
PIPELINES: A Texas landowner’s lawsuit against the southern portion of the Keystone XL pipeline could complicate TransCanada’s NAFTA challenge against the rejection of the northern portion. (DeSmog Blog)
CYBERSECURITY: Federal lawmakers look to “dumb down” the smart grid by replacing computerized components monitoring the grid to analog ones. (The Hill)
EFFICIENCY: The growing number of efficiency measures is leading New Jersey lawmakers to consider a decoupling policy for utilities. (NJ Spotlight)
COAL:
• Industry groups challenge the conviction of former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, saying it wrongly puts any coal executive at risk of criminal liability. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
• Southern Co. takes issue with claims in a report by The New York Times asserting it tried to hide problems at its troubled “clean coal” plant in Mississippi. (Atlanta Business Chronicle)
COMMENTARY:
• The controversy over the viability of Southern Co.’s “clean coal” plant illustrates the pitfalls of inadequate oversight of utilities. (Vox)
• It’s time for other major oil companies to join Exxon Mobil in calling for a carbon tax. (Houston Chronicle)
• Rural electric cooperatives have a chance to “lead the fray” on community solar. (Institute for Local Self Reliance)