CARBON TAX:
• A bipartisan group releases an online video ad to convince U.S. lawmakers to support a carbon tax. (The Hill)
• A carbon tax plan before Congress would slash American carbon pollution by almost 40 percent within a decade, according to a recent study. (The Atlantic)
POLICY: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders introduce a $100 billion plan to make 1 million public housing units carbon neutral within 10 years. (Washington Post)
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POLITICS:
• The Democratic presidential front-runners all want to reduce carbon emissions, but their policy proposals vary. (E&E News)
• Presidential candidate Joe Biden releases a plan to invest $1.3 trillion in electric vehicle charging stations, clean energy research and other infrastructure. (The Hill)
CLEAN ENERGY:
• New research shows that increased use of solar and wind improves groundwater sustainability. (The Hill)
• Shell’s executive vice president says hydrogen technology would benefit from government subsidies, much like solar has. (Greentech Media)
• More transmission is needed to support large amounts of renewable energy projects pending in grid operator MISO’s western region. (PV Magazine)
SOLAR:
• The U.S. International Trade Commission sides with three of the world’s largest PV manufacturers on a solar patent infringement case that threatened to shut the companies out of the U.S. market. (Greentech Media)
• A leading developer of U.S. offshore and onshore wind projects plans to build a utility-scale 460 MW solar-plus-storage project in West Texas, near existing oil and gas infrastructure in the Permian Basin. (Greentech Media)
EFFICIENCY:
• The California Energy Commission votes to enact tougher energy efficiency standards for light bulbs, bucking the Trump administration rollback of light bulb efficiency standards. (The Hill)
• A new study examines how efficiency programs serve low- and moderate-income residents. (ACEEE)
TRANSPORTATION: Minnesota could achieve net-zero transportation emissions by 2050 almost entirely through more electric and biofuel-powered vehicles, according to a state report. (Energy News Network)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Volkswagen is breaking ground on an $800 million expansion project to build electric vehicles at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. (Associated Press)
NUCLEAR: Members of Congress wants to know why the Energy Department awarded a $115 million contract Centrus Energy Corp — a company whose CEO served as deputy of the department under President Obama — to demonstrate a method of producing fuel for advanced nuclear reactors. (Reuters)
CLIMATE: Harvard researchers say there should be a reporting system that allows companies and policymakers to measure the impact of investments to improve the climate and public health. (E&E News)
OIL & GAS: The Trump administration suspends oil and gas production on 130 plots in Utah following a legal challenge by environmentalists, which alleges that officials did not consider greenhouse gas emissions when granting the oil lease sales. (The Hill)
PIPELINES:
• The Dakota Access expansion proposal faces public hearings in Illinois, North Dakota and Iowa, sparking similar concerns that led to widespread protests in 2016. (E&E News, subscription)
• The FBI is investigating how the state of Pennsylvania granted permits for the controversial Mariner East natural gas pipeline. (Associated Press)
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UTILITIES:
• Experts say utilities will need smarter power grid solutions to drive efficiencies and profits. (Utility Dive)
• California regulators open a formal inquiry into PG&E’s power safety shut-offs, asking the utility to explain why it shouldn’t be fined. (Los Angeles Times, Associated Press)
• Experts blame California’s wildfires and blackouts on a systemic failure by utility management, state regulators, and politicians. (Associated Press)
COMMENTARY: An offshore wind advocate says it will be a $1 trillion industry by 2040, but the world needs the climate and economic benefits now. (Utility Dive)