COAL:
U.S. electricity generated from coal drops to its lowest level since at least 1970. (Climate Central)
ALSO:
• One analysis says President Obama’s coal moratorium may have a bigger impact on climate change than the Clean Power Plan. (Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis)
• The moratorium on federal mining leases creates an air of pessimism in Wyoming coal country. (Associated Press)
• Mining companies are finding that structuring production so it flexes with demand may be key to their survival. (Platts)
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SOLAR: Net metering changes will create an obstacle for Nevada businesses hoping to use solar power to meet sustainability goals. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
OIL AND GAS:
• An industry lawsuit could force Texas to issue more than $4 billion in tax refunds. (Texas Tribune)
• Calls against drilling off North Carolina’s coast are coming from both political parties. (New Bern Sun Journal)
• Oklahoma’s governor sets aside more than $1 million in emergency funds for earthquake research. (UPI)
• The company responsible for a massive gas leak in southern California knew about structural problems a year before the incident. (InsideClimate News)
WIND: The Department of Energy has designed a 50 MW offshore wind turbine with 650-foot blades that fold in to withstand high winds. (Gizmodo)
TRANSMISSION:
• How high-voltage direct current transmission lines could play a key role in cutting carbon emissions on the U.S. grid. (Greentech Media)
• Developers of a transmission line are under pressure in Arizona to guarantee at least 50 percent of its capacity will be used for clean energy. (Arizona Daily Star)
CLIMATE:
• Money managers and Wall Street investors are now on “alert” about the impact climate change can have on stock prices. (ClimateWire)
• A coalition of business, environmental and religious groups are backing a bill to establish a carbon tax in Rhode Island. (Rhode Island Public Radio)
NUCLEAR:
• The U.S. Senate looks to prioritize using nuclear energy as a way to reduce carbon emissions. (Forbes)
• An environmental coalition is working to save a California nuclear plant. (San Francisco Chronicle)
ETHANOL: Outside of Iowa, the federal ethanol mandate is losing favor among policy experts and clean-energy advocates. (New York Times)
HYDROPOWER: The hydropower industry objects to being excluded from a Clean Power Plan investment program. (HydroWorld)
ELECTRIC CARS: A Georgia lawmaker introduces legislation to reinstate a tax credit for buying or leasing electric vehicles. (Atlanta Business Chronicle)
COMMENTARY:
• In the ten years since President George W. Bush declared the U.S. was “addicted to oil,” has anything changed? (Daily Climate)
• Utilities’ strategy to protect profits in the face of technological challenges “is outdated and unsustainable.” (New York Times)
• Will oil’s collapse make Alaska the next Detroit? (CNBC)