RENEWABLE TAX CREDITS:
• The House minority leader says she may not have enough votes for more than a two-year extension of tax credits for solar and wind energy(Greentech Media)
Extending federal tax credits will have greater impact on some renewable sectors than on others. (New York Times)

CLIMATE:
• Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz emphasized energy innovation to make progress in Paris. (EnergyWire)
Federal officials are turning over climate science documents after being subpoenaed by a House committee. (The Hill)
Billionaire Tom Steyer is backing a major clean-energy initiative in Washington state. (Seattle Times)
New Jersey lawmakers urge Gov. Chris Christie to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. (NorthJersey.com)

***SPONSORED LINK: Rocky Mountain Institute’s e-Lab Accelerator is calling on America’s most innovative teams at the forefront of the electricity transformation looking to take projects to the next level. See if your project is eligible for this invitation-only event April 24—27. ***

SOLAR:
• Solar City is selected as the company to install arrays at federal offices in Nevada and California. (Sacramento Business Journal)
Experts say there is still plenty of room for the industry to grow by making technology more efficient and cheaper. (ClimateWire)

COAL:
• The International Energy Agency says global coal demand stalled for the first time since the ’90s. (Associated Press)
Federal regulators will consider tighter pollution controls for two coal plants near national parks in Utah. (Associated Press)

REGULATION:
• Environmental groups are divided over a deal between the Sierra Club and an Ohio utility for income guarantees for some of its power plants. (Midwest Energy News)
• The chairwoman of the Arizona utility regulatory commission resigns amid controversy over conflict of interest allegations. (Phoenix Business Journal)

EFFICIENCY: A Minnesota entrepreneur lobbies the White House to focus more attention on energy efficiency as a key tactic in meeting emissions goals. (Midwest Energy News)

CLEAN POWER PLAN: EPA opponents believe a federal court ruling on mercury emissions will bolster their case against the Clean Power Plan. (Greenwire)

OIL AND GAS:
• Federal lawmakers from 11 states are concerned over postponements in oil and gas lease sales. (Associated Press)
• A North Dakota lawsuit could open the doors for mineral rights owners to sue companies over flared natural gas. (Bismarck Tribune)
A plan to repeal the crude oil export ban has been in the works among some lawmakers for over a year. (E&E Daily)
Hillary Clinton says she is “very skeptical” of plans for offshore drilling on the eastern seaboard. (The Guardian)

***SPONSORED LINK: The Grid Modernization Forum, January 19-20 in Chicago, is a focused industry conference examining the integration of renewables, energy storage, microgrids, engaging the customer, and key regulatory issues.  Enter “US-News” when registering for 10% off.  ***

BATTERIES: A major energy storage company plans to buy 1 gigawatt’s worth of batteries to supply customers for grid storage. (Fortune)

COMMENTARY:
• With a proposed tax credit extension, “Christmas came early for America’s solar industry.” (Solar Industry Magazine)
The Paris climate accord is a “big, big deal.” (New York Times)
2015 was a “banner year for prudent, forward-thinking utility commissioners” who largely rejected fixed fee increases. (NRDC Switchboard)

Andy compiles the Midwest Energy News digest and was a journalism fellow for Midwest Energy News from 2014-2020. He is managing editor of MiBiz in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was formerly a reporter and editor at City Pulse, Lansing’s alternative newsweekly.

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