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)
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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)
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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)