CLEAN ENERGY: Developers of some of the largest clean energy projects in the U.S. are reporting either little or no delays amid the coronavirus pandemic. (InsideClimate News)
ALSO: Pennsylvania releases a report that says emissions would drop 10 times more than they otherwise would over the next decade if the state joins a regional cap-and-trade compact. (StateImpact Pennsylvania)
***SPONSORED LINK: Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy has an exciting opportunity for an energetic and strategic leader to drive our climate work: Join our team as MCEA’s Climate Program Director! Apply here.***
SOLAR: As residential solar sales drop, some solar companies are countering with unprecedented discounts to keep signing up customers. (Greentech Media)
WIND: New York delays a solicitation for 2,500 MW of offshore wind scheduled for the summer due to uncertainty caused by COVID-19. (E&E News, subscription)
COAL:
• “Just about everything that can go wrong, has gone wrong for the coal industry,” says a coal industry analyst at Wood Mackenzie. (NPR)
• As the coal industry continues to decline, West Virginia is grappling with how to handle mine lands abandoned by coal companies. (Quartz)
• Coal communities in east Tennessee and Kentucky are trying to protect high-risk black lung disease patients while groups pressure Congress for more financial support in Appalachia. (Southerly)
PIPELINES: In response to a recent Keystone XL court ruling, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers suspends a program that has been used for decades to approve stream and wetland crossings for pipelines, power lines and other utility projects. (Associated Press)
OIL & GAS:
• Shipping companies are cashing in on the oil glut, bringing in as much as $200,000 a day to store or transport crude on tankers. (New York Times)
• In a 10-day span of the oil market crash, 2,500 oil and gas workers in Texas have lost their jobs. (Houston Chronicle)
• Caverns in the Permian Basin are one of several storage opportunities for temporarily storing crude oil that could be considered by U.S. energy companies and others. (S&P Global)
• As carbon emissions fall during the pandemic, methane emissions are likely to rise because oil and gas companies are putting off maintenance. (Bloomberg)
HEATING:
• Vermont environmentalists are divided over whether the state should use its vast forest resources to heat buildings. (Energy News Network)
• A report commissioned by Rhode Island says the state could transition from oil and gas for home heating over three decades at relatively low cost. (Providence Journal)
TRANSPORTATION:
• Colorado reveals its most comprehensive plan yet for transitioning to electric cars and trucks in the coming years. (Colorado Public Radio)
• New York City will likely delay a plan set for next year to charge drivers extra fees for driving in certain parts of the city due to the coronavirus pandemic. (E&E News, subscription)
NUCLEAR: The Trump administration releases recommendations for bolstering the nation’s struggling nuclear industry, including a proposed $150 million investment to launch a federal uranium reserve. (E&E News)
GRID: Google is experimenting with load-shifting at data centers, scheduling “non-urgent” computing tasks during peak clean energy hours. (Greentech Media)
***SPONSORED LINK: Join a dynamic and growing organization that works to deliver Midwest renewable energy through policy, technical, and regulatory avenues. Clean Grid Alliance is hiring a Vice President—State Policy to be part of our team. Learn more and apply today!***
CLIMATE:
• Front-line communities face a dual threat from climate change and the coronavirus outbreak, say activists and analysts. (E&E News)
• The coronavirus pandemic is forcing cities and states to redirect money from projects that would have helped provide climate resilience. (New York Times)
• Microgrids and offshore wind energy are among new clean energy technologies the Great Lakes region is using to tackle climate change. (Pulitzer Center)
COMMENTARY:
• The coronavirus pandemic has revealed what cars have done to our cities and gives us impetus to rethink our urban space, an author writes. (The Atlantic)
• The coronavirus pandemic is not just a public health crisis, it’s an environmental justice crisis, a journalist writes. (Grist)
• Climate journalist Emily Atkins writes about “first-time climate dudes” and why she doesn’t want to review Michael Moore’s new movie. (Heated)