RENEWABLES: Duke Energy’s CEO says the utility will still add another 8 GW of renewables by 2025 despite the pandemic majorly reducing demand and forcing it to slash budgets. (Greentech Media)

ALSO: Virginia regulators prepare to reopen a popular program allowing local governments, school systems and churches to get energy from non-utility solar and wind developers. (Virginia Mercury)

***SPONSORED LINK: Register by May 13 for the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster’s upcoming webinar on innovations in energy resilience, featuring industry leaders across verticals speaking about how digital twins, DERs, intelligent controls, and grid efficiency will protect us from post-pandemic power failures. Learn more at researchtrianglecleantech.org/events.***  

SOLAR: An Arkansas electric cooperative holds a virtual ceremony to bring a new 1 MW solar project online. (Arkansas Business)

WIND:
• Botetourt County, Virginia, officials endorse a plan to increase the height of wind turbines on top of a mountain from 550 to 680 feet. (Roanoke Times)
• An order from federal regulators issued last year that raises prices for offshore wind could block major projects in the mid-Atlantic, analysts say. (E&E News, subscription)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he spoke with Tesla CEO Elon Musk about moving the company’s headquarters to the state due to his frustrations over California’s rules during the pandemic. (Reuters)

PIPELINES: Mountain Valley Pipeline developers say the project will be completed by the end of the year despite a federal judge declining to lift a temporary ban on permits for stream and wetland crossings. (Roanoke Times)

OIL & GAS:
• An Australian company sells a Louisiana liquefied natural gas project to a British company for $2.25 million. (The Advocate)
• A Texas oil and gas regulator doubles down on the agency’s decision not to cut oil production and discusses how difficult the industry’s recovery process will be. (Texas Tribune)

***SPONSORED LINK: Do you know someone who works hard to facilitate the transition to a clean energy economy? Nominate yourself or someone you know for Energy News Networks’ 40 Under 40 today.***

COAL: A coal company cuts 200 jobs in West Virginia and abruptly shuts down an operation in Kentucky, citing a “sudden decline in customer orders.” (WOWK)

COMMENTARY:
• Coal companies shouldn’t be receiving federal money meant to help small businesses to survive during the pandemic, a writer says. (Electrek)
• Florida utility JEA’s energy efficiency plan needs to offer more savings for low-income customers, a clean energy group says. (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)