WIND: Wind power will be cheaper than electricity produced from natural gas within a decade, even without a federal tax incentive, says new a analysis. (Bloomberg)
ENERGY POLICY: Secretary of State John Kerry said in a speech Thursday that the most critical climate-change solution is an energy policy that replaces fossil fuels with solar, wind and other sources of clean energy. (U.S. News & World Report)
SOLAR: Xcel Energy announced Thursday that the company will add 140 megawatts of photovoltaic solar energy to its Texas-New Mexico generation mix. (Lubbock Avalanche Journal)
ALSO: A growing number of companies are selling large-scale battery storage with solar installations to lower costs and address the intermittent nature of solar power. (MIT Technology Review)
BIOFUELS: Legislation in Minnesota to help propel development of advanced biofuels has met with opposition from clean-water advocates who fear it may result in more pollution of state watersheds. (Midwest Energy News)
COAL: China and the U.S. generate the most electricity from inefficient coal-fired power plants that spew greenhouse-gas emissions and guzzle water, says a new study. (Reuters)
KEYSTONE XL: Nebraska lawmakers heard arguments Wednesday over a bill that would strip away eminent domain powers for TransCanada as it tries to route the Keystone XL pipeline through the state. (KETV Omaha)
ALSO: Nearly 60,000 Keystone pipeline opponents have urged Hillary Clinton to avoid a “conflict of interest” in her presidential bid by returning Clinton Foundation donations from foreign governments, including Canada. (The Hill)
OFFSHORE DRILLING: As the Obama administration opens the door to offshore drilling along the East Coast, coastal towns and cities in several states are formally opposing drilling and exploration. (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
COAL ASH: House Republicans released draft legislation Thursday that would no longer require power generators to publicly disclose information about coal ash ponds. (The Hill)
CARBON TAX: With Massachusetts off track in meeting its emissions goal, a state senator is advocating the first carbon tax in the nation. (WBUR Boston)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY: California just released a groundbreaking proposal to set energy-efficiency standards for computers, monitors and signage displays. (NRDC)
CLIMATE CENSORSHIP: Florida Governor Rick Scott’s ban on talking climate change extended to state agencies for transportation, health and water management. (Miami Herald)
OREGON: Governor Kate Brown on Thursday made good on promises to sign a contentious bill extending Oregon’s clean-fuels program. (The Oregonian)