OFFSHORE WIND:
• The U.S. Interior Department announces it will auction off up to seven offshore wind leases by 2025, including the first auctions off Maine’s coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, and near California and Oregon. (E&E News)
• Small fishing boat operators dread the planned influx of offshore wind projects in their territories, with one New York fisherman calling the farms “the final nail in the coffin” for their industry. (WBUR/E&E News)

OIL & GAS:
• The Biden administration calls for the continued use of natural gas despite climate concerns, calling it a “tool” to address skyrocketing energy prices. (E&E News)
• Millions of Californians live within several hundred feet of polluting oil and gas wells and associated infrastructure, a phenomenon disproportionately affecting low-income communities and people of color. (Capital & Main)  

CLIMATE:
• President Biden will have a “very weak hand” in COP26 climate talks if he fails to get Democrats’ reconciliation bill passed before the summit begins, an Obama-era adviser says. (Bloomberg)
• Global carbon emissions will only fall 40% by 2050 if countries continue on their current climate pledges, the International Energy Agency predicts as it urges world leaders to pledge greater action at the COP26 climate conference. (The Guardian)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Major automakers and parts manufacturers are investing in battery material recyclers, hoping to avoid metal shortages that are only expected to worsen. (S&P Global)
• The governors of South Carolina and Georgia urge congressional leaders to remove language from Democrats’ reconciliation package that increases tax incentive for electric cars built in union plants. (SC Now, Global Atlanta)
• Power prices played a key role in Ford’s decision to make an $11.4 billion investment in Kentucky and Tennessee where publicly owned utilities provide cheaper electricity. (Outlier Media)
• For Rhode Island home renters, a lack of charging infrastructure is a barrier to buying an electric vehicle, so state officials are soliciting public comments on a plan that aims to close the charging gap. (Energy News Network)

TRANSMISSION: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission heard a wave of support for a proposed rule that could require grid planners to proactively prepare for expected renewable growth. (S&P Global)

SOLAR: Utility-scale solar installations seemingly hit a turning point in 2020, according to a national lab’s analysis, and solar-plus-storage projects are becoming increasingly popular as well. (Utility Dive)

COAL ASH: A new report finds fully remediating coal ash disposal sites in the Ohio Valley would create more jobs and protect communities as more coal plants close. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

COMMENTARY:
• Two climate activists call on Americans over 60 to renew the activism of their youth and join younger generations in fighting for climate action. (Los Angeles Times)
• Rich countries need to take on the costs of a global clean energy transition if the world has any hope of staving off climate change’s worst effects, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink writes. (New York Times)

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Kathryn Krawczyk

Kathryn brings her extensive editorial background to the Energy News Network team, where she oversees the early-morning production of ENN’s five email digest newsletters as well as distribution of ENN’s original journalism with other media outlets. From documenting chronic illness’ effect on college students to following the inner workings of Congress, Kathryn has built a broad experience in her more than five years working at major publications including The Week Magazine. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism and information management and technology from Syracuse University.