PIPELINES: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a revised opinion says Mountain Valley Pipeline construction would not likely jeopardize five endangered or threatened species of fish, bats and plants. (Roanoke Times)
OIL & GAS:
• A group of investment managers call on Texas regulators to ban the routine flaring of natural gas from the state’s shale fields. (Bloomberg)
• A group seeking to oust U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham targets the South Carolina Republican for his openness to offshore oil and gas drilling. (Associated Press)
• West Virginia economic development officials are expected to vote tomorrow on a $5.5 million loan guarantee for a proposed gas-fired power plant. (Herald-Dispatch)
***SPONSORED LINK: National Clean Energy Week Policy Makers Symposium is September 21-25. Register to hear from members of Congress and leading clean energy innovators. Register today at https://nationalcleanenergyweek.org.***
GRID:
• Texas avoided an electricity price surge this summer thanks to cooler weather, greater generating capacity, and stay-at-home guidelines. (Houston Chronicle)
• Advocates want South Carolina lawmakers to study the potential of a regional transmission organization to lower utility bills and boost renewables. (Statehouse Report)
SOLAR:
• A report says Jacksonville, Florida, lags in rooftop solar relative to its potential, and advocacy groups blame municipal utility JEA for unfriendly policies. (WJCT)
• The number of large solar projects is surging in the U.S., with Texas playing a big role in the industry’s growth this year. (PV Magazine)
• A Georgia city council approves a solar ordinance that allows rooftop installations but limits ground-mounted systems to agricultural or industrial land. (Times-Enterprise)
• Critics of a proposed $166 million solar farm in South Carolina raise concerns with county officials about what will happen to the panels after the end of their useful life. (My Horry News)
• A Tennessee city prepares to seek quotes on solar energy projects after a new contract with TVA gave it some sourcing flexibility. (Daily Times)
• An insurance company and a partner acquire $200 million in solar projects from a developer in North Carolina. (Columbus Dispatch)
EFFICIENCY:
• A Florida school district considers an $8.9 million contract to fix an aging HVAC system and improve energy efficiency, including LED lighting. (Greeneville Sun)
• A Kentucky city’s municipal utility continues to make steady progress upgrading street lights to energy efficient LEDs. (Messenger-Inquirer)
OVERSIGHT:
• The Alabama Supreme Court rules that state regulators were within their rights to remove a person for recording a hearing in November on a utility’s controversial solar fees. (Montgomery Advertiser)
• North Carolina regulators seek alternatives to a Duke Energy proposal to charge customers nearly $490 million for coal-ash cleanup. (Charlotte Business Journal)
COAL: Coal miners living with black lung disease face greater challenges and complications amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Allegheny Front)
NUCLEAR: Dominion Energy seeks federal approval to continue operating two nuclear reactor units in Virginia until 2058 and 2060. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
WIND: The University of Tennessee receives $1.1 million in federal funding to develop new technology for large-scale recycling of wind turbine blades. (news release)
***SPONSORED LINK: Energy vs Climate is a webinar series and podcast that breaks down the trade-offs and hard truths of the energy transition in Alberta, Canada, and beyond. Episode 4: Build Back Better explores options for a post-COVID energy recovery. Register now!***
POLITICS:
• With Texas suburbs emerging as a political battleground, conservative groups argue clean energy could be a winning issue for Republicans. (Empire-Tribune)
• An annual coal miners union picnic goes virtual amid the pandemic but still attracts political candidates seeking to win over voters. (MetroNews)
COMMENTARY: The combination of traditional and new energy businesses can help get Texas’ economy back on track, writes the head of a coalition of wind, solar and storage developers. (Houston Chronicle)