RENEWABLES:
• Georgia Power agrees to add as much as 1,600 megawatts of new renewable energy capacity, a roughly three-fold boost over its earlier plan. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• Georgia utility regulators are to decide today just how much solar and wind energy to require from Georgia Power. (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)
OIL & GAS: Environmental groups file a federal lawsuit to stop a Texas oil company from exploring for oil and gas in a Florida preserve. (Naples Daily News)
***SPONSORED LINK: Join climate advocates August 4 from 12-1 p.m. ET on a webinar to learn about Climate Central’s research on “Global Warming and Sizzling Summers in the Southeast.” RSVP here.***
FRACKING: The new county planning board in Jackson County, North Carolina moves to limit fracking. (Smoky Mountain News)
NATURAL GAS:
• Record demand for liquefied natural gas through export terminals in Louisiana signals the need for infrastructure upgrades. (Argus Media)
• America’s shale gas – via an export terminal in Louisiana – heads to East Asia for the first time. (Bloomberg)
COAL ASH:
• A non-profit calls for closer monitoring of ash disposal by Georgia Power. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• Environmental groups hail a settlement with the TVA on ash waste water. (Nashville Public Radio)
SOLAR:
• The TVA seeks comments on a proposed power purchase agreement for a solar system near Selmer, Tennessee. (The Chattanoogan)
• A nonprofit introduces the concept of a bulk-purchasing solar co-op to residents in north-central West Virginia. (WDTV)
• A team from Appalachian State University qualifies its solar-powered vehicle for the 2016 American Solar Challenge. (Appalachian State University News)
COAL: A West Virginia Congressman outlines a plan to help preserve retired miners’ health benefits and pensions. (Logan Banner)
NORTH CAROLINA: A new report details how the state is becoming a cautionary tale for rollbacks on clean energy and environmental protection. (Southern Environmental Law Center)
TECHNOLOGY: Researchers at Georgia Tech are developing a storage system that could boost the efficiency of solar thermal systems. (Science Daily)
UTILITIES: An Entergy executive pledges a “seamless transition” if its New Orleans unit is allowed to separate from the parent company. (New Orleans Advocate)
COMMENTARY:
• Southern Company is slipping into hot water with its Kemper “clean coal” boondoggle. (Motley Fool)
• Virginia risks a growing competitive disadvantage by not updating its regulatory framework for renewable energy. (Bacon’s Rebellion)
• An environmental advocate rails against North Carolina lawmakers’ bids to restrict wind energy. (Raleigh News & Observer)
• The benefits of wind farms in southwestern Virginia far outweigh any drawbacks. (The Roanoke Times)