GRID: Battery storage, only recently considered an unattainable “holy grail,” is already providing electricity to California’s grid equivalent to a mid-sized power plant. (New York Times)

ALSO: Hurricane Laura caused “catastrophic” damage to Louisiana’s electric grid and transmission towers, according to Entergy, which will leave some customers without power for weeks. (Daily Energy Insider)

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CLIMATE:
• A new report from an energy consultant suggests a Biden win would rapidly accelerate clean energy adoption, though a critic says it overestimates the power the president has on energy policy. (Utility Dive)
• Congressional Democrats push for questions about climate change in upcoming presidential debates, noting the topic was not raised once in 2016. (The Hill)
• Hoboken, New Jersey, files suit in state court against Exxon and other oil companies alleging they knew of the harmful effects of burning fossil fuels on the climate. (InsideClimateNews)

EQUITY: A United Nations committee is exploring whether the Trump administration’s process to advance drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge failed to adequately consult with Indigenous people. (The Hill)

SOLAR:
• A new initiative pushed by clean energy advocates in Appalachia will install up to 12 megawatts of solar power in Virginia’s historic coalfield region over the next three years. (Energy News Network)
• Offshore wind energy giant Ørsted is investing heavily in solar, with projects in the works in Texas and Alabama. (Greentech Media)

OHIO:  Repealing Ohio’s power plant bailout would save ratepayers money and provide environmental benefits if clean energy standards are reinstated, repeal supporters say. (Energy News Network/Eye on Ohio)

NUCLEAR: Developers of a small-scale nuclear reactor are undeterred as a third Utah city considers backing out of the project. (Reuters)

PIPELINES: The battle in New Jersey over the PennEast pipeline may be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court as parties await a filing from the federal government. (NJ Spotlight)

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TRANSPORTATION: While natural gas is still a preferred fuel option in the waste industry, electric trucks are gaining ground. (Waste Dive)

COMMENTARY:
• Three California city officials say climate change is the cause of the state’s power capacity problems, and adding more emission-free electricity to the state’s grid is the solution. (Mercury News)
• An environmental group says regulators need to end utility shut-offs for non-payment, since many people could lose power even as the pandemic continues. (NRDC)
• The head of a nuclear energy trade group says nuclear plants are still necessary to keep power sector emissions low despite the “frustrating and even heartbreaking” scandal unfolding in Ohio. (Cleveland.com)

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Ken Paulman

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.