COAL:
• Consol Energy agrees to pay Kentucky-based Booth Energy $44 million to assume responsibility for the last of its West Virginia coal operations. (Tribune-Review)
• A study funded by the Energy Foundation calls for the closure of a coal-fired power plant in Kentucky without a shift to natural gas. (Kentucky New Era)
UTILITIES:
• Chattanooga aims to add more than $1 billion to the local economy with one of the most advanced smart grids in the country. (CleanTechnica)
• Entergy New Orleans plans to offer customers $127 in credits over the next five years as part of a restructuring move. (New Orleans Times-Picayune)
• Entergy’s plan for a new natural gas-fired power plant in New Orleans draws growing scrutiny. (Louisiana Weekly)
***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.***
SOLAR: Scientists from the University of Virginia and Cornell University identify how an emerging class of solar cells can drive down system costs. (Science Daily)
NUCLEAR: Southern Co. and other utilities assess how to reduce certain operating costs and explore new revenue sources to keep reactors competitive with natural gas. (EnergyWire)
COAL ASH: A study about the 2014 ash spill into the Dan River bordering Virginia and North Carolina searches for signs of “nutrient reloading.” (Gazette-Virginian)
POLICY: As governor, here’s how Tim Kaine persuaded Virginians – including conservatives – to act on climate change. (Washington Post)
PIPELINES: Planned pipelines in West Virginia move natural gas companies to step up emergency response training. (Register-Herald)
COMMENTARY:
• Does anybody see a clean energy opportunity for West Virginia? (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
• Here’s how Appalachia can start recovering from coal’s decline. (Nexus Media)
• To truly enable more solar energy in Florida vote for Constitutional Amendment 4 in August, then against Amendment 1 in November. (Pensacola News Journal)
• A community newspaper executive rails against a company trying to dispose of coal ash in Georgia. (Florida Times-Union)