WIND: Maryland’s Public Service Commission approves two offshore wind farms totaling 368 megawatts. (The Hill)
SOLAR:
• The founder and former CEO of SunEdison gives his perspective on current trends in the solar industry. (GreenBiz)
• This summer’s solar eclipse is expected to trigger a 6,000-megawatt shortfall in California’s solar-powered grid, posing a unique challenge to grid operators. (Greentech Media)
• A Minnesota-based solar module manufacturer says it will discontinue its current operation and terminate many of its services, citing pricing pressures and difficult market conditions. (PV-Tech)
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RENEWABLE ENERGY:
• Expanded renewable energy production is causing consistent negative pricing in California, which could threaten the state’s gas plants. (Utility Dive)
• A Chicago-based clean-tech accelerator awards nearly $1 million in early-stage funding to Midwestern startups. (Midwest Energy News)
CLIMATE: Speaking at a meeting of the Arctic Council in Alaska, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. would protect the region, but avoided mentioning the Paris climate accord. (New York Times)
CAP-AND-TRADE:
• An overview of how California’s cap-and-trade program could change under new policies. (Los Angeles Times)
• California’s governor says there’s “a very good chance” of reaching a deal to extend the state’s cap-and-trade program in the next month. (Los Angeles Times)
• Creating one integrated power market in the western United States could expose California’s climate and energy policies to federal attacks from the Trump administration. (San Francisco Chronicle)
PIPELINES:
• The controversial Dakota Access Pipeline could be operational by next month, but it still faces multiple legal challenges and safety concerns. (ThinkProgress)
• An Ohio pipeline spill of two million gallons of drilling mud is raising broader questions about oversight of the industry. (Midwest Energy News)
• By blocking pipeline projects, New York is thwarting the Trump administration’s plans for more energy infrastructure. (Bloomberg)
COAL:
• A West Virginia native sent hundreds of letters to a federal prison to remind former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship of his role in a coal mine disaster that killed 29 miners. (Los Angeles Times)
• Lawyers for Don Blankenship say he will try to appeal his conviction in U.S. Supreme Court. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
NUCLEAR:
• Georgia Power executives say they’re considering all options for the future of the Vogtle nuclear project. (Associated Press)
• A deal to continue construction at Plant Vogtle after contractor Westinghouse filed for bankruptcy expires today and Georgia Power may seek help from the White House. (WABE, Bloomberg)
• Despite its bankruptcy, Westinghouse is awarded a $450 million nuclear fuel contract from the Tennessee Valley Authority. (Times Free Press)
UTILITIES:
• Southern California Edison will boost its revenue by up to $1.4 million a year by using a hybrid power plant that combines battery storage and a quick-start natural gas turbine. (Bloomberg)
• A plan by Dominion Energy to supply 100 percent renewable power to its commercial and industrial customers may prevent third parties from competing and reduce customer choice. (Southeast Energy News)
COMMENTARY:
• Trump’s argument that the U.S. is “paying massive amounts of money” to stay in the Paris climate agreement is based on a myth, says the associate director of energy policy at Center for American Progress. (ThinkProgress)
• Investors shouldn’t believe that Trump’s energy policies will be a boon for the coal and nuclear power industries, says a contributor to Forbes.