SOLAR: The 115 megawatts of new capacity added in the second quarter in North Carolina moves the state into second place for total amount of solar installed in the US. (Charlotte Business Journal)
ALSO:
• South Carolina Electric & Gas unveils plans for a 10-megawatt solar farm in Jasper County. (The Post and Courier)
• The University of South Florida does its part for advancing research and development with installations at its Tampa and St. Petersburg campuses. (WUSF News)
• The city council in Chesapeake, Virginia tries for a third time to make a 241-acre solar farm acceptable to residents near the project. (The Virginian-Pilot)
• A Mississippi town extends a moratorium on solar panels. (Daily Corinthian)
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PIPELINES:
• A new report challenges the need for the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines and spotlights risks to local economies in Virginia. (Southern Environmental Law Center, Daily Progress)
• Developers of the Mountain Valley Pipeline are racking up easements from property owners in four Virginia counties. (Roanoke Times)
COAL ASH: A water bill advancing through the Senate would reverse the EPA’s latest standards for governing the disposal of coal ash. (DeSmog blog)
NUCLEAR:
• Nevada-based Phoenix Energy submits a $38 million bid for the Bellefonte nuclear plant in Alabama. (Alabama Business Journal)
• With the TVA’s Watts Bar 2 unit set to become the 100th fully-operating reactor in the U.S., can the desire for a carbon-free future override fears of nuclear energy? (Guardian)
EFFICIENCY:
• Orlando is to consider this Thursday whether to require all buildings large than 50,000 square feet to publicly report their energy usage or face a fine. (Orlando Sentinel)
• Leaders in Memphis ask the TVA for help reducing energy bills for low-income residents. (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)
• Home designs begin to emerge in a southwest Florida community aiming to conserve energy and draw power from a solar farm. (News-Press)
HYDROPOWER: Duke Energy plans to boost capacity at its Bad Creek pumped storage station in South Carolina by 200 megawatts. (Energy Storage News)
COAL: During a visit to West Virginia University, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz challenges the “war on coal” narrative. (Associated Press)
COMMENTARY: The window for Virginia to capitalize on federal incentives for cleaner energy is closing and complying with the Clean Power Plan can help. (The Roanoke Times)