CLIMATE: Documents and interviews reveal the extent of an oil industry campaign to undermine climate action, including front organizations made to look like grassroots movements, pro-industry news sites, and at least one fake social media profile to monitor activists. (New York Times) 

ALSO:
• President-elect Biden’s transition team, which includes a notable roster of climate experts, releases a plan to “achieve U.S. leadership on climate change.” (E&E News)
• Some oil executives say they’re not worried about the pace of climate action expected under Biden. (CNBC)
• Confirmation of Biden’s EPA administrator is expected to be particularly contentious if Republicans maintain control of the Senate. (The Hill)
• Tucson, Arizona is centering climate justice and equity in its green transition plan. (The Guardian)

***SPONSORED LINK: The New England Energy Summit, Nov. 16, 23 and 30 will bring together industry leaders, end users and policymakers to address emerging issues and engage in impactful discussion. Featuring keynote speakers Ernest J. Moniz and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. Register at newenglandenergysummit.com .***

TRANSMISSION: Using highway and railroad rights-of-way could help accelerate a national transmission line expansion, but costs remain daunting. (Utility Dive)

ELECTRIFICATION:
• San Francisco officials vote unanimously to ban natural gas connections in new buildings starting next year. (San Francisco Chronicle)
• San Jose, California may expand its gas prohibition ordinance and require all new commercial buildings to be powered entirely by electricity. (San Jose Spotlight)

OHIO: Republican state lawmakers remain divided as hearings resume over whether to repeal, replace or maintain the state’s power plant subsidy law at the center of a corruption scandal. (Columbus Dispatch)

POLLUTION: A study shows Pittsburgh-area children living near power plants and other polluting sites have three times the national average rates of childhood asthma. (StateImpact Pennsylvania)

OIL & GAS:
• Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon will use $15 million in federal funds to help the state’s struggling oil and gas industry. (Casper Star-Tribune)
• A bill filed this week in Texas would add a 1 cent per kWh tax to wind, solar, coal and nuclear generation but would exempt natural gas. (Houston Chronicle)

CLEAN ENERGY: An Ohio air quality agency seeks applications for a program that finances clean energy projects on commercial properties. (Energy News Network)

WIND: Wyoming lawmakers advance a bill that would make wind energy producers pay more in taxes in the first three years of new projects in a 7-6 vote. (Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

SOLAR: Utah regulators come to an agreement with Rocky Mountain Power to reduce the price for export credits paid to solar customers on the grid. (Daily Energy Insider)

HYDROGEN: The U.S. Department of Energy awards nearly $14 million to build a hydrogen energy production facility at Xcel Energy’s Prairie Island nuclear plant in Minnesota. (Associated Press)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Electric vehicle sales in Massachusetts begin to recover post-pandemic as the state seeks to put its incentive programs on more stable footing. (Energy News Network)

***SPONSORED LINK: The Virginia, Maryland and DC solar markets are rapidly changing thanks to groundbreaking legislation. MDV-SEIA, is hosting its annual Solar Focus conference virtually Nov. 17-18 featuring legislators, utilities, and developers active in the region. A career development track is also available. Register today!***

POLITICS: President Trump’s vote totals surged in Pennsylvania’s gas-producing counties, but were more than offset in suburban counties with greater populations and anti-fracking sentiment. (E&E News, subscription required)

COMMENTARY:
• Advocates say that despite utilities’ progress on emissions, “they are stuck in an antiquated mind-set” driving continued fossil fuel investments. (New York Times)
• Without new transmission projects, states like Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin will be hindered in achieving long-term carbon reduction targets, clean energy advocates say. (Utility Dive)
• Federal energy researchers say utility programs could expand voluntary renewable energy programs to more customers. (Greentech Media)

Avatar photo

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.