CLEAN ECONOMY: A report finds renewable energy industries employ more people in the U.S. than oil and gas. (Bloomberg)
CLIMATE:
• Exxon shareholders approve a resolution that could potentially put a climate activist on the company’s board; meanwhile, shareholders voted down six climate-related resolutions. (Reuters, InsideClimate News)
• An investigation finds Exxon moved to shut down discussion of climate change in the early days of the George W. Bush administration. (Guardian)
• The White House proposes a rule requiring federal contractors to report on greenhouse gas emissions. (The Hill)
CAP AND TRADE: California’s cap-and-trade auction falls well below expectations, potentially jeopardizing the state’s high-speed rail project. (Los Angeles Times)
GRID:
• Consumers across PJM’s service territory will collectively pay $4 billion less for electricity in three years due to energy efficiency gains and a wave of new natural gas plants. (EnergyWire)
• Illinois highlights the struggles coal and nuclear plants face against the challenge of cheap wind. (Bloomberg)
• The North American Reliability Corporation warns against over-reliance on natural gas. (Platts)
• Federal regulators allow behind-the-meter resources to compete in New York capacity auctions. (Utility Dive / RTO Insider)
SOLAR:
• Companies on both sides of a Nevada solar referendum have spent millions on their campaigns. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• Nevada is ground zero in the debate over the benefits of rooftop solar. (Fortune)
• A report that finds net metering is a net benefit for all ratepayers doesn’t necessarily conclude it’s the best solution. (Greentech Media)
• Leasing solar panels is becoming a less popular option for consumers. (Bloomberg)
WIND:
• The industry is facing a “valley of death” in the early 2020s as tax credits wind down and utilities meet initial Clean Power Plan targets. (Utility Dive)
• Oklahoma landowners fight wind farms by registering their land as private airstrips, which some industry representatives call “shamports.” (Oklahoman)
CONGRESS: A key U.S. Senate leader who has been negotiating sweeping energy policy changes says the House is being difficult by adding partisan provisions to the deal. (E&E Daily)
EPA: House lawmakers release a bill that would cut the EPA’s budget by $164 million and limit regulatory authority. (Bloomberg)
COAL ASH: After clearing the House, a bill to reconstitute a commission to oversee ash disposal in North Carolina heads to the Senate and a possible showdown with Gov. Pat McCrory. (Charlotte Observer, Raleigh News & Observer)
OIL AND GAS:
• Exxon and Chevron shareholders defeat resolutions that would have curtailed exploration for new reserves. (Bloomberg)
• An energy conference reveals plans for a major horizontal drilling project in Utah. (Deseret News)
CARBON CAPTURE: Controversy over a Texas project highlights the uncertainty of carbon capture in the U.S. (Washington Post)
COMMENTARY:
• All victims of oil and gas pollution deserve the same treatment granted to neighbors of the Aliso Canyon facility. (Los Angeles Times)
• “My father warned Exxon about climate change back in the 1970s.” (Guardian)