ELECTRIFICATION: San Jose, California is expected to vote today on banning natural gas in new commercial and high-rise residential buildings starting August 2021. (Mercury News)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• General Motors chooses not to take an 11% stake in Arizona-based electric vehicle company Nikola, dashing its plans for an electric and hydrogen-powered pickup truck. (Associated Press)
• Lucid Motors completes the first phase of construction at its Arizona electric vehicle factory, initially planning to produce up to 30,000 electric cars annually. (Electrek)
• Portland General Electric is co-developing a large public charging site for medium- and heavy-duty electric commercial vehicles with Daimler Trucks North America. (Automotive World)
OIL & GAS:
• A yearlong state audit of California’s process for reviewing fracking and underground injections recommends reforming regulatory procedures found to have been inconsistently carried out. (Bakersfield.com)
• Wyoming is now contributing $30 million to federal funding for the oil and gas industry, aiming to stimulate more than 5,000 jobs by funding the completion of projects delayed by the pandemic. (Wyoming Public Media)
• Bank of America says it will not finance Arctic oil and gas exploration projects. (Bloomberg)
PIPELINES:
• Wyoming environmentalists oppose a proposed pipeline project, concerned about the possible destruction of sensitive wildlife habitat and exacerbation of climate change. (Billings Gazette)
• Eugene, Oregon youth advocate against the use of natural gas in their community, in solidarity with Indigenous land defenders fighting against pipelines. (KLCC)
UTILITIES: California’s utility regulator in a letter to PG&E expresses concerns about the progress of the utility’s wildfire mitigation plan, and will require remediation on specific issues. (Reuters)
MICROGRIDS: A microgrid providing 50 kW of solar generation with a 0.5 MWh battery backup will help protect Soboba Band of Luiseño Indian lands in California threatened by wildfire-related blackouts. (Microgrid Knowledge)
SOLAR:
• New Mexico regulators are expected to vote tomorrow on 300 MW worth of solar power purchase agreements for the state’s largest utility. (Farmington Daily Times)
• A solar farm is at the heart of a land development battle in Northern California, which opponents say would consume protected agricultural land and threaten important native species. (San Francisco Chronicle)
NUCLEAR: University of Idaho researchers announce a “monumental step” in development of molten salt nuclear reactors, which are expected to be smaller, cheaper and safer than existing power plants. (news release)
CLIMATE:
• A new report finds that the City of Helena, Montana is making progress towards its ambitious climate change goals. (Helena Independent Record)
• Great Basin caves reveal life-changing impacts of climate change on ancient peoples, and potential impacts on 56 million Western water users. (InsideClimate News)
COMMENTARY:
• A California columnist says the time has come for Gov. Gavin Newsom to enact a law he signed authorizing the state to take over and/or force the selloff of parts of utility companies failing to discharge their duties. (Napa Valley Register)
• Two business leaders say San Jose’s proposed natural gas ban could lead to increased reliance on diesel generators. (Mercury News)