SOLAR: Solar is the fastest growing U.S. power source, rivaling the shale boom. (Bloomberg)
ALSO: The U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday announced a $32 million funding program to support jobs and research in the solar energy sector. (The Hill)
CLEAN POWER PLAN:
• Proposed EPA emissions limits for power plants could reduce U.S. greenhouse gas output to levels not seen since the early 1980s, according to government calculations. (FuelFix)
• As coal-fired power plants in Kentucky continue to close, the state is closing in on compliance with the EPA’s proposed limits for carbon emissions. (InsideClimate News)
WIND: As reducing greenhouse gas emissions becomes more urgent, wind is expected to become one of the country’s largest sources of energy by mid-century, as shown in two new maps from the U.S. Department of Energy. (Climate Central)
TRANSMISSION: A seven-year quest to connect windmills in Kansas to customers as far away as Virginia highlights the challenge transmission poses to using renewable energy to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. (Bloomberg)
SHARED AIR: A federal court has rejected Kansas’ challenge of the EPA’s decision that the state did not go far enough in ensuring that its air pollution did not blow to neighboring states. (The Hill)
GAS TAX: The U.S. oil and gas industry is mounting an aggressive campaign to beat back a Pennsylvania proposal to impose a new tax on natural gas production in the state. (The Hill)
GAS PROTEST: Hundreds of people rallied at Oregon’s capitol on Tuesday, calling on the governor to block two proposed liquefied natural gas export terminals in the state. (Salem Statesman Journal)
CRUDE OIL: The push for cleaner fuels in Oregon and Washington has led to proposals that would bring the region more crude oil and a new refinery along the Columbia River. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
POLICY: Schools, cities and businesses could lose out if Ohio further rolls back state policies that have spurred job growth in the state’s clean energy sector, industry leaders say. (Midwest Energy News)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Utilities throughout the country are looking for authority to spend millions of dollars building out charging networks for electric vehicles that their customers don’t yet drive. (EnergyWire)
EFFICIENCY: Seattle wants to become a leading hub for energy-efficient buildings, complete with a smart-building training and technology center. (National Journal)
ECONOMICS: Utah’s energy sector contributes nearly $21 billion to the economy, supports about 40,000 jobs and pays $656 million in taxes and fees to local and state government, according to a new study. (KSL News)
OIL SPILL: Prosecutors may pursue criminal charges against the company responsible for a pipeline breach that spilled 105,000 gallons of oil into the Pacific Ocean and onto California’s coastline. (VICE News)