EFFICIENCY:
• A Texas utility is offering free electricity at night — coupled with slightly higher rates during the day — as a way to change consumption patterns. (New York Times)
• While battles over distributed solar have garnered more energy headlines in Wisconsin, advocates say the state is also lagging behind other states in energy efficiency. (Midwest Energy News)

CLIMATE CHANGE:
• The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reach new heights, according to a new report, triggering fears over climate impacts. (Washington Post)
• The World Bank says climate change could push 100 million people worldwide into extreme poverty by 2030 by disrupting agriculture and spreading diseases. (Associated Press)

CLEAN POWER PLAN: A new ad campaign by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg criticizes a small group of attorneys general who are challenging the rules. (The Hill)

FRACKING: A new study says the U.S. fracking boom has led to big economic benefits to local economies. (Deseret News)

COAL:
• Peabody Energy agrees to make more robust disclosures to investors of the financial risks the company faces from government regulations related to climate change. (New York Times)
• Global coal consumption is poised for its biggest decline in history. (Bloomberg)

OIL AND GAS: Activists allege in a new lawsuit that the city of Los Angeles applied a regulatory system for oil drilling in a discriminatory fashion against low-income minorities. (Reuters)

CARBON: The United Nations quietly raises the ceiling at which greenhouse gases must peak to avoid dangerous climate change. (Associated Press)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A low-profile company is surveying states where it wants to build a $1 billion electric vehicle manufacturing plant. (Associated Press)

NUCLEAR:
• Federal regulators plan to update inspection and assessment methods for aging nuclear power plants. (EnergyWire)
• While the White House pledges to give more attention to nuclear plants to reduce carbon emissions, the industry is still waiting for action. (E&E Daily)

UTILITIES: A new report outlines how utilities can prosper without controversial fixed charges. (Greentech Media)

KEYSTONE XL: Obama’s rejection of the project may lift political pressure off of Canada’s new liberal leader Justin Trudeau. (New York Times)

POLITICS: Republicans in Kentucky are using President Obama’s “war on coal” as a big reason to support them at the polls. (Associated Press)

BUSINESS: Wal-Mart is making good on its renewable energy pledges. (Christian Science Monitor)

2010 GULF OIL SPILL: A former BP engineer accused of deleting text messages after the Gulf oil spill pleads guilty to lesser charges. (Associated Press)

DIESEL VEHICLES: U.S. and Canadian regulators are significantly expanding vehicle emissions testing from diesel cars out of concerns that cheating could be prevalent across the industry. (New York Times) 

COMMENTARY: Critics of the climate activists who successfully fought Keystone XL fail to understand the basic premise of the campaign. (Vox)