EMISSIONS: The US could meet its goals for cutting greenhouse gas emissions without any new rules, according to the World Resources Institute. (BusinessGreen)

COAL: Texas regulators quietly worked with the coal industry to illegally exempt 19 coal-fired power plants from parts of the Clean Air Act, environmental groups claimed in a petition filed Wednesday with the EPA. (InsideClimate News)

SHAREHOLDERS: ExxonMobil and Chevron shareholders overwhelmingly rejected several environmental resolutions, including proposals to put a climate expert on the board and set goals for greenhouse gas emissions. (Associated Press)

SOLAR:
• Georgia Power is poised to take advantage of a new state law that would allow the utility and other solar providers to get into the rooftop solar market more easily. (EnergyWire)
• Residents of a Detroit-area community left in the dark after a utility settlement are hoping to re-light their streets using solar power. (Midwest Energy News)

WIND: Intel has installed 58 micro-turbines atop the roof of its California headquarters, giving it one of the world’s largest arrays of micro-wind turbines. (CleanTechnica)

NUCLEAR: Illinois lawmakers appear to be ignoring power giant Exelon’s threat to close nuclear plants without a hike in electric bills statewide to pump more cash into the facilities. (Crain’s Chicago Business)

HYDRO: The East Texas Electric Cooperative broke ground Wednesday on a 24-megawatt hydroelectric plant that will power some 12,000 Texas homes and generate about $1 million annually for the city of Houston. (FuelFix)

CONSUMERS: Global consumers feel personal accountability to address environmental issues and look to companies as partners in progress, according to survey findings released on Wednesday. (Sustainable Brands)

R&D: Lawrence Berkeley Lab officials on Tuesday unveiled the $59 million, 40,000-square-foot Solar Energy Research Center, aimed at world-changing research in renewable energy. (San Jose Mercury News)

POLITICS: While billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer does not support any of the Republican candidates for president, he sees their campaigns as an opportunity to highlight their positions on energy and climate. (The Hill)

AWARENESS: Ben & Jerry’s on Wednesday unveiled Save Our Swirled, an ice cream flavor inspired by the company’s campaign to raise awareness about the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on our planet. (Yahoo! Food)