OIL & GAS: The U.S. will export more oil than it imports next year thanks to a surge in drilling in the Permian Basin, according to the U.S. Energy Department. (CNBC)
ALSO:
• An analysis warns that the U.S. oil and gas boom spells disaster for the climate, releasing pollution equivalent to that from 1,000 coal plants by 2050. (E&E News, HuffPost)
• Families living near gas drilling operations are disproportionately burdened by them, their lawyer tells West Virginia’s Supreme Court. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
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CLIMATE:
• A new study finds 18 states would see higher carbon emissions under the Trump administration’s “Affordable Clean Energy” rule. (The Hill)
• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces plans for a “Green New Deal” aimed at 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2040. (Greentech Media)
• PG&E’s bankruptcy could jeopardize California’s plan to fight climate change through investing in renewable energy projects. (Los Angeles Times)
COAL:
• Six years after the celebrated closure of a Chicago coal plant, nearby residents are unhappy with redevelopment plans that may allow diesel-fueled peaker plants to continue operating there. (Energy News Network)
• Murray Energy’s CEO refuses in court to read a statement to his miners admitting he interfered with their rights to anonymously report safety hazards. (E&E News, subscription)
WIND:
• Wind power is expected to surpass hydro as the U.S. grid’s largest source of renewable electricity in 2019. (Greentech Media)
• With a letter to federal officials this month, New Hampshire becomes the last coastal Northeast state to officially pursue offshore wind. (Energy News Network)
• Developers of the Vineyard Wind project plan to release a compensation offer to the fishing industry today. (Providence Journal)
• Wind power is quickly challenging coal as the primary generation source in Kansas. (KCUR)
SOLAR:
• Global solar investment dropped 24 percent in 2018 in terms of dollars but set a record for capacity added, breaking the 100 GW barrier. (Bloomberg New Energy Finance)
• State regulators start hearings on AEP’s plan to build two solar projects in southern Ohio totaling 400 MW, which could be a “huge leap forward for renewables” in the state. (Dayton Daily News, E&E News, subscription)
OFFSHORE DRILLING:
• The Interior Department intends to bring back workers for an upcoming Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale despite the government shutdown. (Reuters)
• While the federal government is shut down, multiple states are planning to challenge new offshore drilling rules. (Platts)
• Floridians voted for a constitutional ban on offshore drilling, but local officials say they’re at the mercy of the federal government. (U.S. News & World Report)
PIPELINE: The legal fights over the expansion of natural gas pipelines on the East Coast are starting to arrive at the Supreme Court. (E&E News)
GRID: Solar-plus-storage could allow more Illinois utility customers to participate in demand response programs, though the details of how that works are complicated. (Energy News Network)
MICROGRIDS: A microgrid that uses solar, natural gas, and battery storage powers part of Shell’s technology center campus in Houston. (Solar Power World)
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TRANSPORTATION:
• U.S. automaker executives are pressing the Trump administration and California to agree on fuel efficiency and carbon emission standards. (Reuters)
• U.S. cities lag in terms of transit access, speed and comfort relative to other countries, according to a new report. (E&E News)
COMMENTARY:
• The jockeying has begun to define the Green New Deal, including what counts as clean energy and what doesn’t, explains David Roberts. (Vox)
• The lack of voter concern over Wisconsin energy policy shows as utilities and their supportive regulators make decisions that reduce customer choice, a renewable energy advocate says. (Energy News Network)