WIND: Rhode Island lawmakers on Monday marked the start of construction on the nation’s first offshore wind farm at Block Island. (The Hill)
ALSO: Indiana could triple its wind power capacity in the next decade or so, from the current 1,744 megawatts to 5,000 or more, which would require erecting 2,000 wind turbines to join the state’s current 1,031. (Indianapolis Star)
HYDRO:
• Hydropower provides approximately seven percent of the U.S. electricity supply, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s first-ever report to quantify the current size, scope and variability of U.S. hydropower supplies. (FierceEnergy)
• The West Coast could see power brownouts in coming months as hydro power stations struggle with the four-year drought, the U.S. energy secretary said Monday. (Reuters)
KEYSTONE XL: South Dakota’s Public Utility Commission decided Monday to postpone whether to renew the expired permit for the Keystone XL pipeline’s route through the state from May to late July or early August. (South Dakota Public Broadcasting)
GEOTHERMAL: The U.S. Energy Department awarded $2 million in grants Monday to scientists in five western states to research tapping geothermal energy they say someday could provide enough power to supply 100 million homes. (Associated Press)
BIOFUEL: More than six in 10 voters support the law requiring that ethanol and biodiesel be blended into traditional fossil fuels, according to a poll commissioned by a biofuel industry group. (The Hill)
LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS: The U.S. has four liquefied natural gas export projects under construction, several more facing final investment decisions, and the first LNG cargo slated to ship from a Louisiana terminal before year’s end. (EnergyWire)
SOLAR: As drought denies California farmer water allocations this year, some are ditching produce for a more profitable alternative—installing solar farms. (Newsweek)
FRACKING: A bill passed Monday in Florida’s House that would allow fracking to continue in the state but put a moratorium in place until a study and agency rule-making is done. (Tallahassee Democrat)
GRID: US energy grid is vast, outdated and increasingly vulnerable to threats, US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz told reporters Monday. (The Christian Science Monitor)
EPA RULE: Fifteen states suing the EPA told a federal court that the agency’s public comment period for its emissions rule for power plants is a “sham” because it has already made up its mind about the rule. (The Hill)
NUCLEAR: The Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation’s largest public utility, is quietly scaling back expansion plans for nuclear power. (Marketplace)
MARIJUANA: As Oregon prepares for legal marijuana July 1, the state’s energy agency is looking for ways to curb electricity use by indoor pot growers. (The Daily Astorian)