STORAGE: The Biden administration announces $3.1 billion in grants to help develop a domestic supply chain that can manufacture and recycle electric vehicle and energy storage batteries. (New York Times, E&E News)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Achieving the Biden administration’s zero-emissions vehicle goals will require 20 times more electric vehicle chargers than currently exist in the U.S., a consulting group estimates. (Utility Dive)
• Tennessee energy officials say they’ll need to improve electricity distribution systems as more electric vehicles join the grid. (Utility Dive)
• One of the largest U.S. coal mining companies will become a “significant minority shareholder” in a small electric vehicle charging company. (E&E News)
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POLITICS: A bipartisan group of U.S. senators weighs a carbon border tariff and reforming the policy that governs environmental reviews for infrastructure projects as they discuss a climate spending package. (The Hill, E&E News)
GRID:
• Electricity prices are rising amid spiking natural gas prices, and energy experts fear they could continue to rise as utilities expand the grid to adopt clean energy and harden it against extreme weather. (New York Times)
• California’s grid operator sets a new record by meeting 99.9% of its power demand with renewable sources — for a brief moment. (Renewables Now)
PIPELINES:
• Federal regulators reject a pipeline company’s proposal to offer what it touts as “responsibly sourced” natural gas, largely because regulators don’t want to develop sourcing criteria. (S&P Global)
• Carbon capture pipeline proposals raise key questions about whether carbon storage technology will be an effective tool for combating climate change. (South Dakota News Watch)
ELECTRIFICATION: Climate advocates predict Washington state’s heat pump mandate will inspire other states to require electrification via building codes. (E&E News)
UTILITIES: Dozens of energy activists gather in Detroit to support state legislation that would increase financial relief for customers affected by power outages and force more accountability from utilities. (Energy News Network/Planet Detroit)
OIL & GAS:
• Duke Energy identifies a South Carolina gas leak using satellites, illustrating the methane emissions problem experts say plagues the oil and gas industry as it rushes to ramp up production. (Bloomberg)
• The U.S. Supreme Court will take up a case over whether an oilfield consultant who makes more than $200,000 per year should be paid overtime. (E&E News, Bloomberg)
CLIMATE: New York officials ask state residents to help determine whether their neighborhoods should be considered disadvantaged communities under the state’s climate law. (The City)
HYDROGEN: Experts say the technology needed to majorly expand hydrogen production worldwide already exists or will shortly, though North America will have to lead on producing it with renewable energy. (Utility Dive)
COMMENTARY: Any bipartisan energy package should include reforms to the federal law that governs environmental reviews of major infrastructure projects, writes an editorial board. (Wall Street Journal)
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