CLIMATE: Failing to act on climate could cost the world around $178 trillion in the next 50 years, while swiftly reducing emissions could add $43 trillion to the global economy, a report from a consulting firm finds. (Grist)
ALSO:
• Reducing carbon emissions alone will not be enough to curb climate change, a scientific study finds, concluding policies will need to focus on reducing methane, hydrofluorocarbons and other short-lived pollutants. (Inside Climate News)
• Human-caused greenhouse gas pollution trapped 49% more heat in 2021 than in 1990, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration assessment finds. (The Hill)
Sponsored Link
Join the Midwest Solar Expo, June 20-22 in Minneapolis where major industry players will discuss the recent wave of M&A activity, supply chain shortages, the great resignation, and more. Network with industry leaders, explore new products, and make connections. Register today!
NUCLEAR: Some longtime anti-nuclear activists have started advocating for shuttering plants to stay open longer as climate predictions become more dire. (Washington Post)
CLEAN ENERGY:
• The Energy Department will use infrastructure bill money to hire up to 1,000 new employees and fund 21 clean energy projects this summer. (E&E News)
• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management director Amanda Lefton discusses how her department balances rewriting oil and gas drilling policies while preparing for an offshore wind buildout. (E&E News)
• A federal bill seeks to boost domestic production of heat pumps in hopes of lowering costs for consumers. (HuffPost)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Many people underestimate how many regular trips they could make in an electric vehicle, likely keeping them from switching from gasoline-powered vehicles, researchers find. (Grist)
GRID:
• President Biden intends to renominate Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Richard Glick to a second term. (Utility Dive)
• U.S. coal and natural gas power plants that export power out of state accounted for about 700 premature deaths in 2019, a peer-reviewed study from California researchers finds. (news release)
OIL & GAS:
• The Biden administration is reportedly considering tapping diesel reserves to address high fuel costs. (The Hill)
• Oil refiners are seeing record-breaking profit margins but stop short of building new refineries or reopening those shut down during the pandemic. (Marketplace)
• A new report by a nonprofit advocacy group finds hospitals, schools and more than half a million people in South Florida are within one mile of truck and rail routes used to ship liquefied natural gas. (Florida Bulldog)
• Natural gas power generation has recently dropped in the Western U.S. as renewable capacity grows. (S&P Global)
UTILITIES: An Xcel Energy time-of-us pilot program launched in November 2020 in two Twin Cities neighborhoods has slightly reduced electricity usage during peak hours but is not producing meaningful savings for customers so far. (Energy News Network)
Help us create a new weekly newsletter!
The Energy News Network is working to expand our newsletter offerings, and we’d like your help. Your responses to this survey will help us understand how to serve you better as we work to develop a weekly energy newsletter.
COAL: The Biden administration unveils how states and some Indigenous communities can access $725 million in funding to clean up abandoned coal mines. (E&E News)
COMMENTARY:
• A climate scientist and an electrification advocate push Congress to pass a bill that encourages manufacturers to produce heat pumps instead of standalone air conditioners. (Canary Media)
• A classic Snoop Dogg song sums up resource inadequacy across the U.S. power market, two lawyers write. (Utility Dive)
More from the Energy News Network: Midwest | Southeast | Northeast | West