WIND: A federal auction for rights to develop offshore wind in three areas in the Gulf of Mexico receives mediocre response with a high bid of $5.6 million for the area off Louisiana, while two areas off Texas did not receive bids. (Reuters, Texas Tribune)

ALSO:
• An industry group says the Gulf auction “is nonetheless a critical step for the energy transition” in an area that poses unique challenges to offshore wind development. (Canary Media)
• SouthCoast Wind’s developer agrees to pay $60 million, pending state approval, to cancel its power purchase agreement with three Massachusetts utilities, which it says it can no longer honor amid rising costs. (CommonWealth Magazine)

CLEAN ENERGY:
• Republican U.S. Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming looks to channel Inflation Reduction Act funds to clean energy projects in his state even though he voted against the bill, calling it a “reckless green spending spree.” (Inside Climate News)
• Ohio electric cooperatives, heavily dependent on coal, seek a share of federal Inflation Reduction Act funding that would cut costs for renewables and storage while reducing emissions. (Energy News Network)
• The Treasury Department releases guidance on wage and apprenticeship requirements for projects using clean energy tax credits. (Reuters)

UTILITIES: A consultant says utilities “just haven’t adapted yet” to an increased risk of wildfires made more likely by climate change, as billions of dollars in damages pile up. (CNBC)

GRID:
• Texas’ electric grid manager issued yet another conservation warning due to a high level of unexpected outages from natural gas and coal plants and projected low wind generation. (Houston Chronicle)
• The U.S. Energy Department awards Washington state $23 million to harden the power grid against extreme weather and wildfires. (Washington State Standard)

CLIMATE: A UN human rights panel recognizes children’s right to sue governments over climate change, but the U.S. is the lone country that has not signed the underlying Convention on the Rights of the Child treaty. (New York Times)

TRANSPORTATION: Executives from multiple companies, including Xcel Energy and Delta, announce a partnership to create a sustainable aviation fuel hub at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. (WCCO)

SOLAR: Distributed solar and storage have become key strategies in addressing Puerto Rico’s persistent power outages, providing lessons for the rest of the country. (CNET)

COMMENTARY: An editorial board says the Biden administration is dragging its feet on tightening ozone regulations until after the election. (Los Angeles Times)

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Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.