SOLAR: Nevada conservationists urge the state to develop a management plan guiding utility-scale solar development, saying the state and federal incentive-driven land rush is a “free for all.” (Nevada Independent)

ALSO:
• An industry study finds the number of solar-related jobs in New Mexico has declined over the past five years, but predicts federal and state policies will kickstart growth in 2023. (Carlsbad Current-Argus, subscription)
• Colorado’s economic development commission approves financial incentives for a solar cell manufacturer considering establishing a production facility in the state. (The Gazette)
• A California researcher develops a perovskite solar cell that is smaller, cheaper and more efficient than conventional silicon to power wearable health sensors. (news release)

OIL & GAS:
• Colorado regulators approve guidelines for measuring and verifying oil and gas pollution, with a goal of tying emissions reductions to production levels.  (Colorado Sun)
• Environmental advocates give the Biden administration’s proposed oil and gas reforms mixed reviews, while the petroleum industry pans them as an attempt to “restrict essential energy development.” (High Country News)
• U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat, introduces legislation that would allow the U.S. EPA to regulate chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. (news release)

GRID:
• California’s grid operator secures additional generating resources to help it meet heat-driven demand after calling on residents to conserve energy for about an hour last week. (Reuters)
• Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs asks utilities to detail plans for preventing and recovering from power outages and assisting customers who fall behind on bills as the state enters a fourth week of extreme heat. (Arizona Republic, subscription) 

MICROGRIDS: Idaho researchers develop a mobile “microgrid in a box” that relies on multiple generation sources to restore electrical supply after a power outage. (news release)

UTILITIES: Advocates hope Public Service Company of New Mexico’s upcoming rate case will resolve long-running disputes over coal and nuclear plant investments and closures. (Santa Fe New Mexican) 

HYDROGEN:
• A California startup is building a green hydrogen-producing electrolyzer manufacturing facility in the central part of the state. (Canary Media)
• A California transit district’s hydrogen fueling station catches fire, destroying a $1.1 million bus. (Bakersfield Californian)  

URANIUM: A company prepares to reopen its idled uranium mine in Wyoming, but says it won’t resume operations until the commodity’s price is consistently above $60 per pound. (Buffalo Bulletin)

COAL: A Colorado city considers options for repurposing a shuttered coal plant site as demolition of the facility begins. (The Gazette)

COMMENTARY:
• Tackling climate change requires a fundamental shift in the economic system, a California editorial board argues, which includes moving on from corporations that profit from fossil fuel burning. (Los Angeles Times)
• A Colorado emergency physician calls on policymakers to require landlords to provide air-conditioning for all tenants and wants governments to subsidize cooling costs for low-income households. (Colorado Sun)

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Jonathan hails from southwestern Colorado and has been writing about the land, cultures, and communities of the Western United States for more than two decades. He compiles the Western Energy News digest. He is the author of three books, a contributing editor at High Country News, and the editor of the Land Desk, an e-newsletter that provides coverage and context on issues critical to the West.