CLIMATE: The U.S. and China — the world’s biggest climate polluters — aren’t invited to speak at a United Nations climate summit in a callout of their failures on climate action. (New York Times)

ALSO:
• Billionaire Michael Bloomberg announces a $500 million investment toward shutting down “every last” U.S. coal plant and cutting gas-fired power plant capacity in half by 2030. (Reuters)
• A U.S. lawmaker from Colorado says the Biden administration’s newly formed climate corps — which will employ 20,000 young adults to plant trees, install solar panels and mitigate wildfire hazard — will be especially beneficial to the West. (CPR) 

SOLAR:
• California researchers explore deploying solar panels in space after proving wireless power transfer within a short distance is possible. (New York Times)
• U.S. solar manufacturer First Solar urges the Biden administration to guard the burgeoning domestic solar industry against unfair Chinese competition. (Bloomberg)
• Lucrative tax incentives in the federal climate law have contributed to at least 59 solar factory announcements since it was passed. (S&P Global)

WORKFORCE: Activists wanting to see a more equitable clean energy transition hope Maine becomes a national trendsetter with its recently passed law tying offshore wind procurement to improved worker provisions. (New York Times)

STORAGE: Familiar brands like Duracell and Energizer are entering the home energy storage market as demand grows for storing rooftop solar energy. (Canary Media)

HYDROPOWER: Hydropower advocates say federal relicensing delays for projects such as California’s Oroville Dam threaten grid reliability and power sector decarbonization efforts. (E&E News) 

AIR POLLUTION: Smoke from continental U.S. wildfires is reversing years of progress on improving air quality, a study finds. (Grist)

GRID:
• Decarbonizing the power grid is “critical” to reducing industrial emissions, the U.S. Energy Department says in a new report. (Utility Dive)
• NV Energy says federal permitting delays have put its proposed Greenlink transmission project that would carry solar and wind power across Nevada 11 months behind schedule so far. (KTNV) 

UTILITIES: As Mainers consider forming a public power company by taking over the state’s two investor-owned utilities, the state’s governor says state residents shouldn’t vote for it, citing upfront costs and uncertain long-term benefits. (Rhode Island Current, Portland Press Herald)

PIPELINES:
• Republicans who usually support fossil fuel pipelines turn against carbon pipeline and sequestration projects over their use of eminent domain. (E&E News)
• Carbon pipelines will benefit ethanol producers and large ag companies, experts say, but it’s unclear how much of a financial boon they would be to Midwest farmers. (Des Moines Register)

NUCLEAR: Environmental groups call on the federal government to require a detailed environmental impact study before loaning $1 billion to reopen a shuttered Michigan nuclear plant along Lake Michigan. (Michigan Radio)

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Kathryn brings her extensive editorial background to the Energy News Network team, where she oversees the early-morning production of ENN’s five email digest newsletters as well as distribution of ENN’s original journalism with other media outlets. From documenting chronic illness’ effect on college students to following the inner workings of Congress, Kathryn has built a broad experience in her more than five years working at major publications including The Week Magazine. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism and information management and technology from Syracuse University.