GRID: Utilities could deliver more clean power over existing transmission lines during cool and breezy weather, but few are willing to embrace dynamic line ratings because of bureaucracy and cost concerns. (E&E News)

ALSO:
• Policy measures — and some luck — prevented prolonged outages over the past year, but climate change is exacerbating threats to grid reliability. (Utility Dive)
• A study commissioned by California’s grid operator study finds a proposed Western day-ahead power market could increase renewable power output and save the region up to $1.2 billion. (Utility Dive)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• An Atlanta warehouse serves as a testing ground for the U.S. Postal Service’s plan to use Inflation Reduction Act funding to upgrade its facilities to accommodate a new fleet of electric vehicles. (Washington Post)
• U.S. school districts face a busload of work as they prepare to spend federal funding on electric school buses and charging equipment. (Canary Media)

EFFICIENCY: The U.S. Energy Department will award $550 million to state, tribal and local governments for energy conservation and clean energy projects. (Utility Dive)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: The White House releases a revised mapping tool to direct federal clean energy and environmental funding to disadvantaged communities. (E&E News)

POLITICS: Experts say U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin’s permitting reform bill seems unlikely to pass in Congress’ lame-duck session, with a tight calendar and disagreement over the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s future. (States Newsroom)

NUCLEAR: National laboratories find small modular reactors’ waste won’t be hard to manage, contrasting other research finding they’ll generate more radioactive waste than conventional nuclear plants. (Utility Dive)

CRYPTOCURRENCY: New York authorizes the country’s first ban on new permits for fossil-fuel-powered cryptocurrency mining and mandates a study of the industry’s climate impact. (New York Times)

EFFICIENCY: Combining photovoltaics with high thermal performance window technologies can significantly reduce skyscrapers’ energy consumption, a University of Wisconsin researcher finds. (La Crosse Tribune)

OIL & GAS:
• The temporary nature of oil and gas drilling jobs is among reasons why Ohio counties with the most drilling activity continue to have higher-than-average unemployment rates. (Energy News Network)
• The Biden administration makes $50 million available for plugging and cleaning up abandoned oil and gas wells on tribal lands. (news release)

UTILITIES: Three environmental groups challenge the legality of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s rolling 20-year contracts in a courtroom in Memphis, Tennessee, where the local utility is considering breaking with the TVA. (Commercial Appeal)

EMISSIONS: The U.S. EPA says its revised aircraft pollution regulations won’t immediately reduce harmful emissions. (E&E News)

HYDROGEN: A Texas company says it can produce hydrogen fuel by adding bacteria to residual hydrocarbons in spent oil and gas wells. (Wired)

LITHIUM: The nation’s sole domestic lithium producer plans to double its Nevada mine’s production by 2024 to meet growing global demand. (NPR)

COMMENTARY: Ford’s engagement with the Tennessee communities around its planned Blue Oval City electric vehicle and battery factories are setting a standard that other EV companies like Tesla might be wise to emulate, an EV journalist writes. (CleanTechnica)

More from the Energy News Network: Midwest | Southeast | Northeast | West
View this campaign in your browser.

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.