GRID: A new iPhone feature is transforming the 118 million devices into a U.S. grid management resource, automatically turning charging on and off as clean electricity supplies peak and fall. (Washington Post)

OIL & GAS:
Environmentalists prepare to fight the Biden administration and Republican lawmakers, who became unlikely allies after the former’s approval of the massive Willow oil drilling project in Alaska. (E&E News)
The U.S. Energy Department awards $47 million to researchers working to develop technologies to detect, quantify and reduce methane emissions from oil and gas facilities. (news release)


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SOLAR:
• A bipartisan group of House members look to re-establish tariffs on solar component imports from Southeast Asia after the Biden administration suspended them last summer. (Axios)
• U.S. houses of worship host a relatively large number of solar panels on non-residential buildings, presenting a unique opportunity to build out solar capacity. (PV Magazine)
California researchers develop agrivoltaic-friendly, semi-transparent organic solar panels that generate power without blocking light to plants. (electrek)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Electric vehicle maker Rivian negotiates with Amazon to end their exclusive delivery van deal after Amazon’s 2023 order comes in at the low end of their agreed-upon range. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Wall Street Journal, subscription)
• Maryland’s governor announces the state will aim to phase out new gas vehicles by 2035, even though Maryland is nowhere near reaching its 2025 electric vehicle adoption goal. (Herald-Mail)

OFFSHORE WIND: Ørsted and Eversource pitch an 884 MW offshore wind farm they say would bring over $2 billion in direct economic benefits to Rhode Island — the only bid Rhode Island received in its latest solicitation. (news release, E&E News)

NUCLEAR: The looming completion of Georgia Power’s expansion of nuclear Plant Vogtle renews the long-running debate over how fission should play into America’s energy future. (HuffPost)

UTILITIES: ComEd proposes to spend up to $120 million in shareholder dollars on clean energy and workforce training as part of a pending franchise agreement with the city of Chicago, but the politics have been complicated by a state legislative bribery scandal and an upcoming mayoral election. (Energy News Network)

COAL:
• U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin cites grid reliability concerns as he requests the U.S. EPA delay its proposed “Good Neighbor Rule” to require a reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)
Duke Energy’s staggered schedule to retire its coal-fired power plants leave it unclear exactly how it’ll be affected by the EPA’s newly proposed discharge rules. (NC Policy Watch)

TRANSPORTATION: The nation’s first zero-emissions, hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial ferry is set to undergo trial runs in San Francisco later this year. (Los Angeles Times)

COMMENTARY: The Biden administration made a “colossal mistake” in approving the “carbon bomb” Willow drilling project, a columnist writes. (Guardian)

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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.