SOLAR: A federal court rejects the utilities’ argument that a solar-plus-storage facility in Montana is too large to be a “qualified facility” under a law that requires some utilities to buy electricity from eligible projects. (Utility Dive)
TOO:
• Washington state officials recommend approval of two proposed 80 MW solar facilities and begin reviewing a separate 160 MW project. (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• An electric vehicle charging company is starting to build a 75 MW solar facility in Southern California. (Within electric vehicles)
UTILITIES:
• Federal regulators are conducting “enhanced surveillance” to determine whether market manipulation caused natural gas price spikes in California this winter, but are stopping short of launching a formal investigation. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Colorado lawmakers form committee to investigate causes of high utility bills. (CPR)
• California utilities and energy experts are urging policymakers to deregulate the state from natural gas in buildings and electricity generation, saying it could relieve customers from volatile price swings. (Utility Dive)
ELECTRIFICATION: Opponents of the recently passed natural gas hookup ban in Eugene, Ore., are launching an effort to bring the policy to a public vote. (KLCC)
EFFICIENCY: An economic impact analysis finds that a proposed Colorado rule that would require building upgrades to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could cost landlords and tenants as much as $3.1 billion. (Gazette)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Utah State University is partnering with two other companies to develop a battery-powered electric train for the American market. (electrical)
• US Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, opposes the Biden administration’s plan to include electric vehicles in the federal renewable fuel program, calling it an attack on the internal combustion engine. (Reuters)
• Cities in Oregon and Washington state are getting their first electric fire trucks. (NWNews)
OIL AND GAS:
• Colorado lawmakers are proposing plugging abandoned oil and gas wells with biochar, saying it could stop gas leaks and sequester carbon. (Associated Press)
• California advocates say the oil and gas industry is weaponizing high gas prices to influence the public and lawmakers to oppose drilling regulations. (Capital and principal)
CLIMATE: Oregon lawmakers are proposing a bill that would require the state’s public employee retirement fund to divest from fossil fuel holdings. (Oregon Capital Chronicle)
NET ENERGY:
• New Mexico solar and wind industry officials reject a proposal to codify the right to a clean environment, saying it could stifle clean energy development. (Carlsbad Current-Argus)
• A poll finds that most Western voters support a transition to 100 percent clean energy and protect public lands from oil and gas drilling. (Los Angeles Times)
SCREAM: An environmental group says it has found evidence of prehistoric fossils in the path of the proposed Greenlink West transmission corridor in Nevada.
(news release)
NUCLEAR: Republican U.S. senators from Idaho and Wyoming are introducing a bill that would establish a program aimed at boosting domestic uranium mining.
(news release)
HYDRO ENERGY: Lake Powell drops to a record low, further reducing Glen Canyon Dam’s hydroelectric power generation capacity. (HUN)
COAL: PacifiCorp officials are urging Wyoming lawmakers to reject a bill that would expand a rule requiring utilities to consider extending the lives of retiring coal plants by installing capture of carbon (WyoFile)
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