Energy & Water

Google will be using AI, satellite images, and computing power to map methane emissions. @insidertech

10 States are challenging the SEC’s new rule requiring public companies to disclose their climate-related risks and direct greenhouse gas emissions. West Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Alaska, Indiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Wyoming, New Hampshire and Virginia have filed a petition in the 11th Circuit to stop the disclosure requirements.

The Hill | 10 states file legal challenge to SEC climate disclosure rule

 We’ve talked about the legal actions against electric companies in California due to wildfires. The Texas Panhandle has been impacted by wildfires and the first lawsuit has emerged that alleges an electric pole may be a contributing factor. Details emerged from this SEC filing. MSNBC’s YouTube

ABC 7 Amarillo | State calls for investigation into cause of Texas Panhandle wildfires

Devon Energy is contributing financing for Texas’ first Geothermal facility. The financing will help with the oil and gas technology and techniques to scale geothermal energy.

OK Energy Today | Devon Energy finances Texas firm’s geothermal energy development

 Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s Green Workforce Connect is facilitating weatherization workforce programs in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma. It is funded with federal weatherization program funds. Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the federal weatherization program received $3.5 billion. The Green Workforce Connect is looking to expand into other states to make weatherization programs more efficient.

Route Fifty | With federal funds flowing, weatherization workforce poised for growth

New Jersey and Massachusetts residents are opposing offshore wind for reasons that include: “expensive, unreliable, weather-dependent sources that offer no environmental benefit and, in fact, may do more harm than good.” A new CFACT study found that offshore wind does not reduce global carbon emissions.

Governing | Coastal Residents Are Right to Be Worried About Offshore Wind

An $80 million fine has been levied against Southern California Edison for the 2017 wildfire and resulting mudslides that killed 25 people, burned 280,000 acres, and destroyed 1000 structures.

LA Times | Southern California Edison to pay $80 million over deadly 2017 Thomas fire

Add Virginia to the list of Legislatures looking to take action on PFASs, those forever chemicals. SB 243 (2024 | VA) will require source disclosures for PFASs. If a facility is deemed to be a source of PFASs in the water supply by the state’s regulating agency, then reporting and disclosure are required.

Virginia Mercury | Bills requiring identification of ‘forever chemical’ sources advancing through legislature

The Energy Information Administration announced on February 15th that solar will add a record 36.4 GW, nearly double that of 2023,  and battery storage will add 14.3 GW in 2024. Texas is expected add 35% of this new capacity while California will add 10% and Florida 6%.

EIA | Solar and battery storage to make up 81% of new U.S. electric-generating capacity in 2024

Lousiana’s Offshore Wind Database lists the 474 Lousiana businesses that are supporting the offshore wind supply chain in the state.

Governing | Louisiana Businesses Bet Big on Offshore Wind

In 2023 CT, CO, and ME passed bills that prohibit utilities from using customer funds to pay for lobbying. In 2024 the following states have similar pending legislation: CA SB 938 , NY AB 7880 , MD HB0505,VA HB792, OH SB149 , IL SB2885, UT SB 249, and AZ SB1514.

Route Fifty | 8 states move to ban utilities from using customer money for lobbying

In 2023, California legislators passed AB 205 (2024 | CA) to study “fixed charge” energy plans that tie electricity bills to income levels. As a result, the 3 major investor owned utilities propose: income-based fixed charges for households earning $28,000-$69,000 would be $20 to $34 per month. Those earning $69,000-$180,000 would pay $51 to $73 per month, and those earning more than $180,000 would pay $85 to $128.

Governing | California Wants to Tie Bills to Income to Lower Energy Costs

MIT scientists have developed a scalable means of making paper thin, flexible solar panels. These panels can turn any surface into a power source. @MIT

Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgetown Univeristy analyzed  data from over 15 million consumers in 588 U.S. counties who lost power when hurricanes made landfall between January 2017 and October 2020. The findings: poorer communities had their power returned at a slower pace. On average, 170 minutes more slowly. Standard storm recovery protocols, they say, have the unintended consequence of long restoration times for vulnerable communities.

Governing | Power Outages Leave Poor Communities in the Dark Longer

Rice’s Baker Institute released a new report this week on reliability in ERCOT. The report considers Texas’ unique factors of strong electricity demand (load) growth, an expanding population, robust economic activity, demand growth from electric vehicle (EV) penetration, cryptocurrency mining, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen market expansion, and general trends toward increased electrification. 

Recommendations include investment in  dispatchable forms of generation, storage capacity in utility areas and/or alongside industrial consumers, storage capacity alongside wind and solar generation, transmission capacity, and siting future generation capacity closer to load centers.

MIT Energy has developed a new modeling method for power grids to incorporate decarbonization into their modeling.

MIT Energy Initiative | Decarbonizing the U.S. power grid

California legislators are proposing a $1 Billion Bond for offshore wind. AB2208 (2024 | CA)  would cover bond funding for turbines and to expand a port in Humbolt County and Morro Bay. Projections show the offshore wind project will generate 25 gigawatts of electricity by 2045 to power 25 million homes and provide about 13% of the power supply.

CalMatters | Legislators unveil measure to ask voters for $1 billion offshore wind bond 

Washington State Legislature was considering a bill that would require gas companies to disclose gas pricing and profits. The bill had a $15 million fiscal cost to the state. The clincher for the opposition was concerns about how the state could keep the information confidential because of cybersecurity threats. Yes, the bill died because of unknown potential hacking of the state of Washington computer systems. Try the argument in your state, see what happens.

Missoula Current | INSLEE’S OIL TRANSPARENCY BILL STALLS IN LEGISLATURE

Blackstone investing $25 billion in building data centers. Remember last week when we talked about how the data shows that data centers & A.I. are going to become the big power users? Welcome to the future. The future is now. @bloombergbusiness

Georgia seeks to add more power generation due to Georgia’s influx of data centers in recent years. Georgia Power said a wave of economic development of “unprecedented magnitude and speed” is heading for the state and requires more generation capacity.

Governing | Georgia Welcomed Data Centers. Now It Needs More Power.

Utah  Speaker of the House Mike Schultzpledged to not let Utah become a place where people “have to turn your thermostat to 80 degrees during the summer because there’s not enough power.” Utah is reorganizing its energy supplies so Utah can be “energy independent.” Utah currently receives wind generated power from Oregon or Washington. Electrical Energy Amendments bill, HB 191 (2024 | UT) would require any shuttered power plant to be replaced with another of equal capacity.

KUER | What does the Legislature’s ‘energy independence’ really mean for Utah?

New Jersey has approved its third round of offshore wind projects. The latest approval is for  2.4 GW of capacity to the Leading Light Wind project and around 1.3 GW of capacity to Attentive Energy Two. New Jersey’s offshore wind contracts now total  5.2 GW.

UtilityDive | New Jersey approves two offshore wind projects totaling 3.7 GW

A new report from the International Energy Agency says that U.S. energy use will increase by 1.5% for manufacturers and electrification.

Utility Dive | Electrification, manufacturing to propel 1.5% annual US electric demand growth through 2026: IEA

According to Bloomberg, power plants are scrambling to keep up with the electricity demands of A.I. A.I., data centers, and crypto collectively are expected to drive energy use up according to a new report from the International Energy Agency. Through 2026, global energy use will increase by 3.4% up from 2.2% in 2023.

Bloomberg | AI Needs So Much Power That Old Coal Plants Are Sticking Around

“We must ensure that energy is affordable, accessible, and sustainable, as soon as possible.” –Yuri Sebregts, the chief technology officer at Shell. @mitenergy

Pew Research says  87% of 10 Republican-leaning people think we should use a mix of fossil fuel and renewable energy sources. 57% of Republicans believe the U.S. should never stop using oil, coal, and natural gas.

Governing | The Biggest Issues to Watch in 2024

The first round of EV charging grants are public. Texas, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, and California secured large swaths of the funding.  $623 million in awards for 47 projects. For Texas, this means  $70 million to build five hydrogen fueling centers for medium and heavy trucks in the “Texas Triangle” of Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.

Route Fifty | Biden administration announces $623 million in EV charging grants for state and local agencies

Florida is considering SB1126 (FL |2024) that would further prevent cities and counties from regulating the use of so-called plastic “auxiliary containers.” SB 1126 is supported by the business establishment. 14 states ban plastic bags. 19 states limit regulation of plastic bags.

Florida Phoenix | The Florida Legislature wants to expand the control over regulating plastics

Alaska is said to have a successful carbon offset program, the Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund. The Fund is operated by a nonprofit and focuses on practical, local benefits like more efficient heat pumps in homes.

Route Fifty | A carbon offset project that’s actually working

Multiple companies are set to bring their bidirectional EV chargers with UL 9741 certification to the market this year.

Solar Power World | Bidirectional EV chargers to finally materialize in 2024

Interested in what drought stricken states are doing with groundwater reform? That’s a top priority for the Arizona Governor, so let’s watch it unfold. Included in the groundwater policy debate is a focus on a Saudi owned farm and its groundwater use.

AP | Arizona governor vows to rein in skyrocketing school voucher program, update groundwater laws

ThinkMicrogrid has released its scorecard grading how states are adopting microgrid policies. Grades were based on deployment, policy, resilience, grid services and equity. No state earned an A. 4 states earned a B including TX, CT, HI and CO. 16 states including CA and NY earned Cs. 32 states earned a Ds including FL, PA, IL, and AZ.

Utility Dive | Hawaii, 3 other states earn B microgrid grades. Most get Ds, per scorecard report.

Bonjour, Enell turbines which harness the air flow from traffic whizzing by to generate power. @techlife_75

Converting retired coal plant sites to new storage and renewable projects is occuring in New Jersey, Nevada, Louisiana and elsewhere. Some say the key to redevelopment of retired power sites is state securitization programs, grant programs like in Illinois, and tax credits.

Route Fifty | New life for old coal: Mine lands and power plants are hot renewable development spots

New Orleans City Council appears opposed to having rate payers shouldering the cost of grid updates. City Council’s opposition is 3 fold:  (1) electric bills are rising quickly already; (2) “chronic reliability problems”; and (3) existing alternative funding mechanisms for the industry, e.g.  low-interest loans from the federal Department of Energy.

Governing | Who Will Pay for New Orleans’ Updated Power Grid?

MIT scientists have developed a means to desalinate water that is more cost effective than current tap water filtration. “The system is passive, solar-powered, and doesn’t need additional electricity to run. It avoids the salt-clogging issues that plague other passive desalination devices, by creating swirling eddies that flush out the salt” @globalpositivenews

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is offering financial incentives for individuals, businesses, and nonprofits to replace lawns with low maintenance, low water wildflower meadows. @the_cool_down

Michigan passed a “Clean Energy Future” package – Senate Bills 271, 273 and 502 that create at least 2,500 megawatts of energy storage by 2030 and requires all state-regulated utilities to submit storage plans to the Public Service Commission by 2030. In addition to Michigan, 10 states have set energy storage goals, those states are California, Oregon, Nevada, Illinois, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine.

Governing | Michigan Establishes Energy Storage Standard, First in Midwest

We’ve talked about offshore wind on the East Coast, in the North Sea, and the viability of offshore wind in the Gulf of Mexico. Two of the East Coast projects have been cancelled due to cost inflation, high interest rates, and supply chain disruptions. Further, “New York Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill that would have streamlined an offshore wind project near Long Island.”

Governing | Just a ‘Bump in the Road’ for Offshore Wind?

In 2016 Pennsylvania passed a law that allows the dollar value of water systems to include not just pipes and plants but market factors such as their worth to the community, allowing them to be sold at much higher prices. This led to private water companies buying local governmental waste water systems. As a result, rates for Pennsylvanias have spiked.

Route Fifty | Sewer rates soar as private companies buy up local water systems

100 local governmental entities and California have restricted the sale and/or use of gas powered blowers. In one hour, a leaf blower emits the same emissions as a Toyota Camry driven for 1100 miles according to calculations by the California Air Resources Board. @fastcompany

Oregon Live | More than 100 cities have banned gas leaf blowers. Will Portland be next?

After vetoing a previous bill, Illinois Governor supports House Bill 2473 (2023 | IL). HB 2473 permits construction of small modular nuclear reactors. The bill limits the reactors to 300 megawatts, about one-third the size of the smallest of the six existing nuclear power plants in Illinois; requires a study to regulate SMRs; and sets a deadline for the regulartory structure adoption by January 2026.  

Illinois Times | Legislature approves bill to allow small nuclear plants

Texas’ Ector County is home to Project Permian, a gas power generation plant that would generate electricity with nearly zero emissions. Initially the plant was  to be operational in 2026. That date has been pushed to 2027/2028 due to “global energy supply chain”  and “extensive lead times across critical components.”

E&E | World’s first (nearly) zero-emission gas plant delayed until 2027

On November 7th, voters in Maine rejected a proposition to create a publicly owned electric company. The campaign cost $40 million and was opposed by Maine’s Democratic Governor.

Governing | Voters Reject Taxes, Embrace Ranked-Choice Voting Through Ballot Measures

California Governor has been given the power under a new Infrastructure Law, SB 149 (2023 | CA) to fast track infrastructure projects. This week marks his first use of that power by fast tracking the permitting of a water reservoir North of Sacramento. The reservoir will be the state’s 1st reservoir in 50 years.

Governing | California Governor Fast Tracks New Reservoir Project

We’ve talked about fire concerns over battery storage in California. So let’s turn to New York where Schenectady County Republicans are calling for a 2 year moratorium on new battery storage facilities. The policy concerns relate to fires at battery storage facilities and whether local first responders have adequate training and knowledge of the types of battery storage that are located in their county.

Governing | Schenectady County Calls for Energy Storage Moratorium

Meet the Texas A&M Water-Energy-Food, WEF, Nexus Research Group . Professor Rabi Mohtar, Ph.D., says that “Adding human health outcomes as an impact component is incredibly important for our ability to understand and assess how improved access to quality water, food and energy can improve health outcomes.” The group thinks that projects focused on water scarcity in Texas will translate globally. 

Texas A&M | Texas A&M Water-Energy-Food Nexus Helps Tackle Water Scarcity

Maine will vote on Proposition 3 that will create a “system of networked microgrids can be developed that would enable community solar and wind farms to connect to the statewide grid.” The arguments for the proposition are that Maine doesn’t want to end up with the grid issues the California, Hawaii, and Texas have. Ok, maybe I’m being polite, the exact phrasing that’s being used is “Large corporate grids have exacerbated extreme weather emergencies in California, Texas and most recently in Hawaii. “

Bangor Daily News |Letter: Time to change our electric grid with Question 3

Nebraska is considering small nuclear reactor legislation, LR 178 (2023 | NE) . ” CEO of the Nebraska Public Power District, said nuclear power must be part of the solution as the Legislature ponders how to ensure a reliable and robust economy, preserve the environment, maintain today’s quality of life and assess the needs of the future.”

Nebraska Examiner | Nebraska lawmakers explore feasibility of small modular nuclear reactors

We’ve talked about bills and regulations that have governments charging  polluters the clean up costs. Well, Michigan Legislature is debating the issue and the Chamber of Commerce is making these arguments against the bill: (1) enormous added costs to the re-development of brownfields; and (2)  unachievable standards in place that will drive brownfield investment out of Michigan.

Michigan | Bills Introduced in Senate, House to Hold Polluters Accountable for Cleanups 

Michigan Chamber of Commerce | Legislature introduces ‘polluter pay’ legislation that would cripple Brownfield Development

 The US Solicitor General is arguing to the US Supreme Court that Texas’ ban on non-incumbent companies from building transmission in the state violates the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause. “States … have no authority to grant monopolies in the interstate electric transmission markets comparable to their authority to grant monopolies in the market for retail distribution of natural gas,” the solicitor general said.

Utility Dive | Texas ban on non-incumbent transmission is unconstitutional: US solicitor general

 South Carolina legislature has created an ad hoc committee for adding generation. South Carolina is facing rapid population growth and increased capital investments that are colliding with its lack of generation. Supporters of increasing generation are talking about how the lack of generation is an economic issue. It has caused the state to lose employers and economic development projects. 

CountON2News | SC lawmakers hope to address concerns surrounding future power generation in state

Sandia Labs and New Mexico-based CSolPower LLC are collaborating on affordable and renewable method of storing energy. Their focus is using rocks as a medium to store electrically charged thermal energy. Testing shows the unwashed gravel storage systems can operate in extreme heat.

InterestingEngineering | These electrically charged rocks provide efficient energy storage

 For a long while now, we’ve talked a lot about the federal hydrogen HUB funding process. Mostly we talk about the projects in the Midwest, Texas and New Mexico. The federal government has  funded 7 projects for a total of $7 billion. The funding will kickstart development and production of hydrogen fuel. It is estimated that these 7 projects will generate more than $40 billion in private investment and create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs. 

Governing | Biden Announces 7 Hydrogen Hubs from California to Pennsylvania

A new report,  “Winds of Change: Navigating the Gulf of Mexico’s New Energy Frontier, says the Lousiana Gulf offshore wind project has the potential to generate approximately 1.24 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity. It will create $860,000 in investments for workforce training and domestic supply chain and $430,000 for fisheries compensatory mitigation. The report notes “The changing landscape for revenue sharing as it pertains to wind in the Gulf of Mexico remains a concern for state and local governments.”

Biz New Orleans | Report Touts Louisiana’s Offshore Wind Revenue Potential

 Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office is reviewing whether 10 financial companies violate a Republican-backed state law that prohibits state funds flowing to firms that limit their work with the oil and gas industry because of climate change concerns. The Texas Comptroller maintains the divestment lists.
Bloomberg | Texas Launches New Review of Major Banks Over Energy Policies

 A new report from the International Energy Agency says that  50 million miles of new or replacement power lines are necessary to reach their climate and clean energy commitments. It also says that slow grid development will lead to almost 60 billion tons higher of carbon dioxide emissions between 2030 and 2050 .

Utility Dive | Electric grids could be the ‘weak link’ of clean energy transition, IEA

 California’s Governor recently signed SB 38 (2023 | CA) that requires battery storage facilities to have an emergency response plan and an emergency action plan, that covers the premises of the battery energy storages to protect those who live near battery storage facilities.

Monterey Herald | Governor signs Sen. Laird bill prompted by Moss Landing BESS incidents

Green Mountain Energy in Vermont has a plan to give residents battery storage so as to limit outages. They say  it is a more affordable approach than adding additional distribution lines. “Call us the un-utility,” Mari McClure, Green Mountain’s chief executive, said in an interview before the company’s filing. “We’re completely flipping the model, decentralizing it.” 

New York Times | Vermont Utility Plans to End Outages by Giving Customers Batteries

A new study in the Journal of American Planning Associations details the economic impact of climate change on municipalities in Florida. It is estimated that the costs will rise to $619 billion in property damage. The study points to direct costs of hurricanes and flooding, but also the downgrade in property values, the corresponding decrease in property tax revenue, and the increased insurance premiums and deductibles.

Route Fifty | Climate change is a fiscal disaster for local governments—our study shows how it’s testing communities in Florida

Arizona Governor announced that state would end ground water access to a Saudi-owned alfalfa farm. Imagine other states that then seek to limit foreign property owner access to other regulated and permitted items…

@nowthisisnews

SB 233 (2023 | CA) would have required all EVs to be bidirectional. This would have allowed EV batteries to power homes in cases of grid failure.

UCSUSA | What Happened in the California Legislature in 2023?

The Texas Public Utility Commission’s Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group met for the first time this week. It came about from this August letter from Governor Abbott that wants to know “how Texas will become the national leader in using advanced nuclear energy.”

Utility Dive | Texas PUC begins work to attract advanced nuclear reactors, in and out of ERCOT market

 Why do schools make a prime target for clean energy partnerships? Schools use a lot of energy and sit on a lot of land. Across the U.S. that’s 2 million acres and 9% of all commercial building energy use. The kicker: schools are also commonly used as evacuation centers. Thusly, adding solar panels with battery storage can ensure that they maintain power and light, heating or cooling, when power grids fail.

Governing | K-12 Schools Can Be Major Players in the Clean Energy Transition

Henderson, Nevada is in a desert. Lake Mead, its water source, has seen its water levels shrink. To address water use,  the city adopted two proposals. (1) replacing all non recreational parkland grass with natural, drought tolerant grass. (2) removing decorative-only grass from business properties. (sounds familiar, right? It is also happening in other western towns) Henderson is measuring its water policy success with the following metrics: community sentiment, the efficiency of water use at city facilities, and enforcement of water conservation regulations. 

Router Fifty | One city’s ‘data conversations’ help confront pressing challenges

 An association of 25 Governors are members of  the U.S. Climate Alliance. They have a plan to increase the number of buildings that  get their heat and cool air from heat pumps. They say this will reduce emissions, cut utility bills, and create jobs. Also included in the plan  is achieving zero-emission new construction. They say heat pump, create 50% reduction in energy bills and a 75% reduction in emissions.

Route Fifty | A group of US governors promises to install 20 million heat pumps by 2030 

 U.S. energy storage installations continue to break records again for Q2 2023. Hitting a new record in Q2, the U.S. added 5,597 megawatt hours. Grid specific energy storage increased by 5,109 MWh in Q2, beating Q4 of 2021, the pervious record,  by 5%.  Grid-scale projects achieved 172% growth quarter-over-quarter. California led with way with 49% of the installations.  

Electrek | US grid-scale energy storage installations soared in Q2 2023

Bonjour, Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen, this midwest hydrogen project will tackle green, blue, and pink Hydrogen. The project is a partnership between BP, NiSource, ArcelorMittal, Purdue University Northwest, the state of Indiana, and the state of Illinois. Supporters of the project include nuclear power plant operator Constellation, Air Liquide, steel producer ArcelorMittal, EU-funded research institute EIT InnoEnergy, Plug Power, ExxonMobil Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago State University, ComEd, the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, Governors State University, the Illinois Institute of Technology, Nicor Gas, Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Its goal is to decarbonize the emissions-intensive and hard-to-abate users across the US Rust Belt.

Governing | Midwest Hydrogen Hub Contends for $7B in Fed Funding

How do you bring power to an area devastated by wildfires that destroyed power lines? Del Norte County in California utilized microgrids to return power to its 27,000 residents and businesses. The microgrids came online within days and created the state’s largest and longest-running microgrid operation powered by large generators.

Governing | A California County Returns to Power, Thanks to Its Microgrid

Ever considered adding pocket parks to your state or city? A report from the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators says pocket parks, easily accessible green spaces in urban areas that are smaller than 1 acre, are a cost effective choice versus traditional infrastructure changes. Pocket parks also hit on these 5 policy areas: improving disaster resilience, creating green jobs and boosting property values, economic growth, and greenspace equity and public health. Salt Lake City is embracing them.

Route Fifty | Pocket parks emerge as a climate solution

Ever considered adding pocket parks to your state or city? A report from the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators says pocket parks, easily accessible green spaces in urban areas that are smaller than 1 acre, are a cost effective choice versus traditional infrastructure changes. Pocket parks also hit on these 5 policy areas: improving disaster resilience, creating green jobs and boosting property values, economic growth, and greenspace equity and public health. Salt Lake City is embracing them.

KCRA 3 | California Legislature approves plan allowing the state to buy power

Moodys this week warned about power price volatility based on renewables. It further said that batteries that store power for nighttime transmission could lessen the volatility. Moody’s indicated that “reliability costs associated with backstopping renewables could rise to $435 billion a year globally if the International Energy Agency’s forecast of 9.9 TW of solar, wind and hydro capacity being added by 2030 is accurate.”  Utility Dive Moody’s

The Colorado Sun took information from the Colorado Water Conservation Board and made some really interesting water infographics. In Colorado, 90 of water goes to irrigate farms and ranches, which contribute $47 billion to the state’s economy each year. 7% of Colorado’s water is for municipal (residential use) &  3%  is used by industry.

 Meet Project Bison a megaton direct air carbon capture project in Wyoming. It will be completed in 2030. See more from @worldeconomic forum or from Project Bison . Information sources for all.

During the last week, several pieces have talked about cutting or dialing back carbon offsets. Virginia is on the verge of walking back its carbon offsets. Shell also appears to be signaling a step back from carbon offsets.

Maine voters this year will vote whether the state should create the first state-consumer owned power company.

@perfectunion

Let’s check out what @cnsrvtxns4nrg is saying this week. “In 2022 alone, Texas wind, solar, and energy storage plants avoided over $296.7 million in wasted water consumption.”

  This new study looks at which group should bear the burden of taxation for air quality issues. The study points us to greater economic equity in shifting the burden of taxation onto shareholder income linked to GHG emissions instead of local tax payers. The taxation responsibility would lie with “those receiving the most economic benefits resulting from these emissions.”

PLOS Journal | Income-based U.S. household carbon footprints (1990–2019) offer new insights on emissions inequality and climate finance

Corporate Knights | What if we slapped carbon taxes on shareholders not consumers?

AB 1572 (2023 | CA) is a bill pending in California that would ban businesses from using drinkable to water decorative grass. Is this a full on ban? No. Does it mean that grey water can be used? yes. The proposal has the support of some of the state’s largest water agencies including Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

Governing | California May Permanently Ban Grass Watering for Businesses

Illinois Governor vetoed SB 76 (2023 | IL) that would have regulated small modular reactors because the regulations did not go far enough to regulate the nascent technology and “will cause exorbitant ratepayer-funded bailouts.”

Illinois.gov | Gov. Pritzker Vetoes Legislation

Texas Railroad Commission is seeking applications for the  Texas Hydrogen Production Council Membership. Apply here. Deadline is September 5th.

The Biden Administration is providing $1 billion in funding for 2 facilities on the Gulf Coast that will use “direct air” carbon capture technology. The sites will capture up to 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year initially & create over 4500 jobs.

Route Fifty | Gulf Coast carbon capture gets $1 billion boost from Biden administration

Texas-based Fervo Energy has announced that its pilot plant in Nevada has the first commercially viable enhanced geothermal technology by using horizontal drilling and pumping in water. The plant will connect to Nevada’s grid to provide 3.5 megawatts of electricity to power Google data centers. Expansion to Utah will follow to power 3000,000 homes.

Route Fifty | Tech breakthrough could boost states’ use of geothermal power

In the Western U.S., a new drilling technique makes geothermal drilling more accessible. To the east, we have the first utility-run thermal energy network. The west coast generally sees geothermal as “always-on” clean electricity & the east coast sees geothermal as a way to replace gas-powered furnaces for many neighborhoods, campuses and commercial buildings.

Route Fifty | Tech breakthrough could boost states’ use of geothermal power

 Let’s look at the laws Maine passed to acquire offshore wind power. LD 1895 (2023 | ME)creates the Maine Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Economic Development Program to address development and procurement of offshore wind. Unlike the plans for offshore wind in  Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey Maine’s program actively includes fisheries in the development.

NY Governor created the Inter-Agency Fire Safety Working Group after several energy storage facility fires this summer. “The Working Group will collaborate with first responders and local leaders to identify best practices, address potential risks to public safety, and ensure energy storage sites across New York are safe and effective.”

Governor Hochul Convenes Inter-Agency Fire Safety Working Group Following Fires in Jefferson, Orange, and Suffolk Counties

North Carolina Governor supports HB864 (2023 | NC) which would prevent clean up costs from pollution and environmental issues from being charged to rate payers. To translate, the bill would require the entity responsible for the pollution to pay for the clean up of the pollution.

We talked about this a couple years ago and now it’s a reality. California is covering its canal systems with solar panels to prevent evaporation and generate power.

@good

The Department of Energy announced this week its Renewable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP) program. Funding will be available for things like identifying renewable energy siting and planning priorities; hiring and subcontracting to expand technical capacity and leverage experts in the region or state; developing state-specific resources that could improve siting practices and outcomes for local communities and the renewable energy industry, and  conducting trainings and workshops with local governments to improve technical understanding of renewable energy siting.  

Colorado’s public health department identifies pro bono lawyers for community groups to become official “parties” in complex environmental rulemaking before the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission. These pro bono lawyers will take the community group from public comment to contestant party. Hello Texas, does this sound like the concrete batch plant issue taken to another level in another state?

Colorado Sun | Colorado air pollution regulators offer neighborhood groups free lawyers to represent them in environmental rulemaking

Big corporations are moving $9 billion in manufacturing to Mexico. They identify Mexico as having greater geopolitical stabilization, access to US energy giants, and a ready workforce. The needed link: more energy supplies. Federal funds can’t keep up with the electric infrastructure needs which means private energy investment is pouring into Mexico’s electric market.

Reuters via Street Insider | In Mexico, private cash races to plug nearshoring energy crunch

Drones, the future of water management? Drones are easier to deploy, more cost effective, and produce higher resolution photos of waters, flood waters, and can fine tune flood management and predictions according to Utah Water Research Laboratory’s AggieAir Unmanned Aerial System Service Center.

Route Fifty | Flood management gets a boost from drones

90% of corporations that responded to a survey of 992 board members by the Diligent Institute have incorporated environmental metrics into one or more areas of its business. 87% have done the same for social goals.

Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance | Sustainability in the Spotlight: Has ESG Lost Momentum in the Boardroom?

A U.S. House panel heard testimony on grid reliability. There was talk about the usual grid suspects like hackers, physical attacks, attacks on pipelines that fuel generation, and inverter based resources. Dare we ask what inverter based resources are? It’s solar, wind, and battery assets. By Utility Dive’s analysis these are ” increasingly used on the bulk power system and tied to high voltage transmission systems.” As such, they are a new vulnerability for the grid.

Utility Dive | House panel discusses grid threats: China, Russia, inverter-based resources, physical attacks

Meet B2U Storage Solutions that is utilizing old EV batteries as storage for solar projects in the California desert. The batteries retain 60% to 70% of its original charge capacity and are easy to install in the storage system. “This is exactly the type of market-based solutions that we’re looking for,” said manager Yamen Nanne of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Market Place | In the California desert, old EV batteries now store solar power

Bonjour NRG Dewey Prairie Garden! This one acre garden provides fresh fruits and vegetables to 2000 each month in surrounding counties. Since it began in April 2022, it has provided 10,000 pounds of produce for six food pantries. Texas Tribune tells us ” it is a part of a massive effort to restore a 35,000-acre lignite coal mine, which stretches mainly into the town of Jewett and used to fuel NRG’s Limestone Electric Generating Station, a 1,688-megawatt power plant. An NRG spokesperson said the coal plant began running on cleaner-burning coal from Wyoming in 2016.” Hello, benefitting local communities. We see you.

Texas Tribune | At a shuttered Texas coal mine, a 1-acre garden is helping feed 2,000 people per month

Supply chain issues have impacted building offshore wind projects. Some say these delays should encourage states to collaborate with industry on workforce development, transmission planning, and building a domestic supply chain.

Route Fifty | Budding U.S. offshore wind industry facing rough seas

Switzerland is testing solar panels on railroad tracks. It is unused space that covers a lot of ground to make interconnection more accessible.

@good

Oklo, a company that makes small modular nuclear reactors is going public. It is not the first SPAC merger involving nuclear companies and test investor appetite for clean-energy startups. Oklo intends to sell electricity into the competitive power market,” including through the kind of agreements that wind and solar developers often cut with corporate and industrial firms that want to buy carbon-free power.”

WSJ | OpenAI’s Sam Altman Is Taking a Nuclear-Energy Startup Public

Nevada Energy, local government entities and the Nevada Division of Forestry are using goats to curtail vegetation to mitigate wildfires. It all came to be because of Senate Bill 508, that provides funding to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for wildfire prevention, restoration and long-term planning.

City of Reno | Reno Fire, NV Energy, Nevada Division of Forestry Using Goats to Reduce Wildfire Risk