Energy & Water

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

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is creating cybersecurity guidance that is comprehensive and useful to small, medium and large water and wastewater utilities. It will address four main cybersecurity challenges: asset management, data integrity, remote access and network segmentation. The guidance will be based on new public-private sector collaboration.

Route Fifty | Feds want to help prevent cyberattacks on the water sector

A new study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory  says mobile battery storage on trains could support power grid in emergencies. They say it cannot replace new infrastructure but can be a backup solution.

Utility Dive | Batteries on freight trains could be tapped to support the power grid in emergencies: study

Let’s scan laws on the treatment of utilities in EV charger roll outs.  Oklahoma (SB 502 (2023 |OK)  Georgia SB 146 (2023 | GA) and Texas  SB 1002 (2023 | TX) limit utilities from using ratepayer funds for charging networks. Ohio HB 33 (2023 | OH) is considering budget language that would allow for ratepayers to cover EV charging infrastructure.

Georgia Recorder | Statehouses debate who should build EV charging networks

California Legislature is considering two bills to reduce water usage. One bill would require nonresidential properties to transition to low-water and local native plants. The second bill would prohibit the use of potable water on some decorative grasses.

Governing | How Close Did California Get to 15% Reduced Water Use?

In 2021, Californians were asked to conserve water by reducing usage by 15%. Data shows they made it to a 7% reduction. In March the call to reduce water use was rescinded. But, it begs the question- how much can we change human behavior?

Governing | How Close Did California Get to 15% Reduced Water Use?

The Oklahoma legislature passed SB502 (2023 | OK), the Oklahoma Electric Vehicle Charging Act, that requires any provider of electricity, or subsidiary of such a utility that provides, owns or operates EV fast charging stations for consumer use to do so only through a separate entity subject to the same fees and conditions faced by private business providers of charging stations.

Journal Record | New Oklahoma law addresses investment in EV charging infrastructure

The Energy Department’s National Energy Technology Laboratory is launching data tools to help states safely route carbon pipelines. Data will include nationwide infrastructure data, land-use policies, and environmental conditions that could influence the construction and location of the pipelines. It is expected that by 2030, the U.S. will transport 65 million metric tons of carbon per year.

Route Fifty | Safely Routing Carbon-Capture Pipelines

Wisconsin passed a law that will  prohibit state and local governments from restricting utility service based on the energy source. The bill seeks to protect against building codes that prevent the use of natural gas, including gas stoves.

AP | Wisconsin Legislature moves to protect access to gas-powered vehicles

70% of all battery storage deployment in Q1 of 2023 occurred in ERCOT. 498.6MW came online in ERCOT, which is just over 70% of the total US battery deployment in Q1 of 710MW.

Energy Storage News | ERCOT accounted for 70% of US battery storage deployments in Q1

A new study published in Nature Sustainability says that while recycling won’t solve all clean air issues, it is part of the solution. The study says even with higher costs to cities for curbside recycling, ” the investment offsets the greenhouse gas emissions from non-recycled waste buried in landfills.”

Route Fifty | Curbside Recycling Offsets Garbage Emission Impact

California’s Salton Sea is home to some new lithium mines and geothermal power and in April it also experienced a series of earthquakes. This begs the question whether the mining and geothermal activities led to the earthquakes. Seismologists say whenever you drill into the Earth and tinker, seismic activity will follow. Geophysicists say it’s more complicated. Some say geothermal activity should have the same traffic light system as fracking which warns if pressures change.

Governing | Could Lithium Mining Trigger Earthquakes? It’s Complicated

This is a wild ride. So, I’m going to extract the most factual items from this… Here we go- “The Department of Energy has canceled a $200 million grant awarded to Microvast after lawmakers questioned the lithium-ion battery maker’s ties to China’s government.” Microvast is based in Stafford, Texas. “Republican Rep. Frank Lucas sent a letter to Energy Department Secretary Jennifer Granholm criticizing the funding decision.” The company said it will continue tis manufacturing without the grant funding and that “The company also affirmed its stance as independent from the Chinese Communist Party.”

Utility Dive | Energy Department cancels $200M Microvast battery grant

Let’s talk blackout messaging in the Golden State. Governor Newsom is talking about battery storage as a way to build grid resiliency in California. The state has the benefit of record winter snowfall boosting hydropower, but long term grid capacity remains. “We’re moving away from aspiration to application and implementation,” Newsom said.

Sacramento Bee | Gavin Newsom touts California’s battery storage to avoid blackouts, but grid challenges loom

Ocean, gulf offshore power meet offshore lake power. Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio are all looking to offshore wind in the Great Lakes. How does lake based offshore wind create new challenges? In the north- ice. But also it’s harder to get equipment into a lake than to get a cargo ship into the ocean. Michigan is starting a lake based offshore wind power pilot program to generate 150 megawatts of power online by 2030.

Route Fifty | Offshore Wind in the Midwest? Some Great Lakes Leaders Think So.

Minnesota created a $155 million state fund that will draw down matching federal dollars to support energy and climate projects in the state.

MinnPost | MinnPost guide to the Minnesota Legislature’s 2023 ‘done’ and ‘undone’ lists

Utah intends to fill in EV charger accessibility with utility owned ev chargers. Rocky Mountain Power will install 80 chargers, the majority in and around Salt Lake City and a small percentage throughout the state. How’s this getting funded? federal funding from the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.

Green Car Reports | Utility-owned EV fast-charging stations will fill the gap in Utah

Colorado Legislature passed HB23-1281 (2023 | CO), The Advance The Use Of Clean Hydrogen Act. that intends to protect against increases in climate-harming pollution from hydrogen production, and targets the usage of hydrogen at hard-to-decarbonize sectors where electrification may not be feasible. This is hand and hand with the state’s bid for federal Hydrogen Funds as part of Western Interstate Hydrogen Hub (WISHH)  Opposition includes the industry group, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Association, that says “the bill’s narrow definitions and strict standards will limit the production of hydrogen in Colorado.”

NRDC | Colorado Leads the Way with a Climate-aligned Hydrogen Course

CPR News | Colorado is poised to set the nation’s first standards for green hydrogen. Will the federal government follow suit?

Colorado’s new clean hydrogen standards could push production out of the state, industry group says

The rules for CO2 pipelines in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas would require:  carbon steel pipe ranging from 4 to 24 inches in diameter with operating pressures of up to 2,200 pounds per square inch. That stays the same across these states. What varies across the states is how to go about building the pipelines. NE has no rules. IA has a lot of rules. Some counties along the way have stricter rules concerning eminent domain.

Route Fifty | States Rush to Make Rules Governing CO2 Pipelines

 Idaho National Laboratory has tools for utilities to build workforce development programs. INL supports a system of apprenticeships or residencies could help to strengthen the cybersecurity workforce within utilities. INL urges partnerships with academic institutions.

Utility Dive | Arizona Corporation Commission explores standardized cybersecurity assessments, workforce development

U.S. Energy Information Administration says Texas will add more wind and solar in 2023 than all other states combined. Texas has overtaken California as the leader in energy transitioning. “Indeed, the fact that Texas sustains large traditional industrial sectors alongside a thriving renewables industry makes the state a microcosm of the entire country, and potentially useful guide for other states mapping out their own energy transition routes.”

Reuters | Column: Texas trumps California as key US energy transition driver

The Department of Energy this week announced “the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Clean Energy Education Prize, a competition that will help HBCU institutions develop programming to strengthen the participation of K-12 and community college students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields”

DOE Announces $7.75 Million Investment in HBCUs to Support STEM Workforce

California’s water systems are under threat not from the drought that we often hear about but because the computer systems that control water and wastewater are old, outdated, easily hacked, and open for terroristic threats. This is very important this year where record snow falls are filling reservoirs and that water needs to be managed.

Governing | The Threats Against California’s Vulnerable Water System

The Department of Energy is funding 10 Hydrogen hubs, that could include green shipping hubs. These projects can include end-use applications, connective infrastructure, pipelines, shipping, and trucked hydrogen delivery.

Meet New Orleans’ H2theFuture consortium. It is a coalition led by the Greater New Orleans Development Foundation to establish a” world-leading clean hydrogen cluster in South Louisiana.”

Meet HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub. This consortium of energy majors and important organizations are working to “…  accelerate the development of clean hydrogen projects in Texas, Southwest Louisiana, and the U.S. Gulf Coast.” Its goal is to “…leverage the world’s largest concentration of existing hydrogen production assets, infrastructure, and customers in the Gulf Coast region to produce clean hydrogen…”

Meet Corpus Christi’s HCH2. This group includes “30 private sector team members as owners, developers and/or operators, off-takers, and end users of various hydrogen value chain projects and supporting infrastructure.”

Marine Link | ‘Hydrogen Hubs’ to the Fore

California became the first state to establish an emission standard for trains. The rule would ban the operation of locomotives that are more than 23 years old by 2030; starting next year prohibit trains with auto-shutdown from idling for more than 30 minutes ; require operators to deposit funds into a spending account based on the emissions they generate in California and to use those funds to upgrade their technology to cleaner alternatives.

The Hill | California adopts first-in-the-nation rule restricting locomotive emissions

Minnesota is proposing state green bank legislation that would put state funds to finance climate and clean energy projects in the state. The legislation creates the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority, funded with $45 million in state money to support a self-sustaining lending institution lend to businesses & homeowners. The lending would allow for longer terms, lower interest rates, and could cover projects like weatherization, solar panels and heat pumps.

Energy News Network | Minnesota legislation aims to boost speed and scale of green financing

New Mexico Legislature is expected to take up hydrogen hub legislation in its next session. New Mexico is a member of the  Western Interstate Hydrogen Hub, supporters see the state legislation as a way to help compete for the federal hydrogen hub funding. The state legislation focuses on tax credits and public-private partnerships.

New Mexico Political Report | Debate over hydrogen poised to return this legislative session

In 2019 Berkeley, California passed the first natural gas ban. This week a federal court said the local natural gas ban is preempted by federal law. It is thought that 26 of the 75 local natural gas bans in California could be impacted by the preemption court ruling.

Route Fifty | First Natural Gas Ban in the US Just Got Shot Down

New York SB S6055A(2023 | NY) and California AB 418 (2023 | CA) seek to ban Red dye No. 3, Titanium dioxide, Brominated vegetable oil, Potassium bromate, and Propylparaben. All are food additives that are linked to cancer, neurodevelopmental issues and hormone dysfunction.

NYTimes | Two States Have Proposed Bans on Common Food Additives Linked to Health Concerns

A coalition of partners in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Kentucky and Wisconsin have put in an application to the Department of Energy for federal funding for a regional clean hydrogen hub. 33 groups have submitted applications for 6 to 10 hydrogen hubs that will receive federal funding.

In total 60 entities, both public and private, including businesses, universities, government agencies and community groups. The project is expected to add 4,500 construction jobs & 400 permanent positions. Total construction spending was estimated at nearly $4 billion, including $1.7 billion in wages and $65 million to $70 million in state income taxes.

Governing | Illinois, Indiana, Michigan Partner for Clean Hydrogen Hub

Reports of fears of solar installations in rural Texas. What’s causing concerns? There’s a list including the fear that battery installations will catch fire; electrical fires; environmental concerns; concerns about cutting down trees, scraping away grasses and blocking wildlife with fences. Some rural Texans are supporting SB624 (2023 | TX) that they say would give the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department the ability to review environmental impacts for wind and solar projects.

ABC 25 | Solar and wind companies are coming to rural Texas, these residents are trying to keep them out

Occidental has a carbon moonshot. Starting in 2024, large fans, the size of tennis courts, will begin sucking carbon from the air and storing it below ground. The CEO, Vicki Holly, has Warren Buffets blessing for the billion dollar project.

WSJ | Occidental Makes a Billion-Dollar Climate Moonshot—So It Can Keep Pumping Oil

Offshore wind is coming to the Gulf of Mexico. It is a smidge further along in the Atlantic, and a Texas think tank wants to put the kibosh on it. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there are no whale related deaths because of offshore wind. This is going to get weird, weirder than Austin weird.

Houston Chronicle | Behind lawsuits targeting offshore wind farms, Texas conservative group looms large

The PUC of Texas wants the Attorney General to clarify its exclusive original jurisdiction over water rates. What happens if a neighborhood has overlapping jurisdiction on water rates between the PUC and the municipality? Hello water people! RQ0504-KP

Cities, blue and red, are climbing on the urban forestry bandwagon, to cool and clean the air locally. Maybe it is climate change, maybe it is trees are cool. You can hug trees. You can read a book under their shade. Trees also absorb stormwater runoff. Evan Mallen, senior analyst for Georgia Tech’s Urban Climate Lab, says “Heat kills more people than any other weather-related disaster, and it’s something that’s getting a lot worse.”

Governing | Cities Nationwide Combat Climate Change With Urban Forests

North Dakota wants to be the epicenter of mining the rare minerals necessary for electronic equipment. Currently the U.S. imports 80%+ of its rare earths and critical minerals, mostly from China. The Feds are throwing money at it to $16 million announced last week.

Governing | North Dakota Wants to Lead the Nation in Rare Earth Production

The Green Hydrogen Coalition released new analysis detailing the critical role of electric generators in the development of green hydrogen. The analysis points to the need for long term, seasonal, energy storage. Hydrogen infrastructure could create tens of thousands of new jobs and drop the price of hydrogen to less than 70 cents a kilogram.

Utility Dive | Electric generators will fill a critical role in developing hydrogen in the Los Angeles area, analysis finds

SB 1751 (2023 | TX) limits crypto mining participation in the state demand response program that pays entities to add power back onto the grid by shutting down during grid stress. Texas Blockchain Council estimates that the crypto mining industry uses ,100 megawatts of Texas’ power supplies, up 75% over the last year.ERCOT estimates that crypto mining power demand is 3.7% of the state’s lowest forecast peak load.

Decrypt | New Texas Senate Bill Seeks to Slash Bitcoin Mining Incentives

Iowa Legislature is considering HF565 (2023 | IA) that would have banned the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines. Companies building carbon pipelines in Iowa have said publicly that they will not use eminent domain. Opposition was the state’s ethanol industry.

Des Moines Register | Senate won’t curb eminent domain for carbon pipelines; most Iowans say they want limits

The AES Corporation and Air Products is building a $4Billion green hydrogen facility in Willbarger County, Texas. Estimates for the project say it will support 1,300 construction jobs, 100s of permanent jobs, $500 million in tax revenues and will begin operations in 2024.

Rio Grande Guardian OpEd by Texas Association of Business | Hamer: Texas Must Be The Leader In Green Hydrogen

Wind farms in Val Verde Texas have had challenges since 2021. First, concerns that development was helmed by a Chinese billionaire. The development was picked up by a Spanish energy company. Since ecological concerns have arisen about migratory paths of birds, the monarch butterflies, and the Mexican free tail bats. Some say it’s just another version of not in my backyard.

NBCDFW | South Texans Concerned Wind Farm May Cause Ecological Dangers

Spearmint Energy has acquired Nomad, a 900 MW battery storage project consisting of 3 300MW storage facilities in Brazos, Galveston, and Cooke Counties. Spearmint’s first Texas acquisition was Revolution, a 150 MW/300 MWh project in West Texas.

Dive Wire | Spearmint Energy acquires 900 MW/2,000 MWh battery storage portfolio in Texas

SB619 (2023 | CA) would give the California Energy Commission the ability to expedite big transmission projects. Expedited approval can be given for projects that involve a capital investment of at least $250 million over five years. The bill’s author is calling it a “regulatory HOV lane. “

Sacramento Bee | California bills could speed up power line construction to meet clean electricity demand

California SB 420 (2023 | CA) will review power lines and will designate certain power lines as “environmental leadership development projects” which will eliminate the  economic review of the project.

DOE says 10 grid interactive building projects will participate in a $61 million, five-year demonstration. A DOE study says by 2030, grid-interactive buildings could save up to $18 billion/year in power system costs and cut 80 million tons of carbon emissions annually. This totals more than the annual emissions of 50 medium-sized coal plants or 17 million cars.

Route Fifty | A Federal Program Looks to Connect Smart Buildings with Smart Policy

West Virginia is mandating that companies report their use of PFAs. This information will be used by the state to determine how to mitigate the impact of PFAs on the state water supply. HB3189 (2023 | WV), The PFAs Protection Act.

The Dominion Post via Governing | West Virginia Ends Session With Bills on Education, Guns, PFAS

West Virginia passed HB 2814 (2023 | WV) creating the Hydrogen Power Task Force to study hydrogen energy and its role in the state’s economy.

The Dominion Post via Governing | West Virginia Ends Session With Bills on Education, Guns, PFAS

A survey of commercial builders in February 2023 revealed that there is a heightened interest in  energy efficiency, demand response and technologies that can help manage utility bills and reduce carbon emissions. Meet ” grid-interactive buildings.” 99% of building managers are concerned about energy costs. 39% want demand response and demand management programs and EV chargers.

Utility Dive | Efficiency, demand response and EV charging are priorities for commercial building sector: GridPoint survey

A new report identifies characteristics that indicate a state or local government’s advantage in the race to build out EV charging networks. It looked at current charger-to-resident ratio.  Three Texas cities—San Antonio, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth— are in the 10 least EV-friendly cities. The Top 5 states are Vermont, California, Massachusetts, Colorado and Rhode Island.

Governing | In Race to Build Out EV Charging Stations, Some Cities and States Have a Leg Up

The first plane to use an electric powered, hydrogen fuel cell took flight this week. The emissions from the electric hydrogen fuel cell? water vapor and heat. Airbus is also testing hydrogen fuel cells for planes.

popsci | This plane powered by hydrogen has made an electrifying first flight

A Swiss solar panel company is moving away from plastics in its manufacturing and moving to glass solar panels. The reasoning: a leaner, flexible concept that has faster scalability of new manufacturing.

PV Magazine | All-in on the future: Meyer Burger shifting to 100% glass-glass bifacial

Record Breaking 2022 for grid scale batteries for a total capacity of 9GW/25GWh. That’s up from 2021’s record of 3GW/9.5GWh.

• 80% increase in cumulative operating battery storage in MWs
• 93% increase in terms of MegaWatt Hours
• 31% increase in commissioned projects in the 4th quarter of 2022
• California leads all states with 4,938MW of cumulative installations
• Texas leads for BESS in its interconnection queues, with 67GW awaiting connection

Energy Storage News | US installed grid-scale battery storage capacity reached 9GW/25GWh in ‘record-breaking’ 2022

State Approaches To Equitable Distributed Energy Resource Deployment by the National Governor’s Association is available for download as of March 2, 2023. “Governors are setting increasingly ambitious state energy goals that are enhancing the deployment of DERs, and are increasingly including equity provisions in energy policies, including DER programs.”

Texas Attorney General will be answering whether counties have the authority to put a moratorium on new solar projects. RQ- 0500-KP Franklin County wants to know if it’s within its authority to create a moratorium for utility scale solar projects. The County also wants to explore bonds for companies that want utility scale solar projects to cover damage the projects will cause to county roadways.

The first ever offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico was offered this Wednesday. A 102,000-acre area off Lake Charles, Louisiana, and two sites near Galveston, Texas are for offer with the potential to power almost 1.3 million homes.

The federal government push for more wind power has the goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, enough to power 10 million homes. 

Route Fifty | State & Local Roundup: Offshore Wind Push Expands to the Gulf of Mexico

Minesto, a Swedish company, has developed a marine technology that generates electricity from low-flow tidal streams and ocean currents. They talk about it as a tidal kite system.

@Sweden.se

LB658 (2023 | NE) creates the Nuclear and Hydrogen Industry Working Group to identify workforce needs of employers while partnering with state and community colleges to build a pipeline of skilled workers. 12 members appointed by the Governor.

The 12 members will include:

2 representatives from the nuclear industry

2 representatives from hydrogen industry

1 each from the Nebraska State College System, the community college system, and representing public power

2 chairman, the Chair of the Natural Resources Committee and the chair of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee

1, the director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development

2 at-large members.

Governing | Nuclear, Hydrogen Group Would Identify Workforce Needs

AB 3 (2023 | CA) would require oil refined in California be produced in California. The produced in California standard would be 60% in 2030.

CalMatters | In California Legislature, 500 bills beat the deadline

Meet the “maximum gross gasoline refining margin” part of California’s legislative plan, SB 2 (2023 | TX) to limit “price gouging” by fossil fuel companies. I feel like I’d be using a lot air quotes if I were talking about this. Its part of a populist push that questions when corporations hit record profits while raising prices that economically harm the working person.

The Hill | Groups lobby California legislature to pass bill on fuel ‘price gouging’

To signal to investors that Texas is open to the geothermal market, it will take 2 pieces of legislation according to supporters. First. property rights in the geothermal energy. That’s HB 1336 (2023 | TX) . Second. HB 1318 (2023 | TX) “transfers jurisdiction of specific geothermal wells that take advantage of closed-loop systems to the Texas Railroad Commission.”

Ultimately, geothermal energy creates electricity by  converting subsurface heat to “utility-scale power delivered through the electric grid or produced as heat for district heating.”

Go San Angelo | Geothermal energy: Texas can tap into the heat beneath our feet

The Biden Administration finalized plans for the $7.5 billion national electric vehicle charging network. Practical effect: Tesla will have to convert its Tesla only chargers to EV chargers for all EV vehicles. The plan will ultimately include  a 500,000-public-charger network.

Utility Dive | Tesla to make some of its EV chargers public as White House announces rules for national charging network

Washington State is proposing HB1416 (2023 | WA) that would require crypto miners to meet the state’s Greenhouse Gas Neutral Standard that has an administrative penalty of $100 multiplied by the following for each megawatt-hour of electric generation used to meet load that is not electricity from a renewable resource or nonemitting electric generation.

E&E News | Crypto is here to save the grid. Or crash it.

University of Texas researcher points to 3 things that reduced that mount of crypto mining- lower values in cryptocurrency meant less rewards, higher electricity costs, & higher natural gas costs.

A report by Hashrate Index found that crypto mining did not impact electric prices in areas where there was more hydro power and less natural gas power.

E&E Energy Wire | Crypto is here to save the grid. Or crash it.

Economists propose identifying the top 10% of water users (commercial and residential). Then they prose a pilot program that will help create future customizable water pricing programs for customers.

The pilot program in economist jargon: “Each invitee would receive an opt-in contract offering to pay them an annual fee for enrolling for three years in a water conservation program. In return, the price the consumer paid for each gallon of water would triple. This approach would give the consumer a guaranteed payment for participating and a clear incentive to use less water.”

Route Fifty | A New Strategy for Western States to Adapt to Long-term Drought: Customized Water Pricing

Colorado is considering a Right to Use Energy Bill, HB23-1127 (2023 | CO), that “prohibits a state agency, local government, or common interest community from limiting or prohibiting the use of natural gas, propane, solar photovoltaics, micro wind turbines, or micro hydroelectricity for generating electricity, cooking, heating water, or heating or cooling spaces in residences, units, or businesses.”

Louisiana’s Climate Action Plan will reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. To get there, industry is:

• Increasing solar by 3GW
• Developing wind power int he Gulf of Mexico
• Competing for compete for a $1 billion grant to develop a hydrogen hub funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
• $21 billion investment in new or expanded industrial projects aimed at carbon reduction include new facilities manufacturing components for electric vehicles; producing alternative fuels; creating carbon capture and storage facilities; and new low- or no-carbon ammonia and hydrogen production facilities

Governing | Louisiana’s Climate Goals Met With Industry Pledging Billions

Minnesota has a carbon free electricity goal of 2040. Included in this mix of carbon free power are solar, wind, nuclear, biomass, hydrogen and hydro power. SF 4 (2023 | MN) was signed by the Governor this week.

Minnesota joins 21 other states, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico that have set goals to reach 100 percent carbon-free energy generation by 2050.

Minnesota Governor | Governor Walz Signs Bill Moving Minnesota to 100 Percent Clean Energy by 2040

Deluth News Tribune | Minnesota Senate passes bill requiring 100% clean energy by 2040

Growth estimate for U.S. generation capacity includes an added  29.1 GW of solar power; additional 9.4 GW of battery storage; 7.5 GW of new natural-gas fired capacity; 6.0 GW of utility-scale wind; and  2.2 GW of capacity of nuclear power.

EIA | More than half of new U.S. electric-generating capacity in 2023 will be solar

Los Angeles City Council approved a $800-million plan to convert the city’s largest gas-fired power plant to green hydrogen. 1st of its kind project. Critics, mostly climate and environmental justice activists, say it’s greenwashing (faux green energy support) that will harm vulnerable communities. L.A. has a goal of 100% clean energy by 2035.

Los Angeles Times | L.A. is shutting down its largest gas plant — and replacing it with an unproven hydrogen project

North Dakota wants to address wind turbine blade disposal with HB 1090(2023 | ND) that would require landfills to receive approval from the state before accepting wind turbine blades.

WZFG | North Dakota Legislature: Eminent Domain, free lunch, drag show bills take center stage

Alaska Governor Dunleavy has proposed carbon storage and carbon credit legislation that is said to generate billions in annual revenue for the state. The carbon storage capacity is more than 50 gigatons.  Senate Bill (SB) 48, SB 49, House Bill (HB) 49, and HB 50, the Carbon Management and Monetization Bill Package.

Alaska Dispatch | Gov. Dunleavy Introduces Carbon Storage Bills to Raise Revenue

Governor Dunleavy Introduces Carbon Management and Monetization Bills Creating Statutory Structures

An Iowa Republican is proposing removing the use of eminent domain for carbon capture projects. SF 101 (2023 | IA) The author says, “That, in many ways, is my No. 1 preference because it gives the strongest protection to landowners and does the best job of addressing the constitutional problems with eminent domain for private companies for private profit.”

Iowa Capital Dispatch | Proposed legislation could kill or restrict carbon dioxide pipelines in Iowa

Meet new technology: hydro panels. Hydro panels collect “clean, renewable drinking water from the air.” Panels can make 1.3 gallons per day.

@good

Before we dismiss the source of this report, consider that one only makes their side stronger when you understand opposing positions. Call it strategy. Call it Sun Tsu. Call it being a decent human. The choice is yours.

The Environmental Defense Fund report says Texas ground water planning is short on: (1) critical funding, (2) science, (3) planning tools, (4) fails to protect future groundwater supplies, and (5)endangers water security & property rights of landowners.

Maine is considering legislation to require that its Public Utility Commission to procure 2.8 gigawatts of wind energy over the next 12 years. Why does this sound familiar? Because we’ve talked about the construction of massive offshore wind projects near Massachusetts.

Supporters say the bill will make Maine a leader in floating offshore wind power and attract billions of dollars in private investment.

Governing | Maine Bill Would Buy Huge Amounts of Offshore Wind Power

Maine Public | Bill aims to encourage development of offshore wind in Maine

Shell Oil has acquired EV charging network operator Volta. This is a trend fossil fuel companies snapping up or investing in EV charging infrastructure.

TechCrunch | Shell snaps up EV charging operator Volta for $169 million

What is happening? The Port of Corpus Christi is moving forward with its application to a hydrogen hub. This application is expected to bring billions of dollars in investments. The Hydrogen Hub designation will promote hydrogen production and create infrastructure for processing, storage, and use of clean hydrogen

Why is this important? Supporters say clean hydrogen is 2-3 times more efficient than gasoline.

Kiiitv | Port of CC moves forward with hydrogen hub application process

What is happening? Economic research released this week from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found that the Texas electric grid is still vulnerable to extreme weather. Good News: the research said its better than 2021. But say 3 changes are necessary: improved enforcement of weatherization standards; incentives for thermal power plant development; and enhanced demand-response programs. The study has charts and graphs for those who like visuals.

Dallas Fed | Texas electrical grid remains vulnerable to extreme weather events

What is happening? 42 members of the Texas House are forming the Texas House Water Caucus to aging and fragile water infrastructure. It’s the brain child of the nonprofit, Texas Water Foundation.

KLTV | New Texas House caucus to prioritize water problems in rural Texas

What is happening? This week TX Supreme Court heard oral arguments about whether ERCOT can be sued. Yep, ERCOT liability. Odds on whether the legislature gets into this….

ABC 13 | SCOTUS will decide whether ERCOT should be immune from lawsuits sparked by deadly winter storm

What is happening? The federal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund has $27 billion to pour into green banks and financial institutions. States are also paying attention. New Mexico and Alaska are pushing to create their own state green banks.Green banks provide financing to support climate-friendly projects like energy savings and solar generation in residential and commercial buildings. Many state-level green banks have focused on low- to moderate-income communities, which have the greatest need for energy upgrades and the least access to financing.

Governing | ‘Green Banks,’ Poised for Billions in Climate Funds, Draw States’ Attention

What is happening? Meet HB 2816 (2023 | OR) that would require crypto miners and data centers to meet the same clean energy goals as utilities. Failure for crypto miners and data centers to do so would generate tax consequences (au revoir tax breaks) and fines.

Why is this important? Remember last week when we talked about new Oregon open records information about the amount of water data centers were using in Oregon to keep cool? Yep… here we are legislatively.

Governing | Bill Requires Data Centers, Crypto Miners to Match Energy Goals

Government Technology | Oregon Lawmakers Consider Data Center, Cryptomining Penalties

What is happening? Let’s look at the numbers and who is where on the gas stove issue. The bill filing and executive action is focused in blue states. Data says that 13% of emissions come  from buildings, of that 80% is said to be attributable to natural gas. This week we learned that medical experts say 13% of childhood asthma is tied to gas stoves. Those opposing gas stove limitations are building associations, gas industry, plumbers, and steamfitters. Opposition  says the legislation banning gas in new builds will drive up the cost of housing & cause electric reliability issues.

Why is this important? Before this week’s news of gas stove emissions and health concerns, most bans on natural gas in building codes was focused on the 100 local governments that have passed all electric building codes.

Route Fifty | States at Center of Battle Over Gas Furnaces and Stoves

What is happening? New Report. Or is it s study? a white paper? It’s something policy people will quote or reference and that makes it worthy of attention. Meet “The Economic Impact of Renewable Energy and Energy Storage in Rural Texas” You’ll learn that the current fleet of utility-scale wind, solar, and energy storage projects in Texas are estimated to generate $7.2–$8.8 billion in new local tax revenue over their lifetimes. If we count all planned projects like this with interconnection the tax revenue is $12.5 to $15.9 billion. For the land owners that means revenue of $11.8 to $21.7 billion.

Why is this important? If you like the nitty gritty, this will get into the leveled per MW tax revenue and land owner payments.