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Senate would boost energy research, water programs
A Senate panel advanced a $43.77 billion energy and water bill today that splits sharply from President Trump in boosting spending on science research and innovation. By voice vote, the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee passed legislation that would provide record funding for the Department of Energy Office of Science and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. The Office of Science oversees the majority of the national labs. [ read more … ]
Trump’s Doomsday Scenarios for Power Grid Undercut by His Agency
Energy Secretary Rick Perry has invoked doomsday scenarios to argue that the shuttering of nuclear and coal-fired power plants will put the U.S. power grid at risk, leaving elderly Texans without air conditioning and New York’s financial center vulnerable to a crippling blackouts. “I do not want to get a phone call from someone whose grandmother has died in their home because the electricity went off in August where our days are 105 to 110 degrees,” Perry told House lawmakers earlier this year. There’s just one problem: Independent researchers and the department’s own data say the problem doesn’t exist. [ read more … ]
Policy & Politics
Wind power poised for record year, despite initial tax law concerns
The number of contracts signed for wind power projects hit a record of 3,500 MW in Q1 2018, according to the American Wind Energy Association, signaling that 2018 should be a strong year for the renewable resource. There are now 33,449 MW of wind projects under construction or in advanced development in the U.S., a 40% increase from last year and the highest level since AWEA began compiling the metric at the beginning of 2016. [ read more … ]
Virginia governor wants strategic plan to boost offshore wind
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration says it is looking for advice on how to make the state more attractive to offshore wind power. Northam’s office announced Tuesday that the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy is seeking a contract to provide a strategic plan to make Virginia an east coast hub for the offshore wind energy industry. Virginia currently doesn’t have any offshore turbines. [ read more … ]
Lawmakers seek to capitalize on Wyo. wind
In the next five to seven years, the amount of wind power in Wyoming is expected to triple, according to the University of Wyoming’s Wind Energy Research Center. “Utilities want wind these days,” said Jonathan Naughton, the center’s director. “Not because of environmental policy. They want it because it’s cheap.” [ read more … ]
Wind Catcher sees some support as Okla. decision looms
American Electric Power Co.’s proposed Wind Catcher Energy Connection garnered potentially favorable feedback from Texas recently, but questions still surround the multistate plan. [ read more … ]
China’s EV push may have unintended consequences
China is on track to seriously beef up its electric vehicle fleet — but is that really better for the environment? Coal still accounts for much of the country’s electricity production. Charging electric batteries could generate more carbon dioxide than combustion engines do. Researchers are seeking a better understanding of exactly how, when and where electric cars are charged in order to determine whether electric motors pollute less than gas engines. [ read more … ]
Senate panel passes Barrasso-Whitehouse carbon capture bill
A Senate panel advanced legislation yesterday that aims to boost technologies removing carbon dioxide from fossil fuel emissions — and straight from regular air — by altering the Clean Air Act and other federal laws. By voice vote, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed a revised version of the “Utilizing Significant Emissions With Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act,” which would direct EPA to support carbon utilization and air capture research. [ read more … ]
Wind group hires 2 from oil and gas industry
The American Wind Energy Association has tapped two officials from the oil and gas industry for senior positions. Bree Raum, formerly senior director of federal affairs for the American Gas Association, will become AWEA’s new vice president of federal affairs. Also joining is Sari Fink as senior director of electricity and transmission policy, a role that targets new transmission and other regulatory barriers for wind. The position is a new one for AWEA. [ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.