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Trump’s Power Plan Could Cost $35 Billion a Year, Opponents Say
The Trump administration’s plan to subsidize unprofitable coal and nuclear plants may cost as much as $35 billion a year, according to a study backed by trade groups opposed to the idea. Giving power plants an out-of-market annual payment of $50 per kilowatt of capacity — roughly the average operating shortfall for plants running at a deficit — would cost $16.7 billion a year, according to a report Thursday from The Brattle Group. Another model that includes a return on invested capital, as the U.S. Energy Department proposed last year, could cost $20 billion to $35 billion per year. [ read more … ]
Judge Throws Out New York Climate Lawsuit
A federal judge has rejected New York City’s lawsuit to make fossil fuel companies help pay the costs of dealing with climate change. Judge John F. Keenan of United States District Court for the Southern District of New York wrote that climate change must be addressed by the executive branch and Congress, not by the courts. [ read more … ]
Policy & Politics
Congress’ ability to boost storage limited
Energy storage experts made clear to a House panel this week that Congress’ options for helping lower prices and increase deployment of the technology are fairly limited. Despite calls by members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee for a renewed effort by the federal government to develop storage and help it overcome policy barriers, most actions companies want would happen on the state, grid operator or regulatory planes. [ read more … ]
CEQ nominee: ‘The climate is changing’
President Trump’s pick to lead the Council on Environmental Quality tiptoed around climate change today while appearing to draw some Democratic support. Mary Neumayr, a former congressional staffer, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that people play a role in the planet’s changing climate, but stopped short of placing blame. [ read more … ]
Denver Pledges 100% Renewable Electricity By 2030
Denver’s Mayor, who is seeking a third term, has pledged the city will source 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. In doing so, Denver has become the 73rd city in the United States to commit to a 100% renewable electricity target; however, few have aimed to complete the transition so quickly. Nine other Colorado cities have made a renewable electricity 100% commitment, but of course Denver is the largest [ read more … ]
How the oil industry learned to love Massachusetts v. EPA
The oil industry will lose a powerful legal weapon if a more conservative Supreme Court reverses a landmark 2007 climate change decision. Retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy was the key vote in the 5-4 ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA, which gave EPA power to police greenhouse gas emissions and set the stage for Obama-era policies to limit climate change. [ read more … ]
Solar is booming at rural co-ops — report
Rural electric cooperatives are turning on record amounts of solar power, making customers of people who usually wouldn’t consider buying renewable energy. The trend was the subject of a report released by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), which represents more than 42 million electric customers across the country. [ read more … ]
China EV Battery Boom Set to Turn Ugly as Subsidies Revised
China’s electric-vehicle battery sector is set for a brutal reshuffle as the government reforms subsidies to meet the more exacting technological demands of next-generation transport, according to Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. [ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.