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Climate Change Push Fuels Split On Coronavirus Stimulus
Clean energy and climate advocates say the huge stimulus bill Congress is negotiating should address not only the economy, but also climate change. But a split over that appears to have contributed to delays in passing the bill. “Democrats won’t let us fund hospitals or save small businesses unless they get to dust off the Green New Deal,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday.
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Coronavirus
Utilities beginning to see the load impacts of COVID-19 as economic shutdown widens
It has been less than a week since states and major cities began instituting quarantines along with stay-home and shelter-in-place directives to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The full impacts on electricity usage are not yet known, but grid operators say demand is both shifting and falling. Data from overseas may give an indication of just how steep the declines could become. [ read more … ]
EVx
Coronavirus pumps the brakes on the electric vehicle revolution
Far from just impacting transportation today, the pandemic and ensuing economic fallout could have big implications for the transit systems of tomorrow. Early signs suggest that the electric vehicle market, like the rest of the auto market, is taking a serious hit from COVID-19. For now, it appears to be a short-term stallout. But with the economy headed for recession and the price of oil reaching historic lows, bigger challenges could lie ahead for the EV industry unless governments take proactive measures to ensure a clean transit future. [ read more … ]
Climate
Coal Is Now the World’s Most Expensive Fossil Fuel
Coal, the dirtiest and usually the cheapest option for energy, is now the world’s most expensive fossil fuel. Oil’s epic collapse over the past month means the global crude benchmark is now priced below the most widely traded coal contract on an energy-equivalent basis, [ read more … ]
Today’s Corn Farmers Leave A Zero Carbon Footprint
In addition to feeding and fueling the world, farmers across the Corn Belt are helping sequester carbon by raising corn for ethanol, livestock feed and Fourth of July barbecues. “Corn is one of only a handful of grasses (C4) which are superior at extracting carbon dioxide from the air and fixing it in plants and sequestering it in the soil,” says Ron Alverson, a Chester, S.D., corn farmer. [ read more … ]
Coronavirus redraws battle lines on airline emission
European airlines crippled by the coronavirus have demanded lasting relief from environmental taxes – in a move that pits their immediate survival against longer-term emissions goals.
The looming tax tussle underscores shifting environmental battle lines and a broader question for governments injecting billions into their afflicted economies: Should bailouts come before climate objectives or rather be used to advance them? [ read more … ]
Policy & Politics
Congress debates how to help energy sector in coronavirus stimulus measure
One of the biggest sticking points to emerge in the fight over the coronavirus stimulus package is how to prop up the nation’s energy sector, struggling from a glut of oil and plummeting prices during the spreading epidemic. Democrats were seeking a litany of subsidies for clean energy businesses to help renewable energy projects facing new economic headwinds from the viral outbreak. Republicans want to help keep the U.S. oil and gas sector afloat by buying fuel to fill a massive government reserve. [ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.