HYDROGEN: Nearly 20 U.S. utilities have announced plans to blend hydrogen into natural gas lines, which critics dismiss as expensive experiments that will cost ratepayers and do little to reduce emissions. (Floodlight)
GRID:
- The U.S. Department of Energy awards $700 million for a high-voltage transmission project between Montana and North Dakota that will create the first large-scale grid connection between grid systems separated by the Rocky Mountains. (E&E News)
- The head of Xcel Energy says the utility will likely need more transmission and new generation assets to meet forecasted load growth from data centers. (Utility Dive)
OIL & GAS: Some western Wisconsin residents say silica sand mines that provide a key material for hydraulic fracturing have caused property damage and environmental contamination. (LaCrosse Tribune, subscription)
TRANSPORTATION: A Michigan Congress member leads efforts to repeal the Biden administration’s fuel economy standards that require automakers to improve cars’ fuel efficiency over the coming years. (Detroit News)
SOLAR: Ohio regulators hold a public hearing on a developer’s plan for a 100 MW solar project with 52 MW of battery storage near Cincinnati. (WCPO)
BIOGAS:
- A $140 million Kansas City facility set to come online next year will convert solid waste into biogas and fertilizer in a move local officials say will improve air quality and create reusable byproducts. (Flatland)
- Iowa county officials approve plans for a rural renewable natural gas plant, despite objections from nearby residents and opposition from a planning board over environmental concerns. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
CLIMATE: The window for U.S. lawmakers to repeal the SEC’s climate-disclosure rule closed last week as multiple ongoing lawsuits challenge the new requirements for companies to disclose financial risks related to climate change. (ESG Dive)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A lack of national standards for training electric vehicle and charging station technicians perpetuates an industry worker shortage and could limit EV adoption, experts say. (Detroit News, subscription)
COMMENTARY: A former Department of Energy official in Michigan says the state’s climate change lawsuit against fossil fuel companies is misguided for targeting companies that residents rely on for home heating and traveling. (Bridge)
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