CLIMATE: The Trump administration is reportedly still considering how to proceed with its constitutional challenge to California’s cap-and-trade agreement with Quebec. (Bloomberg Law)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: The sheriff of a California county says Tesla cannot continue to operate its plant under a Bay Area lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. (Reuters)

UTILITIES: PG&E is suspending all planned upgrades that could result in power outages during the Bay Area’s three-week shelter-in-place. (Mercury News)

RENEWABLES: A Utah bill aiming to move more than one-third of the state’s population to 100% renewables by 2030 could be a template for other red state transition programs. (Utility Dive)

WIND: A study by California’s grid operator finds utility-scale wind farms have the potential to provide grid services that match those of a gas plant or hydroelectric facility. (Utility Dive)

OIL & GAS:
• The historic fall in oil prices could cost the energy industry thousands of jobs, particularly in Alaska, California, New Mexico, Texas and North Dakota, which together account for about 67% of U.S. crude oil production. (CNBC)
• Equipment failure at a suburban Denver oil refinery released a burst of “clay-like” pollution, and local officials say operators have failed to release information as to whether the public is at risk. (Denver Post)
• Wyoming’s oil industry continues to be rocked by market volatility for the second consecutive week. (Casper Star-Tribune)

STORAGE: An Oregon energy storage company shares how supply chain disruption in China has affected their business. (Energy Storage News)

FOSSIL FUELS: New data analysis indicates Alaska and Wyoming can afford not to levy an income tax because of revenue generated from oil, natural gas, coal, and other mineral extraction. (USA Today)

SOLAR:
• Tesla is offering two months of free solar power to people signing up for its new home solar subscription program, starting at just $65 per month in California. (Electrek)
• Officials in an Arizona county accept an offer from the BLM to transfer 5,500 acres for solar power development. (Parker Pioneer)
• A new report indicates solar installations in Arizona more than doubled in 2019. (Phoenix Business Journal, subscription)

COMMENTARY:
• An environmental lobbyist says a new report shows California can reach its goal to achieve climate neutrality by 2045 much sooner. (CalMatters)
• The lowest-cost, shortest path for California to achieve its 100% renewable electricity goal is to add flexible generation to the mix, a smart technology expert writes. (Capitol Weekly)
• A renewable energy lawyer and policy expert says automation is the key to changing the solar interconnection process in California. (PV Magazine)

Lisa is a Lenape and Nanticoke Native American freelance journalist, editor and writer currently based in the U.K. She has more than two decades’ experience working in corporate communications and print and digital media. She compiles the Western Energy News daily email digest. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University; her specializations include data journalism and visualization. She is a member of the Native American Journalists Association, Investigative Reporters & Editors, Society of Professional Journalists, and the National Union of Journalists (U.K.).