COAL: The global coal boom has started to slow as more plans for new power plants are now being shelved than completed, according to a new report. (The Carbon Brief)
ALSO: China’s declining use of coal may be felt from Australia to the United States, but especially in Wyoming. (China Daily)
SOLAR:
• West Virginia’s governor has signed legislation that revamps the state’s net metering rules and restricts owners of solar installations from selling electricity to the grid. (Clean Technica)
• Duke Energy Renewables has started construction on two solar farms that will provide 32-megawatts of power to three Washington, DC, institutions. (Charlotte Business Journal)
• SolarCity will design and operate small, independent power networks for cities, remote communities, campuses and military bases. (The New York Times)
• Urban rooftops, vacant lands and industrial sites could be ideal for solar development, according to a new study. (Climate Central)
WIND:
• The U.S. Department of Energy will provide $1.8 million in funds for development of larger wind turbine blades to capture more power and increase turbine efficiency. (North American Wind Power)
• Dow Chemical has signed a long-term agreement with a wind farm under development in South Texas to supply its Freeport, Texas, manufacturing facility with 200 megawatts of power annually. (Midland Daily News)
• Developer of a wind farm in southeastern North Dakota where endangered birds nest and fly over has proposed using fewer and larger turbines to reduce potential harm. (Associated Press)
UTILITIES: Only 2 percent of utilities think their customer education on energy savings is effective, according to a survey of 144 power-sector executives. (Greentech Media)
FRACKING: Public demands for more information about the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing is on the rise. (Chemical & Engineering News)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Tesla Motors will unveil on Thursday an update to its Model S that will address its all-electric range, the company’s chief executive said Sunday in a tweet. (The Wall Street Journal)
IOWA: An Iowa bill requiring a safety feature that some engineers say is unnecessary has critics questioning whether the legislation is meant to stifle distributed generation. (Midwest Energy News)
EPA EMISSIONS RULES: EPA officials met with stakeholders last week to discuss how an interstate trading market might aid compliance with the proposed Clean Power Plan. (EnergyWire)
GLOBAL EMISSIONS PACT: Conservative organizations, including the coal lobby, acknowledge that Pope Francis could have a major impact on negotiations for global limits on greenhouse-gas emissions. (Bloomberg BNA)