Clean energy in U.S. a $1.3 trillion annually
CLEAN ENERGY: A new study estimates the “green economy” in the U.S. generates $1.3 trillion in annual revenue, or about 7% of GDP. (Bloomberg)
ALSO:
• Google announces plans for $150 million in clean energy investment; the figure represents about 0.1% of the company’s 2018 revenue. (CNET)
• A growing number of colleges and universities seek help from the private sector to run their utilities and meet emission-reduction targets. (Utility Dive)
• ExxonMobil is spending millions on clean energy researchers, which some critics say raises questions about scientific independence. (Axios)
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EPA:
• Staffers say the California EPA office was bypassed as the Trump administration escalated its political dispute with the state. (New York Times)
• An EPA attorney the political atmosphere means “things have basically come to a standstill here” with regards to enforcement actions. (The Revelator)
CLIMATE:
• Maryland releases its long-awaited plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions, with a target of 44% below 2006 levels by 2030. (Baltimore Sun)
• A Florida Republican says a recent climate change discussion in that state’s legislature reflects a new generation of conservatives “who aren’t so much in denial about some of these issues.” (WJCT)
OIL & GAS:
• California inspectors are working to determine the cause of yesterday’s explosions and fire at NuStar Energy’s East Bay oil storage facility that destroyed thousands of gallons of fuel and and prompted a hazardous materials emergency. (Associated Press)
• A slump in oil prices has brought job creation around the oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin to a halt and led to a steady trickle of layoffs. (Reuters)
NATURAL GAS:
• Columbia Gas of Massachusetts creates a new position of chief safety officer after a spate of mishaps and brings in an executive well known in the state’s industry. (Boston Globe)
• Southern California Gas Co. is trying to find the source of a “mysterious” ground fire at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility. (Associated Press)
BIOFUELS: Ethanol advocates say the Trump administration has reneged on its promise to boost biofuel demand with a proposal that allows more waivers for oil refineries. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
UTILITIES:
• Top Exelon official Anne Pramaggiore retires as the company receives federal subpoenas connected to its Illinois lobbying activities. (Chicago Sun Times)
• A U.S. bankruptcy judge says he will confirm FirstEnergy Solutions’ bankruptcy plan. (Crain’s Cleveland Business)
NUCLEAR:
• An engineer at the Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago uses supercomputers to determine what advanced nuclear reactor designs might work. (Energy News Network)
• The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the federal government does not have to restart construction on a nuclear fuel facility in South Carolina. (Post and Courier)
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SOLAR: A new study says adding solar to homes in New Jersey and Pennsylvania provides the greatest increases in their value nationally. (Pittsburgh City Paper)
COMMENTARY: “What the events in California and Miami and Houston tell us is that we are living through the risks of an altered climate now, not a hundred years from now.” (New York Times)