Big battery comes online to replace Hawaii coal plant

STORAGE: Developers bring a 185 MW battery energy storage installation online in Hawaii to replace the capacity and grid services formerly provided by a shuttered coal plant. (Canary Media)

ALSO:

• A Washington state utility partners with a developer to explore deploying an iron-air battery multi-day energy storage system. (Utility Dive)
• Federal data show California, Texas and Arizona lead the nation for the most installed grid-scale battery capacity. (Teslarati)
• A southern California community choice aggregator agrees to purchase power from a 20 MW battery energy storage project. (Solar Quarter)

SOLAR:

• A California county approves a proposed 50 MW solar project on private agricultural land. (Sacramento Bee)
• A Colorado county places a moratorium on new commercial solar installations to give it time to develop regulations for the facilities. (Daily Sentinel)
• A California manufacturer sues the Biden administration for allegedly failing to enforce federal regulations on solar imports. (PV Magazine)

WIND: Developers break ground on the SunZia wind project in New Mexico, set to be the biggest wind facility in the Western Hemisphere. (Associated Press)

OIL & GAS: 

• Oil production in Utah reaches record highs even after the Biden administration raises federal royalty rates and otherwise tightens leasing rules. (Utah News Dispatch)
• New Mexico economists predict oil and gas production will plateau or decrease in the Permian Basin this year, resulting in lower state tax revenues. (KRQE)
• The University of Wyoming partners with petroleum companies to research and develop methods of boosting oil production from aging fields. (Casper Star-Tribune)

NATURAL GAS: A New Mexico utility says it needs to build a controversial natural gas storage facility on a city’s outskirts to ensure reliability, but residents worry about safety. (NM Political Report)

CLEAN ENERGY: A Nevada county votes to oppose proposed lithium mining operations near a wildlife refuge and solar developments on federal lands, saying they could strain diminishing water supplies. (Nevada Current)

URANIUM: Wyoming officials say rising commodity prices led to a uranium production uptick last year following a long period of industry near-dormancy. (WyoToday Media)

CLIMATE: Colorado advocates push back on a university’s plan to upgrade heating and power equipment, saying it isn’t enough to slash carbon emissions. (Colorado Newsline)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• The Biden administration awards an Arizona city nearly $12 million to build out its electric vehicle charging network. (KTAR)
• An air taxi startup plans to build an electric aircraft charging station in southern California. (Flight Global)

GRID:

• A remote Alaska community has experienced about one power outage per week this winter as above-average snowfall topples trees and utility lines. (KDLL)
• Strong winds and rain batter utility lines in the Northwest, leaving more than 11,000 customers without power. (KOIN)

COMMENTARY: A Hawaii lawmaker urges the state to file a lawsuit against the fossil fuel industry to hold it accountable for its contributions to climate change. (Honolulu Civil Beat)