Clean energy jobs in Tennessee grew 6% in 2014

CLEAN ENERGY JOBS: About 2,600 jobs were created in 2014 by employers in Tennessee operating in the energy efficiency, renewable energy and related sectors, according to a new report — an increase of 6.3 percent over 2013. (Knoxville News Sentinel)

CLEAN AIR: The U.S. EPA says Charlotte has attained a long-sought clean air standard and gasoline prices might decline as a result. (The Charlotte Observer)

CLEAN POWER PLAN: The U.S. EPA appears to be leaning toward giving states an extra two years – until 2022 – to start cutting carbon emissions from power plants. (EnergyWire)

WIND: Apex Clean Energy of Charlottesville, Virginia has applied to build up to three temporary towers in Botetourt County, Virginia to gather wind-speed data. (The Roanoke Times)

SOLAR:
• Rooftop solar is showing signs of modest growth in Virginia. (WMRA Virginia Public Radio)
• Tampa Electric is building a 2 megawatt solar system at the Tampa-St. Petersburg airport. (The Tampa Tribune)
• Residents in the Florence, Alabama area learn how the costs of home solar systems are decreasing although it still requires about 10 years to recoup those costs. (Times Daily)
• Students from West Virginia University will try a second time to win the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s ​“Solar Decathlon” by teaming with the University of Rome Tor Vergata. (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)

LIGHTING: Philips is shutting its manufacturing plant in Henderson, North Carolina and laying off its 50 employees. (Triad Business Journal)

EDUCATION: The University of Central Florida has earned a U.S. Dept. of Energy grant to launch a student energy innovation contest. (Orlando Sentinel)

NUCLEAR: A new GAO report casts more doubts about new reactor designs, including one contemplated by the TVA. (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy blog)

OFFSHORE DRILLING: Virginia Beach may reconsider its support for drilling off its coastline. (The Virginian-Pilot)

PIPELINES:
• Filings at the FERC reflect consideration being given to combining the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines through one corridor in Virginia. (The Roanoke Times)
• Central Arkansas Water cannot block a proposed consent decree between ExxonMobil and federal and state government agencies, the Justice Department said. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette)

COAL:
• Federal inspectors issued citations for unsafe practices at mines in Kanawha and Logan counties in West Virginia. (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)
• Cliffs Natural Resources signaled efforts to sell coal mines, one each in Alabama and West Virginia. (Platts)

COAL ASH: More than 1 million tons of coal ash has been removed from riverfront sites of coal-fired generating plants in South Carolina. (Associated Press)

POLITICS: Virginia Gov. McAuliffe’s PAC is returning a $25,000 contribution from the state-owned oil company of Angola. (Associated Press)

UTILITIES: With power demand rising and natural gas prices relatively low, Southern Company said it expects to burn 20% more gas at its generating plants in 2015 compared 2012-14. (Platts)

NORTH CAROLINA: Abandoned oil wells packed with cement pose no environmental or health risks, state officials say. (Star News, Wilmington)

COMMENTARY: Wealthy North Carolina donor Jay Faison misfires in his appeal to fellow Republicans to earn votes with policies to mitigate climate change. (Vox)