Developers break ground on northwestern New Mexico solar facility

SOLAR: Developers break ground on a 200 MW solar-plus-storage project aimed at replacing generation capacity lost from last year’s San Juan coal plant retirement in New Mexico. (NM Political Report)

ALSO:

• New Mexico analysts worry high grid interconnection costs could drive some developers to cancel planned community solar projects. (NM Political Report)
• California regulators are expected to release an amended proposal next week to change rooftop solar compensation rules for multifamily properties and institutions. (Solar Power World)

CLIMATE:

• A Los Angeles official calls for a reboot of the city’s 2019 climate plan, saying it has outlived its usefulness and lacks the transparency needed to accurately measure outcomes. (Los Angeles Times)
• The Berkeley Lab in northern California plans to establish two new centers to tackle climate change and advance clean energy technologies. (Daily Californian)

UTILITIES:

• Public Service Company of New Mexico agrees to pay $750,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging the utility fired or retaliated against disabled employees, including those injured on the job. (Albuquerque Journal)
• Environmentalists urge Northwest utilities to pull out of the American Gas Association, saying the lobbying group is ​“at the bleeding edge of anti-climate advocacy.” (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

WIND:

• A national laboratory’s study estimates properly integrating proposed offshore wind power into the Western grid could yield $6 billion in annual economic benefits. (Utility Dive)
• Arizona wildlife officials explore ways of steering bats away from wind turbines to avoid deadly collisions. (Inside Climate News)
• A southern Oregon county’s commissioners push back on proposed offshore wind development, saying it threatens fisheries, property values and views. (Wild Rivers Outpost)
• The U.S. Energy Department awards Oregon researchers $2.5 million to study community perceptions of offshore wind energy. (news release)

PUBLIC LANDS: Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon considers suing the federal Bureau of Land Management over its proposal to restrict energy development on about 1.8 million acres in the southern part of the state. (Cowboy State Daily)

OIL & GAS: A southeastern New Mexico county advances a plan to issue a $500 million bond for a company to build a natural gas processing plant. (Carlsbad Current-Argus)

TRANSPORTATION:

• An advocacy group’s report finds California undercuts its own climate goals by spending less than one-fifth of its $22 billion transportation budget on projects aimed at reducing vehicle miles traveled. (news release)
• California’s high-speed rail authority advances the process of acquiring six train sets. (Sacramento Bee)
• A Washington state port considers establishing shore power, which enables ships to shut off diesel engines and plug into the mainland electricity grid. (Daily News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Wyoming entrepreneurs step up to build an electric vehicle charging network after the state falters. (Sierra)

HYDROGEN: The U.S. Energy Department partners with firms on a proposed hydrogen maritime fuel demonstration project in San Francisco. (Marine Link)

BATTERIES: Idaho officials investigate a fire that broke out in a grid-scale battery energy storage facility on Monday. (CBS2)