EVs are getting more reliable

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly reliable and are narrowing a wide gap with gas-powered vehicles, according to a new survey from Consumer Reports. (Associated Press)

ALSO: Elon Musk says the Trump administration should get rid of the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit, which he has said would help his company Tesla by hurting its competitors. (E&E News)

EFFICIENCY: Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen calls on the White House to ​“expeditiously review and approve” 10 pending energy efficiency standards, noting current rules won’t get the Biden administration to its goal for emissions reductions via efficiency. (The Hill)

HYDROGEN: Community and environmental advocates are increasingly frustrated by a lack of public information and engagement around proposed regional hydrogen hubs. (Energy News Network)

OFFSHORE WIND: Local offshore wind opponents often receive support including strategy advice, talking points, and celebrity guest speakers from national anti-wind groups funded by the fossil fuel industry, according to a new report from Brown University. (ecoRI)

CLEAN ENERGY: Companies awarded tentative federal clean energy loans to build hydrogen, electric vehicle and other manufacturing facilities worry about their fate under the Trump administration. (New York Times)

POLITICS:

• Senate Republicans say Lee Zeldin, President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. EPA, is preparing to dismantle environmental regulations opposed by the fossil fuel industry. (Washington Post)
• Zeldin is among a flock of Trump’s Cabinet selections who’ve expressed support for scaling up domestic oil and gas production, clawing back clean energy incentives, and weakening environmental rules. (Grist)

SOLAR:

• Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo urges the federal Bureau of Land Management to cancel its Western solar plan, saying it would ​“overwhelm local land-use plans,” disrupt economies and harm desert tortoises and sage grouse. (Heatmap)
• Analysts predict the U.S. will deploy a record 40.5 GW of solar power this year, and reach at least 43 GW of annual deployment by 2029. (Canary Media)

OIL & GAS: A report finds nine Louisiana liquified natural gas terminals that are operating, under construction or planned will receive more than $21.1 billion in local property tax breaks if all are completed, amounting to ​“an effective subsidy” of $6.7 million per job. (Floodlight)

OVERSIGHT: The U.S. EPA says in a year-end report that it more than doubled pollution fines and penalties over last year, made its first arrest in a climate-related crime, and stepped up enforcement in historically disadvantaged communities. (Associated Press)

GRID:

• Analysts predict new data centers, factories and cryptocurrency mining facilities will drive ​“staggering” electricity demand growth on the Western grid over the next decade. (RTO Insider, subscription)
• Virginia communities push back against the booming data center sector and its growing power needs, which already consume more than 25% of all power produced in the state and could rise to 46% by 2030. (Associated Press)