Exxon knew more about climate than we thought

CLIMATE: A new study finds ExxonMobil scientists decades ago made accurate predictions of how much fossil fuel combustion would warm the atmosphere – at times surpassing the work of government and independent researchers – even as the company publicly sowed doubts about climate change. (NPR)

ALSO:
• The United Arab Emirates places the CEO of a state-run oil company in charge of next year’s COP28 climate conference, to be held in Dubai. (The Hill)
• A study finds that states that prohibit government agencies from doing business with banks that refuse to fund fossil fuels could face hundreds of millions of dollars in additional costs. (States Newsroom)

OIL & GAS:
• The U.S. House passes its first energy bill of the 2023 session: A bipartisan measure to block sales of oil from strategic reserves to China, which some Democrats hope will open the door to additional export bans. (E&E News)
• Federal officials backpedal on a plan to designate the Permian Basin in violation of ozone standards, which would have required significant reforms in the oil and gas industry. (Inside Climate News)

GRID:
• California analysts urge utilities to look for innovative ways to make the electricity grid more resilient after a series of storms left more than 400,000 people without power at one time. (Los Angeles Times)
• Generators that couldn’t supply power to PJM Interconnection during a late December storm may face roughly $2 billion in penalties from the grid operator following its investigation. (Reuters)
• Texas officials say they’re pleased the grid made it through last month’s cold snap without the need for blackouts or emergency operations. (KVUE)

CLEAN ENERGY: Minnesota Democrats, who control the state’s legislature and governor’s office, introduce a bill to require carbon-free electricity statewide by 2040, 10 years sooner than current plans. (Star Tribune)

WIND:
• A proposed Interior Department rule would set a five-year schedule for offshore wind auctions. (E&E News)
• Black business owners make inroads in the offshore wind supply chain and test developers’ promises around diversity and inclusion. (E&E News, subscription)

SOLAR: A new study finds the efficiency of solar photovoltaic materials correlates with the amount of research that goes into them: ​“there’s no free lunch.” (Inside Climate News)

ELECTRIFICATION: Natural gas proponents say exhaust hoods can limit health impacts from gas stoves, but ventilation experts say that isn’t necessarily true. (Distilled)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Tesla cuts prices on two popular models to boost lagging demand, making more vehicles eligible for federal tax credits. (New York Times)