Firm plans $100 million green hydrogen complex in New Mexico

HYDROGEN: An Australian firm plans to establish a $100 million green hydrogen research and manufacturing complex in New Mexico. (Albuquerque Journal)

CLEAN ENERGY:

• Hawaii advocates historically opposed to solar and wind development formulate a community-driven plan to acquire 100% of Molokaʻi’s power from renewable energy. (Hawaii Public Radio)
• U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, an Idaho Republican, introduces legislation that would give state legislatures veto power over clean energy projects on federal lands with the aim of blocking a proposed wind facility in his state. (Billings Gazette)
• The U.S. Energy Department looks to lease Idaho National Laboratory land at below market value for clean energy development. (East Idaho News)

SOLAR: An Arizona electric cooperative brings a 23 MW solar-plus-storage facility online in the western part of the state. (news release)

WIND: A California firm acquires an aging wind power facility near Palm Springs with plans to refurbish and repower it. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STORAGE:

• The Biden administration grants an Oregon university $500,000 to research and develop clean energy storage. (KGW 8)
• A New Mexico startup and a national laboratory look to develop ways of using landscape gravel as thermal energy storage. (PV Magazine)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Washington state officials put the final touches on a plan aimed at rapidly increasing the number of electric vehicles on the road. (Washington State Standard)
• The U.S. EPA awards a Colorado nonprofit $500,000 to purchase 100 electric bicycles for a city’s residents. (KOAA)

HYDROPOWER: Arizona utility Salt River Project looks to construct a 2,000 MW pumped hydropower storage facility by 2033. (KTAR)

GEOTHERMAL: A western Colorado community receives $716,000 in federal funding to research, design and plan a large-scale geothermal system to heat and cool 16-acres of residential and institutional buildings. (Boise State Public Radio)

COAL: New Mexico regulators approve Xcel Energy’s plan to limit operations at its Tolk coal plant until retiring it in 2028, four years ahead of schedule. (KRQE)

CARBON CAPTURE: California researchers, startups and nonprofits team up to establish a community designed and controlled direct air carbon removal facility in the San Joaquin Valley. (E&E News)

ELECTRIFICATION: Studies find gasoline-powered leaf blowers emit dangerously high levels of pollutants and are noisy, leading California and some Western cities to ban them. (Grist)

CLIMATE: Public Service Company of New Mexico’s CEO joins academics and advocates to explore ways to equitably accelerate climate solutions. (NM Political Report)

UTILITIES:

• California advocates propose allowing San Diego voters to decide whether the city should exit its contract with SDG&E. (Voice of San Diego)
• Montana regulators approve NorthWestern Energy’s proposed rate increase following strong public opposition. (Montana Free Press)