How the U.S. could buy emission cuts

EMISSIONS: The Biden administration prepares to revamp its purchasing rules to take greenhouse gas emissions into account, with a goal of leveraging its buying power to get companies to cut emissions. (E&E News)

ALSO: The cryptocurrency industry may be past its heyday, but its greenhouse gas emissions are still expected to rise this year. (Atlantic)

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OIL & GAS: The federal consumer safety commission starts taking public comments on how to deal with evidence that gas stoves pollute indoor air — something gas industry leaders have privately acknowledged. (Vox)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• The U.S. Treasury Department will release domestic sourcing requirements for electric vehicle tax credits next week. (Politico)
• Women only purchased 30% of electric vehicles sold in the first half of 2021, and some say safety concerns during long charge times are holding them back. (The 19th)
• A company announces it will build a $1.3 billion lithium processing plant in South Carolina to supply electric vehicle and battery companies. (Reuters)

COAL: The Sierra Club alleges in a lawsuit that a major Illinois coal plant has operated ​“illegally” for more than a decade without an operating permit from the state as required under the Clean Air Act. (Energy News Network)

CLEAN ENERGY: The world added nearly 295 GW of renewable power generation in 2022, making up 83% of all new capacity added. (Utility Dive)

GRID:
• Just 14% of consumers participated in energy management and conservation programs last year — only a slight increase from 2020 despite rising electricity prices. (Utility Dive)
• Western rural electricity cooperatives upend traditional business models as they look to acquire more power from clean energy sources. (E&E News)

OVERSIGHT: In a congressional hearing, EPA Administrator Michael Regan asks for more funding to relieve an overworked staff and says new rules on tailpipe and power sector emissions will be out soon. (E&E News)

CLIMATE: California researchers find regulators are systematically over-crediting carbon offset projects, allowing some companies to claim more climate benefits than deserved. (CNBC)

OFFSHORE WIND: Multiple offshore wind project proposals submitted in New York’s recent solicitation utilize Staten Island’s offshore wind manufacturing sites, suggesting the borough is crucial to the industry. (Staten Island Advance)

SOLAR: A Rhode Island bill would require new buildings to add on-site solar generation except in a handful of cases, such as if other renewable energy projects are already being incorporated. (Go Local Prov)

CARBON CAPTURE: A Minneapolis startup has developed an energy efficient and inexpensive way to capture and store carbon emissions by converting plant waste to a charcoal-like substance called biochar. (Energy News Network)

COMMENTARY: The U.S. EPA’s push to build up hydrogen production fails to take into account the industry’s potential for methane leaks, a clean energy advocate writes. (Utility Dive)