Hydrogen hub buildout lacks transparency, critics say

HYDROGEN: Critics assail the Biden administration for a lack of transparency and public engagement around its initiative to build hydrogen hubs in Appalachia and beyond, citing a West Virginia meeting in which there was no public presentation and few company representatives were there to answer questions. (Energy News Network)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Hyundai deploys 21 hydrogen fuel-cell electric trucks to run supplies between its new Georgia factory and coastal ports. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• The head of an electric vehicle battery materials manufacturer says the $103 million federal tax credit and another $100 million in federal funding it received to build a Tennessee factory should be secure despite Donald Trump’s election. (Chattanooga Times Free Press)
• General Motors enters an agreement to sell its stake in a Michigan battery plant, but will continue to jointly operate two other electric vehicle battery plants in Tennessee and Ohio. (Utility Dive)
• Texas opens its first electric vehicle fast charger funded by the federal infrastructure bill, with a total of 84 EV chargers planned. (Electrek, KRLD)

GRID:

• 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 Virginia and could rise to 46% by 2030. (Associated Press)
• The Tennessee Valley Authority holds a public meeting to discuss its plans to build a new transmission line through two Kentucky counties. (WHOP)

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)
• Regional grid operator PJM makes changes to its power plant interconnection process, effectively opening the door to new gas-fired generation to help power the booming data center sector. (E&E News)
• A company moves to finalize its acquisition of a Texas pipeline network and two terminals in Houston. (Daily Energy Insider)

SOLAR: Entergy and a renewables company announce the launch of operations at a 50 MW solar farm in Louisiana. (WVLA)

WIND:

• A crypto mining company buys a 114 MW wind farm in Texas to power its operations. (E&E News, subscription)
• A company wins a contract to attach cables from the seabed to 176 wind turbines and three substations at Dominion Energy’s offshore wind farm near Virginia. (Offshore)

STORAGE: A homebuilding firm teams with a Texas startup to award homeowners who sign up for a monthly electric service with a free backup battery system. (KXAN, news release)

PIPELINES: The Mountain Valley Pipeline estimates the final cost of the long-delayed project at both $8.1 billion and $9.6 billion, with the difference being an accounting practice that allows it to capitalize its cost of financing, rather than treat it as an immediate expense. (Roanoke Times)

POLITICS: A Republican Georgia Congress member whose district is home to Hyundai’s new electric vehicle plant is among several GOP members speaking out against the party’s plans to roll back a $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit and other clean energy incentives next year. (E&E News)

UTILITIES:

• Federal regulators approve Florida Power & Light to charge customers an extra $1.2 billion to recover costs from hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. (Daily Energy Insider)
• North Carolina residents are frustrated that new rider charges are pushing their Duke Energy electric bills higher despite a rate cut. (WCTI)