Hydrogen plans fizzle

This roundup of U.S. energy news headlines is part of our Canary Media Daily newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

EFFICIENCY

• The Trump administration continues to consider eliminating Energy Star, the Weatherization Assistance Program, and other initiatives meant to help people curb their energy usage and save money. (E&E News)

DATA CENTERS

• BloombergNEF predicts U.S. data-center power demand will hit 106 GW by 2035, a 36% leap from the firm’s previous prediction. (BloombergNEF)

AFFORDABILITY

• The Trump administration releases $3.7 billion in Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds after a delay due to the government shutdown. (E&E News)

• Post-government-shutdown delays in distributing energy-bill assistance will hit rural Americans especially hard, experts say. (Daily Yonder)

RESEARCH

• The Trump administration renames the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to the National Laboratory of the Rockies, with the organization’s director citing a ​“broader vision for the lab’s applied energy research.” (Inside Climate News)

FINANCE

• Clean-manufacturing and climatetech investors have faced a rocky year, and while some are pulling back from the sector, others see the turbulence as necessary growing pains. (Latitude Media)

GRID

• The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approves the Southwest Power Pool’s proposal to let power plant owners expand generation as much as 20% under a temporary sped-up review process, but blocks owners of retired power plants from using the method. (Utility Dive)

COAL

• Los Angeles shut down the last coal plant directly powering California last week, the Intermountain Power Plant in Utah. (Climate Colored Goggles)

CRITICAL MINERALS

• The U.S. will seek agreements with eight countries to boost critical mineral supplies needed to bolster AI technology, a State Department official says. (Bloomberg)

• The U.S. Department of Energy announces a $134 million funding opportunity for projects that recover and refine rare earth elements from waste. (news release)