Inside Trump’s wind halt

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.

OFFSHORE WIND

• Senate Democrats pull out of permitting-reform negotiations after the Trump administration halts under-construction offshore wind projects. (Politico)
• Analysts say the administration’s offshore wind stoppage is a bad choice as it looks to counter rising energy prices, as these projects could’ve delivered much-needed power to the grid. (Politico)

GRID

• Google parent company Alphabet will acquire data center and power infrastructure firm Intersect Power in a $4.75 billion deal. (Axios)
• A growing number of fossil-fuel-powered peaker plants are coming back into work as more AI data centers come online and raise power demand. (Reuters)

EMISSIONS

• Mercedes-Benz USA and its parent company will pay $149.6 million to settle allegations that the company modified its cars to pass state emissions tests even though the vehicles far exceeded legal limits for nitrogen oxides. (CNBC)

COMMENTARY

• The coming year will show if the Loan Programs Office, now rebranded as the Energy Dominance Financing Office, can actually succeed in getting emerging — if Trump-favored — energy technologies off the ground. (Latitude Media)