Neighbors choke on wood pellet dust as world debates climate value

ALSO:

• An investigation finds a British owner of wood pellet plants in Louisiana and Mississippi has paid out $5 million in air pollution penalties and settlements over the past five years, even as it received at least $762 million in ​“green” loans during that same time. (Mississippi Today)
• University of North Carolina officials ask state regulators to allow the burning of paper-and-plastic pellets at a cogeneration power plant in hopes of reducing carbon emissions, but critics warn that doing so could result in other harmful emissions. (Inside Climate News)

SOLAR:

• A Southeast electric cooperative receives $439 million to build a 250 MW solar facility as part of more than $6 billion in federal funding awarded to clean energy projects in rural communities. (Canary Media)
• A company begins operation of a 111 MW solar farm built atop a former coal mine in Kentucky, with most of the power going to Toyota and the rest to Shell. (Renewables Now)
• An energy company partners to build a 2 MW solar facility on a bilingual elementary school in Florida. (Solar Power World)

COAL:

• A coal company that supplies the iron smelting and steel making industries files for bankruptcy, affecting up to 52 workers in southwestern Virginia. (WCYB)
• A coal-fired power plant in Texas that was closed in 2023 is set to be demolished in a controlled explosion today. (KETK)

OIL & GAS:

• An Oklahoma oil and gas billionaire is hosting a fossil fuel-themed party for President Trump’s inauguration after giving more than $4.3 million to political action committees to help get him elected. (New York Times)
• Data shows that industrial use of natural gas by manufacturers represents nearly 40% of all gas use in Tennessee, surpassing even power production. (WPLN)
• A West Virginia county board considers a $20 million payment in lieu of taxes and lease agreement with a developer that wants to build a gas-fired power plant. (WV News)
• Texas’ oil and gas industry provided more than $27 billion to local and state governments last year, breaking a previous record by more than $1 billion. (Dallas Morning News)

GRID:

• A bipartisan group of Virginia lawmakers announces a legislative package to regulate data center development, including measures to protect consumers from rate hikes and implement energy efficiency requirements. (Cardinal News)
• A Georgia lawmaker announces the development of a plan to ensure there’s enough energy and water for economic development amid debate over water use by Hyundai’s new electric vehicle plant and Georgia Power’s plans to build gas-fired plants to power data centers. (Savannah Morning News)

COMMENTARY:

• Virginia should consider building new nuclear power plants to ensure the state can meet a projected rise in demand without relying on fossil fuels, writes a professor. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
• The University of North Carolina should reject a pilot program to burn synthetic pellets at its fossil fuel-fired power plant because it would introduce more ​“forever chemicals” into the community, writes a medical student. (Daily Tar Heel)