Nevada calls on Congress to retain clean energy incentives

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CLEAN ENERGY

• Nevada businesses and lawmakers urge Congress to retain clean energy tax credits, saying the state’s solar industry would suffer or collapse without them. (Nevada Independent)

• The California lawmaker pushing legislation that would slash net metering compensation for legacy rooftop solar customers is a former utility executive, raising questions about conflicts of interest. (Los Angeles Times)

• Montana lawmakers explore ways to encourage more wind development without harming the state’s coal industry. (Electric)

• Alaska lawmakers consider a bill aimed at incentivizing more rooftop solar by allowing customers to roll over summer credits to winter and making other net-metering tweaks. (Alaska Energy)

• California firm Kraus Hamdami Aerospace develops a solar-powered drone with a 1,000-mile range for the U.S. Army. (Interesting Engineering)

GRID

• Los Angeles-area wildfire victims’ attorneys present more evidence supporting their allegation that an idle Southern California Edison transmission tower sparked the deadly Eaton blaze. (Los Angeles Daily News)

• Xcel Energy agrees to expedite wildfire hazard mitigation in Boulder and other fire-prone Colorado cities. (KDVR)

• A California hospital activates a solar-powered microgrid backed up with non-lithium battery storage and a natural gas or hydrogen fuel cell. (EnergyTech)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Oregon and Washington lawmakers consider legislation that would delay implementation of California’s clean truck rule following pressure from the trucking industry. (E&E News)

• A company files a lawsuit accusing more than 50 people of breaking into Seattle-area electric vehicle chargers and stealing metals and trade secrets. (Seattle Times)

GEOTHERMAL

• Some residents push back on a proposed geothermal power plant in central Colorado, saying it could harm the rural character and hot springs. (CPR)

CLIMATE

• A California civil grand jury calls on Marin County to create a new department to lead climate initiatives, saying existing efforts have failed to reduce fossil fuel burning in buildings and transportation. (Fresno Bee)

FOSSIL FUELS

• The Trump administration plans to open Arctic waters off Alaska’s coast to offshore oil and gas leasing even though high costs and logistical challenges have foiled past attempts to drill there. (Alaska Beacon)

• President Trump exempts the Apache coal plant in eastern Arizona from stricter mercury emissions limits, allowing it to keep operating without expensive pollution control upgrades. (Cronkite News)

• The federal Bureau of Land Management seeks public input on 21 proposed oil and gas leases covering about 9,000 acres in the Permian and San Juan Basins. (KRQE)