North Carolina’s climate challenge: Driving less

TRANSPORTATION: While North Carolina has required its power sector to zero out emissions, it has been reluctant to take on reducing dependence on cars, which experts say will be necessary to reach climate goals. (Energy News Network) 

ALSO:

• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says there is ​“enormous potential” for high-speed rail connecting Dallas and Houston. (NBC DFW)
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says ​“it’s not going to be Florida taxpayers constructing a train” in explaining his rejection of funds to expand the Brightline high-speed rail line to Tampa. (WUSF)

SOLAR:

• Solar generated more electricity than coal in Texas for the first time last month, providing more than 10% of the state’s electricity. (IEEFA)
• Duke Energy seeks regulatory approval for a 76 MW solar array adjacent to a South Carolina nuclear plant. (news release)

HYDROGEN:

• A proposed hydrogen production facility in West Virginia is facing opposition from neighboring landowners. (Mountain State Spotlight)
• A study led by university researchers says Texas has the existing clean energy, infrastructure and workforce to make it a leader in clean hydrogen production. (news release)

WIND: A 21-year-old Texas wind farm has been rebuilt, enabling it to generate more power with 38 turbines instead of the previous 160. (Electrek)

UTILITIES:

• A fight over a 2021 Florida Power & Light rate increase will return to the state Supreme Court as advocates appeal a state commission’s ruling reaffirming the decision. (WUSF)
• A Virginia court backs Rappahannock Electric Cooperative’s members in a lawsuit seeking to publicly disclose the salaries of board members. (Virginia Mercury)

NUCLEAR: A Department of Energy official says despite Plant Vogtle’s delays and cost overruns, the lessons learned from the project could help propel nuclear energy forward. (Grist)

OIL & GAS: Developers of a pipeline to carry natural gas from the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast are hoping to have it operational by 2028. (S&P Global)

COMMENTARY: A Virginia advocate says lawmakers have ignored ​“the energy crisis that is hurtling towards us” by failing to regulate data center growth. (Power for the People VA)