Rural electric co-ops get $7 billion for clean power

CLEAN ENERGY: President Biden today will announce $7.3 billion for rural energy cooperatives to build or purchase clean electricity, enough to power as much as 20% of the nation’s rural homes. (The Hill)

OIL & GAS:

• A peer-reviewed study documents how oil and gas companies have ​“embedded” themselves at colleges and universities through donations, sponsored scholarships, and seats on governing boards, with researchers concluding academic integrity is ​“at risk.” (Floodlight, The Guardian)
• Oil and gas producers plan to take advantage of a tax credit in the landmark federal climate package to inject carbon dioxide to squeeze more oil from the ground, but critics warn about a lack of federal oversight and uncertainty about the practice’s effectiveness. (E&E News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• General Motors and Korea’s LG Energy Solution agree to recognize the United Auto Workers after a majority of a Tennessee electric vehicle plant’s 1,000 workers sign union cards, with a pay raise in the immediate future. (Associated Press)
• Chargers promising as much as 350 kW speeds rarely hit that level, derailed by low temperatures, car capacity and grid demand. (Bloomberg)

GRID:

• State lawmakers across the PJM Interconnection territory are considering new regulations to try to bring capacity prices down in future auctions. (Utility Dive)
• Texas is on pace to surpass California by the end of the decade as the top solar state, but projections show it will still struggle to produce enough energy to meet growth in power demand. (Bloomberg)

WIND: Global warming could shift wind patterns, creating more potential for offshore wind power generation, new research shows. (The Guardian)

UTILITIES:

• California advocates criticize lawmakers for failing to pass bills aimed at containing rising utility rates while continuing to fund grid upgrades and wildfire-hazard mitigation efforts. (Canary Media)
• Ohio FirstEnergy customers can expect higher electric bills next year as the utility seeks higher charges but multiple cases tied to the utility’s corruption scandal remain unresolved. (Energy News Network)

SOLAR:

• National lab research shows how rooftop solar systems’ generation capacities have expanded since 2000 even as their surface areas remain the same. (Inside Climate News)
• A Minnesota solar project with pollinator-friendly habitat is part of a growing effort to use solar not just to fight climate change but also prevent a collapse in biodiversity. (New York Times)