Solar developers partner on made-in-America push

SOLAR: Four major U.S. solar developers announce they’ll partner to buy up to $6 billion in American-made panels in a move meant to boost the country’s solar manufacturing capacity. (E&E News)

ALSO:
• A new federal law takes effect requiring U.S. solar manufacturers to prove they aren’t using components produced in China using forced labor. (Canary Media)
• A solar-powered microfarm on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington state could provide a model for other communities hoping to boost food and energy sovereignty. (Energy News Network/​Crosscut)
• The North Carolina Supreme Court rules against a Raleigh homeowners association and says a resident can keep his rooftop solar panels. (Energy News Network)

OIL & GAS:
• As the White House considers pushing Congress to lift the federal gasoline tax, legislators from both parties express doubt the measure would pass. (The Hill)
• Oil and gas executives will meet with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm tomorrow after the Biden administration asked them to explain their soaring profits amid consumer price spikes. (E&E News)
• A survey finds residents of a South Los Angeles community surrounded by petroleum refineries and a large oilfield experience high levels of physical and mental illness. (High Country News/​Grist)

FUNDING:
• A U.S. House panel advances an energy and environment spending package that includes funding hikes for Interior Department and EPA programs, and new Energy Department funding focused on clean energy efforts. (E&E News)
• The Interior Department announces a $74.6 million investment to map critical mineral sources and strengthen supply chains. (S&P Global)
• The U.S. Interior Department announces $26 million in water and energy efficiency grants meant to conserve water amid the West’s drought. (Axios)

OVERSIGHT: The White House releases its plans for forthcoming regulations, including a proposed crackdown on hydrofluorocarbons and new energy efficiency standards for household appliances. (E&E News)

GRID:
• New York utility regulators approve a 135 MW energy storage project in New York City and a new cost-benefit method for transmission upgrades focused on capacity expansion modeling. (Utility Dive)
• A federal appeals court strikes down part of a plan by federal energy regulators to pay New England power plants to maintain a three-day supply of on-site fuel for the next two winters. (Utility Dive)

WIND: Louisiana’s governor signs a bill to create a framework that will allow offshore wind leasing, but some industry advocates oppose a provision that lets the state take a cut of wind farm revenues while also charging for leases. (NOLA.com)

CLIMATE: New Jersey firefighters say they’ve largely contained the state’s largest wildfire in 15 years; Climate models suggest the state’s properties face significantly increased wildfire risk in the decades ahead. (Washington Post, Gizmodo)

NUCLEAR: An analysis finds keeping Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant open past its planned 2025 closing date would reduce California’s emissions, decrease dependency on power imports and lower wholesale electricity prices. (S&P Global)

HYDROGEN: Local officials are optimistic that a developer will move forward with plans for a hydrogen production plant at a former uranium enrichment facility in southern Ohio. (WOSU)