Solar firm plans 900-employee manufacturing facility in New Mexico

SOLAR: A solar cell manufacturer plans to establish an 834,000-square-foot factory with 900 employees in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (NM Political Report)

OIL & GAS: Colorado regulators approve a controversial plan to drill 166 oil and gas wells in the Denver area on the condition that the company electrifies its operations. (Colorado Sun)

ALSO: A California company delays completion of an LNG export terminal in Mexico that would source natural gas from Western states until next spring, citing labor and productivity issues. (Natural Gas Intelligence)

LITHIUM: The Hualapai Nation sues the federal Bureau of Land Management for approving a lithium exploration project in western Arizona, saying the agency failed to consider potential impacts to groundwater. (Inside Climate News)

ELECTRIFICATION: Observers say Xcel Energy’s $440-million Colorado building electrification incentive plan provides a test case for state laws requiring gas utilities to cut emissions. (Canary Media)

GRID:

• The Navajo Nation completes a 24-mile utility line, bringing power to 23 off-grid homes in northern Arizona. (Navajo-Hopi Observer)
• A California university installs a testing facility to help researchers understand and develop ways to integrate distributed energy into the grid. (Microgrid Knowledge)

UTILITIES:

• Oregon utility customer advocates urge regulators to reject Portland General Electric’s proposed rate increase, saying it would make electricity unaffordable to many residents. (KOIN)
• Montana regulators find NorthWestern Energy failed to meet minimum standards for its proposed rate increase and orders the utility to provide more information. (Daily Montanan)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Wyoming sees increasing electric vehicle sales after transportation officials declined federal funds to build out charging infrastructure. (Cowboy State Daily)
• California Gov. Gavin Newsom touts strong electric vehicle sales, but some analysts say it’s not enough to meet state targets. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

WIND: A southern Oregon county approves a non-binding question on November’s ballot asking residents whether they should support or oppose offshore wind development. (OPB)

BATTERIES:

• A battery energy storage system agrees to pay $2.7 million to settle federal regulators’ allegations it made improper bids in California’s wholesale power market. (Utility Dive)
• A firm says it has secured $323 million in financing for a proposed 150 MW battery energy storage system near Boise. (news release)

NUCLEAR: The U.S. Energy Department expects to finish removing 16 million tons of uranium tailings from a defunct mill next to the Colorado River in Utah next year. (Deseret News)

HYDROGEN: California awards tax incentives for a proposed green hydrogen production facility in the southern part of the state. (news release)