Study: Fossil fuel-funded research favors natural gas over renewables

OIL & GAS: A peer-reviewed study finds reports from fossil fuel-funded energy research centers, including Stanford’s, are ​“more favorable” toward natural gas than renewable energy. (Gizmodo)

ALSO:
• The U.S. EPA awards millions of dollars to Colorado environmental justice groups for tools to monitor air pollution from oil and gas facilities in underserved communities. (Colorado Sun)
• A U.S. EPA analysis finds its proposed methane rule will reduce oil and gas facilities’ benzene, toluene and other hazardous pollutant emissions by 30,000 tons annually. (E&E News, subscription)
• Federal energy analysts say Permian Basin oil production is rising more slowly than expected but predict output will reach another record high in December. (Reuters)

FOSSIL FUELS: Oil, natural gas and coal operations on federal lands in Colorado generated more than $393 million in royalties in 2022, the most in 14 years. (Colorado Sun)

SOLAR:
• An energy developer agrees to pay $416,500 in federal civil penalties for failing to control runoff at a solar facility it is constructing in Idaho. (Associated Press)
• A federal study finds states with high rates of rooftop solar adoption, including Nevada, stood up better to power outages last year. (PV Magazine)

WIND: An Alaska developer proposes building two wind power facilities with a combined 450 MW capacity; each would have more capacity than the state’s current largest facility. (KUAC)

UTILITIES:
• An Alaska city proposes selling its municipal utility to a neighboring electric association to create a regional electricity cooperative. (KDLL)
• California’s nonprofit community choice energy providers have signed power purchase agreements for more than 11,000 MW since 2018. (news release)

HYDROGEN: A Northwest public-private partnership and a coalition of Western states each apply for a share of $8 billion in federal funding to develop regional hydrogen production and distribution hubs. (Albuquerque Journal, news release)

GRID: California’s grid operator issues a draft final proposal to add a day-ahead market to its real-time Western Energy Imbalance Market. (RTO Insider, subscription)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Colorado’s energy office launches a campaign to educate residents about buying, owning and driving electric vehicles. (Utility Dive)

ELECTRIFICATION: Marin County, California, is expected to pass an ordinance today that would require new buildings to be all electric. (San Francisco Chronicle)

BIOFUELS:
• An Oregon ski resort plans to construct a wood-fueled biomass facility next year to heat its buildings and reduce reliance on propane. (news release)
• A Montana biorefinery that converts soybean oil and animal fats into diesel considers producing aviation fuel. (Biomass Magazine)