The ​“age of electricity” is here

GRID: The world is entering an ​“age of electricity,” the International Energy Agency says, noting global power demand is rising faster than expected but also predicting countries will build enough solar, wind and nuclear power to meet that demand by 2030. (Axios, New York Times)

CLEAN ENERGY:

• Swing states are on track to host 44% of clean energy projects announced since the Inflation Reduction Act was passed, though another $370 billion of IRA funding still remains unspent. (E&E News)
• The White House gathers pledges from several states and cities, as well as cement producers, tech giants and real estate companies, to produce and use low-carbon cement to curb industry emissions. (E&E News)
• The New York Power Authority seeks proposals to deliver as much as 575 MW of renewable energy to New York City through an existing transmission line. (Utility Dive)

HYDROGEN: A year after the U.S. announced seven hydrogen hub projects to receive $7 billion in funding, few have attracted needed private investment and their progress and climate impacts remain unclear. (Canary Media)

FOSSIL FUELS: Oil, gas and coal will get cheaper and more widely available by the end of the decade because extraction has started to outpace demand, complicating the economic case for a clean energy transition, the International Energy Agency predicts. (The Guardian)

SOLAR: Researchers argue that because rooftop solar is more expensive, watt for watt, to install than utility-scale arrays, it’s making the entire clean energy transition more expensive. (Washington Post)

CLIMATE:

• Self-reported data from power plant operators show their emissions fell more than 7% last year, though emissions from oil and gas production increased. (The Hill)
• Soaring insurance rates driven by growing climate risk endanger the construction of affordable housing by driving up costs. (WHQR)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• A startup announces plans to build a Reno, Nevada, ​“gigafactory” to produce lithium-sulfur batteries for electric vehicles, with backing from automaker Stellantis. (Reuters)
• General Motors launches a home energy storage unit for EV customers that will provide backup power during outages or offset high rates during peak times. (Automotive Dive)
• A new study from the University of Michigan suggests auto-sector job losses won’t materialize under the EV transition, and that building EVs requires more labor than gas-powered cars in a plant’s first 15 years. (Detroit News, subscription)

NUCLEAR: A South Carolina nuclear advisory group pushes to restart construction of two nuclear reactor projects that were never finished but still left taxpayers on the hook for billions. (South Carolina Daily Gazette)