Today’s headlines: Trump donor to profit off offshore wind buyout, and more

This roundup of U.S. energy news headlines is part of our Canary Media Daily newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

WIND

• The Trump administration’s deal with RWE to buy out its offshore wind lease will benefit top Trump donor Michael Dorrell, as RWE will redirect $900 billion in reimbursed funds to buy a stake in an LNG project from the Australian billionaire. (Washington Post)

SOLAR

• Amazon will build 1.2 GW of solar and another 1.2 GW of storage in eastern Oregon, where it already has 40 data centers, as observers say state climate policies are keeping it from building gas generation to power the facilities. (Cleanview)

• Rooftop solar installers say they’ve faced a rocky year since the end of federal tax credits, but a Wood Mackenzie analysis forecasts the industry will slowly recover in the coming years. (Inside Climate News)

DATA CENTERS

• New EPA guidance for power plants built to serve one facility, like a data center, reveals that there are few regulations in place to mitigate the environmental and climate impacts of these generators. (Grist)

• A data center under construction in New Jersey has been running dozens of unpermitted gas-powered generators. (Floodlight)

• Indiana & Michigan Power will seek to cut electricity rates by $79 million annually, saving average residential customers about $100 a year, based on increased revenue from large customers like data centers. (WVPE)

FOSSIL FUELS

• The Trump administration is reportedly close to taking a massive ownership stake in many Venezuelan oil fields. (Axios)

• DTE Energy plans to seek permission from Michigan regulators to build two gas plants totaling 2.1 GW to help meet growing demand as coal plants come offline. (Planet Detroit)

• Top Wisconsin officials demand Enbridge halt work on its Line 5 rerouting project following a natural gas spill this week and growing frustration about the company’s lack of communication with the state. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)