U.S.’s first enhanced geothermal project goes online in Nevada

GEOTHERMAL: A developer brings the nation’s first enhanced geothermal energy project online in Nevada to power Google data centers. (Canary Media)

TRANSITION: The Biden administration awards $275 million to seven clean energy manufacturing projects in former coal communities, including a triple and quad-pane glass production facility in Louisville, Colorado. (news release; New York Times, subscription)

OIL & GAS: 

• An environmental group finds Biden administration-approved fossil fuel drilling developments such as the Willow project and record domestic oil production could offset Inflation Reduction Act-incentivized emissions cuts. (Guardian)
• Colorado regulators are poised to approve 15 proposed oil and gas wells near a residential development in the northwestern part of the state. (Loveland Reporter-Herald)
• New Mexico officials credit strict regulations for their state’s lower oil and gas emissions relative to Texas’, but industry pins the disparity on unequal production levels. (Carlsbad Current-Argus)

GRID:

• Industry and agency insiders say the 16-year-long SunZia transmission project approval process demonstrates the need for federal permitting reform for clean energy-related developments. (E&E News)
• Increased power demand from federally incentivized clean energy manufacturing and data centers in Arizona collides with grid decarbonization efforts. (E&E News)

SOLAR: New data show Oregon’s solar power generation has increased by a factor of 125 since 2012. (OPB)

ELECTRIFICATION: Oregon officials estimate only 13,000 residents will take advantage of federal home electrification and efficiency rebates this year, saying the relatively large rebates limit the number of people eligible. (Oregonian)

COAL: Wyoming elected officials accuse federal regulators of needlessly delaying a mining company’s bid to expand its facility. (Casper Star-Tribune)

CLIMATE: A federal report finds climate change is driving food shortages, intensifying droughts, floods, wildfires and disease and damaging infrastructure in the Southwest, disproportionately affecting rural and tribal communities. (Nevada Current)

POLLUTION: The U.S. EPA drops proposed requirements aimed at clearing winter air pollution in the Fairbanks, Alaska, area, accepting the state’s assertion that the mandate would not be cost-effective. (Alaska Beacon)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A national laboratory estimates the Western U.S., not including California, will need 2,350 to 4,610 electric vehicle direct current fast charging stations by 2030. (PV Magazine)

UTILITIES: San Diego Gas & Electric attributes its record profits to taking on more infrastructure projects to mitigate wildfire danger, harden its grid and meet California decarbonization goals. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

HYDROPOWER: A national laboratory in Colorado establishes wave-energy testing facilities for use by outside researchers and startups. (CPR)