Wind wins in winter

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.

CLIMATE

• COP30 climate talks end with a tempered agreement that boosts funding for climate adaptation, but doesn’t include a roadmap to phasing out fossil fuels or measures to strengthen countries’ emissions reduction goals. (Associated Press)

• Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the sole representative of the United States government to attend the COP30 climate summit, warns that the rest of the world is prepared to charge ahead without the U.S. (E&E News)

SOLAR

• First Solar formally opens a $1.1 billion, 3.5 GW Louisiana solar panel factory that began production in July. (New Orleans City Business, Renewables Now)

• India’s solar module exports fell to their lowest level yet this year amid U.S. trade restrictions, reversing a short-lived export surge as the U.S. sought alternatives to Chinese products. (Reuters)

HYDROGEN

• Exxon Mobil pauses plans to build a Texas plant that would have been one of the world’s largest blue hydrogen production facilities due to weak customer demand. (Reuters)

HEAT PUMPS

• In Newport, Rhode Island, preservationists are installing geothermal systems in some of the city’s famous Gilded Age mansions, saving hundreds of gallons of heating oil each winter while helping preserve historical materials within them. (Boston Globe)

COAL

• The Trump administration is weakening pollution standards for coal plants as utilities across the country cancel plans to retire units to meet rising AI demand. (E&E News)

• A federal court is set to order Oakland, California, to pay up to $654 million in damages for canceling a contract with a coal export shipping terminal developer over climate concerns in 2016, potentially pushing the city into bankruptcy. (New York Times)

AFFORDABILITY

• In an unexpectedly warm White House meeting, New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump agree that utility Con Edison needs to lower its rates. (Reuters)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Convenience stores are increasingly installing EV chargers in hopes that snacks and bathrooms that made them popular stops for gas-car drivers will win them a new crowd. (Grist)