Persisting Risks Posed by Coal Ash Remain Unabated

In the world of energy, there's always something new happening. Here's a roundup of recent developments:

Higher Electricity Prices for 67 Million Consumers

Starting next June, approximately 67 million consumers in the territory of grid operator PJM will see higher electricity prices. This decision comes after record high prices in the region's capacity auction for the second year in a row (WHYY).

Enbridge's Solar Investment and Sunnova's Struggles

Enbridge, a Canadian energy infrastructure company, plans to invest $900 million to build a 600 MW solar farm in Texas, supplying power to Meta data centers. Meanwhile, Sunnova Energy, a Texas-based solar company, faces consumer complaints and allegations of misleading sales tactics, serving as a case study for the U.S. residential solar industry (Houston Chronicle and Reuters).

Offshore Wind and EV Charging Developments

Massachusetts officials are considering buying power from planned offshore wind developments in Canada to meet their legal mandate of procuring 5.6 GW of offshore wind by 2027. On the other hand, the Government Accountability Office has so far only built 384 EV charging ports (CommonWealth Beacon and Reuters).

Policy Changes and Regulatory Challenges

The U.S. Energy Department faces funding setbacks from the passage of the "Big, Beautiful Bill." The U.S. EPA is drafting a plan to rescind the endangerment finding, which establishes that greenhouse gas emissions harm humans. This move, announced by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, could undermine the U.S. EPA's ability to regulate climate pollution from vehicles, power plants, and other sources (New York Times, E&E News, and Latitude Media).

Industry Leaders and Community Initiatives

General Motors calls EVs its "north star" and secures the No. 2 U.S. market position behind Tesla. Indigenous-led nonprofit Native Renewables aims to bring rooftop solar and battery storage to off-grid Navajo Nation homes, despite potential funding uncertainties. Northwest Colorado communities are working to restructure their economies in anticipation of the scheduled 2028 closures of two coal plants (CNBC, New York Times, and Denver Gazette).

Data Insights and Lobbying Efforts

Data indicates that California's solar curtailment rates are decreasing as energy storage capacity increases. Lobbyists spent a record $3.8 million in the second quarter of the year to preserve clean energy tax credits. A bipartisan group of nine governors seeks the power to nominate candidates for seats on grid operator PJM's board of managers and provide additional input as they address rising power demand (PV Magazine, E&E News, and Inside Climate News).

U.S. Interior Secretary's Call for Continued Regulatory Rollbacks

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum urges congressional Republicans to continue to roll back Biden-era energy regulations (E&E News).

These developments highlight the ongoing evolution of the energy sector, with challenges and opportunities abounding. Stay tuned for more updates!