Climate-friendly infrastructure prioritized in new federal rules

CLEAN ENERGY: The Biden administration unveils new federal permitting rules designed to prioritize projects with environmental benefits while adding reviews for ones that could worsen climate change. (New York Times)

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FOSSIL FUELS:

• G7 countries, including the U.S., agree to phase out coal in the early 2030s in a move aimed at pushing other countries to do the same. (CNN)
• Major fossil fuel companies have publicly supported global climate pledges while acknowledging internally that their own emissions reduction plans don’t go far enough toward meeting these goals, a U.S. Senate committee investigation finds. (Guardian)
• Satellite data show land in the Permian Basin oil and gas fields is sinking as drillers extract record-high volumes of oil, gas and produced water. (Wall Street Journal, subscription)

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NUCLEAR:

• Repurposing retired coal plants with advanced nuclear reactors could offset the economic losses coal-dependent communities are likely to face when facilities shut down, according to a study commissioned by utility regulators and state energy officials. (Utility Dive)
• After seven years of delays and $21 billion in cost overruns, Georgia Power’s $30 billion expansion of nuclear Plant Vogtle finally reaches commercial operation — but its problems are pushing other nuclear operators away from large facilities toward smaller designs. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, E&E News)

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GRID: The U.S. Energy Department starts preparing for the rise of artificial intelligence and its projected energy demand, and begins exploring ways that AI could make power delivery and energy project permitting more efficient. (Axios)

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EMISSIONS: Companies’ return-to-office plans are often out of line with their own climate pledges, as multiple peer-reviewed studies find working from home can significantly reduce a worker’s emissions impact. (Grist/Fast Company)

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STORAGE: A company opens the first U.S. long duration, sodium-ion battery manufacturing plant in western Michigan in what officials call a “milestone for the battery industry.” (WWMT)

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UTILITIES: Several New England utilities plan to seek federal funds for a regional energy data platform to make it easier for consumers and contractors to estimate potential savings from efficiency upgrades or new electric technologies. (Energy News Network)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• The founder of a failed electric vehicle leasing startup aimed at long-haul commuters shares why the company had to shut down, and why he believes innovation could allow similar companies to succeed. (Canary Media)
• A startup develops a technology that can turn streetlights into electric vehicle chargers. (Canary Media)
• An international student racing competition hosted by the New Hampshire Motor Speedway will include only hybrid and all-electric race cars designed by engineering students. (Boston Globe)

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