Gas storage sites susceptible to failure

OIL & GAS: More than 11,000 underground natural gas storage sites across the U.S. could have a single barrier to failure that puts them at risk of a major methane leak, according to a new federal analysis. (Floodlight)

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ALSO:

• If a Biden administration review finds that liquefied natural gas exports are a significant driver of climate change, it could lead to a permanent ban on the practice. (E&E News)
• The federal Bureau of Land Management abandons work on a resource management plan ten years in the making that would guide oil and gas development in northwestern New Mexico’s Chaco region, baffling conservationists and the industry alike. (Capital & Main)

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SOLAR:

• FEMA will soon start putting solar panels on schools, hospitals and other public buildings when they’re rebuilt after disasters, with the hopes of boosting resilience in future extreme weather events. (New York Times)
• Texas breaks its record for the amount of grid power coming from solar, with more than 15 GW of solar providing 36% of power on the grid on Sunday. (KUT)
• An energy justice cooperative is selected to develop three community solar projects around Chicago that backers say will help lower energy costs for low- and moderate-income communities. (Inside Climate News)
• Data show demand for rooftop solar installations in California has fallen 80% since regulators slashed net-metering compensation for residential arrays. (CalMatters)

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CLIMATE: Researchers estimate climate change has killed at least 4 million people around the world since 2000, crediting increasingly extreme weather for excess deaths. (Grist)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Electric transportation became the world’s top category of energy transition investment last year, surpassing renewables. (Inside Climate News)
• Advocates say making many Level 1 charging outlets available to renters in large buildings could do more to convince them to adopt electric vehicles than installing a few faster charging ports. (Grist)
• Three top truck makers form an association to push for the buildout of charging infrastructure for electric heavy-duty trucks. (New York Times)
• Charging electric vehicles in Massachusetts could get less expensive under two utility proposals, but advocates argue tweaks could make the transition faster and more fair. (Energy News Network)

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HYDROGEN: Hydrogen produced with clean energy could be essential to decarbonizing heavy industry, but questions remain over just how clean it really is. (Canary Media)

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EFFICIENCY: The U.S. Energy Department proposes rules that would require modest efficiency improvements for new gas stoves. (E&E News)

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MINING: An investigation finds proposed lithium mines across the West will require billions of gallons of water, further stressing supplies in drought-plagued areas. (Howard Center)

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COMMENTARY: President Biden’s pause on new LNG export approvals is more of a political signal than a climate win, an editorial board writes. (Washington Post)

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