Hydrogen incentives likely to benefit these places the most

HYDROGEN: The Treasury Department’s new hydrogen tax credit guidelines appear to favor Texas and states in the Midwest and Southwest, where wind and solar can be built quickly and cheaply. (Canary Media)

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ALSO: The new hydrogen incentive rules raise questions about how the federal government will measure the industry’s emissions and account for the use of nuclear power and carbon capture in hydrogen production. (E&E News)

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SOLAR: First Solar enters two deals to sell $700 million worth of tax credits, a first-of-its-kind transaction that will let the U.S. solar panel manufacturer quickly bring in money from the federal domestic production incentives it could otherwise only use to trim its tax bill. (Canary Media)

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WIND:

• Vineyard Wind announces it has begun delivering a fraction of its nameplate capacity to Massachusetts’ grid, a historic milestone that comes later than expected. (State House News Service, NBC Boston)
• Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities build the first utility-scale wind turbine in Kentucky to test the potential for wind power in the state. (Kentucky Lantern)

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STORAGE:

• The U.S. commercial and industrial markets for energy storage are vastly underdeveloped and could be poised for major growth in the coming years as more states set capacity targets. (Solar Power World)
• Large-scale battery developers should focus on long-term contracts and guaranteed revenue streams to secure their financial viabilities, a report suggests. (Utility Dive)

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CLIMATE: A judge rejects a U.S. Justice Department bid to dismiss an Oregon youths’ lawsuit alleging federal policies contribute to human-caused climate change, allowing the case to move forward. (OPB)

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CARBON CAPTURE: Communities across south Louisiana organize to oppose at least 20 underground carbon dioxide storage projects in the planning or development stages that also include a sprawling network of pipeline expansions. (Floodlight/WWNO)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Georgia saw a surge of electric vehicle and battery-related investment in 2023, driven by ongoing construction at Hyundai’s electric vehicle factory and amplified by federal funding and tax credits. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Savannah Tribune)

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OIL & GAS: New Mexico lawmakers consider legislation that would ban new oil and gas drilling and phase out most existing production within one mile of schools and daycare centers. (Associated Press)

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EFFICIENCY:

• Southern Maine communities collaborate on a pilot program to help residents overcome cost and logistical barriers to accessing climate-friendly home energy efficiency upgrades. (Energy News Network)
• An Alaska carbon offset program uses tourists’ donations to purchase electric heat pumps for local residents. (Grist)
• The U.S. Energy Department finalizes new efficiency standards for home refrigerators and freezers, which they estimate will save consumers $36 billion over 30 years. (Utility Dive)

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