The California Air Resources Board on Dec. 9 accredited a measure to mandate zero emissions for small off-road engines, such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers, by 2024. The new requirement amends the board’s existing small off-road engine regulation adopted in 1990. The emissions standards for portable generators, including those used in recreational vehicles, will…...
The U.S. Energy Department on Dec. 14 signed a memorandum of understanding with the Transportation Department to create a joint office that will support the deployment of $7.5 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to expand national electric vehicle charging network. The initiative is an important component of President Biden’s plan to accelerate…...
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has awarded the “Fast Charge Your Ride” grant to four organisations.The grant received by Montana will support the development of new electric vehicle charging stations across the state. It will expand travel options across Montana`s key corridors for electric vehicle drivers and provide access to popular travel sites such…...
The U.S. Department of Energy on Dec. 13 announced $54 million in funding for small businesses to research and develop new technologies that help accelerate the transition to clean energy. The agency-led initiative will provide up to $250,000 and the applicants will qualify for up to $1.6 million follow-on funding, under the Small Business Innovation…...
The U.S. President Joe Biden issued an executive order on Dec. 8 directing the federal government to use its procurement power to achieve ambitious emissions reduction and clean energy goals. This action is expected to facilitate the development of at least 10 gigawatts of carbon-free electricity by 2030 and fast-track the nation’s capacity to supply…...
The Kansas Corporation Commission Dec. 6 approved an agreement, allowing Evergy to offer rebates for customers installing electric vehicle chargers. The settlement, negotiated between the commission staff, Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board, and Evergy, provides new rate options to facilitate the transition to electric vehicles. Evergy’s program offers rebates of up to $500 to help homeowners…...
The California Public Utilities Commission on Dec. 2 introduced new programs and modifications to existing programs to lower energy demand and increase supply during critical hours to prevent electricity breakdowns during extreme heat events such as the west-wide heat waves of 2020 and 2021. To protect the grid during extreme weather seasons, the regulator approved…...
The Bureau of Land Management on Dec. 8 auctioned utility-scale solar energy development leases in each of the three solar energy zones in Arizona. The auction is part of the Biden administration’s plans to eliminate carbon emissions from the power sector by 2035 and permit 25 gigawatts of renewable energy on public lands by 2025…....
The Michigan Public Service Commission on Dec. 9 initiated a study to examine the potential of renewable natural gas (RNG) development. The study aims to identify existing and potential sources of RNG in Michigan and any barriers to development, in order for the state to provide a carbon neutral energy solution, using the existing natural…...
The Virginia State Corporation Commission is seeking comment on Dominion Energy’s proposal to construct an offshore wind facility off the coast of Virginia Beach. The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project, estimated to cost about $9.8 billion, would consist of 176 turbines each having a capacity of 14.7 megawatts. Once fully built, the offshore wind…...
The growing incidence of extreme weather events has triggered regulatory and legislative efforts across the U.S. to improve the reliability and resilience of the energy system. Winter Storm Uri, which caused widespread outages in the South Central U.S. in February, prompted a regulatory upheaval in Texas, which suffered the brunt of the storm, leaving more than 4.5 million people without power. California has adopted measures to ensure reliability in the event of extreme weather in the summers of 2022 and 2023. Federal regulators have approved new cold weather electric reliability standards.