U.S. Energy Department Finalizes $102 Million Vehicles Manufacturing Loan to Syrah Technologies

Massachusetts Expands Electric Vehicle Rebate Program

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources on June 25 announced the expansion of the Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles, or MOR-EV, initiative to include commercial and nonprofit fleets. Since 2014, the state has dedicated more than $31 million to incentivize the purchase of over 15,000 electric vehicles. Last December, the department extended the MOR-EV…...

Facilitate Coal Products Innovation

U.S. Energy Department Plans to Invest Over $120 Million to Facilitate Coal Products Innovation

The U.S. Energy Department on June 26 announced a plan to invest $122 million in building coal products innovation centers through a competitive process in multiple coal producing basins. The move aims to sustain the domestic supply chain of carbon ore, rare earths and critical minerals, and produce value-added and innovative coal products to the…...

California Regulators Propose to Approve SCE’s $442 Million EV Charging Plan

California Adopts Zero-Emission Truck Rule to Advance Climate Goals

The California Air Resources Board on June 25 adopted a rule requiring a transition from diesel trucks and vans to electric trucks from 2024. The first-in-the nation standard requires all trucks sold in California to be zero emission by 2045. The rule will advance the state’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent…...

EPA Releases Strategic Plan in Conjunction with President's Proposed $11.8 Billion Budget to Address Climate Change, Environmental Justice

FERC to Examine Carbon Pricing in Wholesale Power Markets

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will convene a technical conference in September to consider state adoption of mechanisms to price carbon emissions in regions with commission-jurisdictional wholesale power markets, according to a June 24 notice. State-level activity on emission-trading programs and carbon pricing has been on the rise as more jurisdictions embrace policy goals to…...

Maryland Regulator Establishes Pilot Program to Implement Multi-Year Utility Rate Plans

Wyoming Regulator Approves New Contract Term for PacifiCorp Under Federal Power Purchase Law

The Wyoming Public Service Commission approved a contract term of 15 years for Rocky Mountain Power’s power purchase contracts with independent electricity generators under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act 1978, or PURPA. The commission denied the company’s request to reduce the contract length to seven years, finding that there is no evidence that qualifying…...

Vehicle Emission Standards to Advance Sustainability Goals

Nevada Proposes Vehicle Emission Standards to Advance Sustainability Goals

Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak on June 22 announced the Clean Cars Nevada initiative to consider the adoption of low- and zero-emission standards for light-duty vehicles. The program will help advance the state’s goal of reducing emissions by 28 percent by 2025 and 45 percent by 2030 relative to 2005 levels. Nevada would join 14 other…...

Nevada Opens Fourth Tier of Net Metering Program After Solar Capacity Reaches 80-Megawatt Limit

Nevada Opens Fourth Tier of Net Metering Program After Solar Capacity Reaches 80-Megawatt Limit

The Nevada Public Utilities Commission on June 24 announced that subscriptions for the third tier of its net metering program reached the 80-megawatt threshold established by a 2017 law, which created a four-tier structure to compensate customers for grid-exported energy. There is no capacity limit for Tier four, which is now open for applications, but…...

Xcel Energy Announces Sale of Recently Acquired 760-Megawatt Natural Gas Plant in Minnesota

FERC Approves Southwest Generation’s Acquisition of Mankato Energy Center

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on June 24 authorized a transaction allowing Denver-based Southwest Generation Operating Company LLC to acquire the 760-megawatt Mankato Energy Center, a natural gas power plant, from Xcel Energy Inc. Xcel Energy purchased the facility from Southern Power for $650 million in January through a non-regulated affiliate after Minnesota regulators rejected…...

New York Unveils Comprehensive Strategy to Achieve 70 Percent Renewables by 2030

The New York Department of Public Service and the state’s Energy Research and Development Authority on June 18 released a whitepaper that identifies a framework to achieve the state’s goal of sourcing 70 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030 under the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Achieving the goal is…...

U.S. Petroleum Consumption 2019

Motor Gasoline Accounted for 45 Percent of U.S. Petroleum Consumption in 2019: EIA

Petroleum accounted for 37 percent of total energy consumed in the U.S. last year, with motor gasoline representing nearly half the petroleum products consumed, according to a June 22 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The U.S. consumes more petroleum than it produces, with the remainder supplied by imports and domestic stock inventories saved…...

New Jersey Offshore Wind Port

New Jersey Announces Plan to Build Nation’s First Purpose-Built Offshore Wind Port

Democratic Governor Phil Murphy on June 16 announced plans to develop an offshore wind port on an artificial island along the Delaware River. The 200-acre New Jersey Wind Port would provide a location for staging, assembly, and manufacturing activities for projects planned along the East Coast. The $300 to $400 million green infrastructure project positions…...