The U.S. Energy Department on Dec. 16 announced the closing of a $9.63 billion direct loan to Blue Oval SK to build three electric vehicle battery manufacturing facilities: one in Tennessee and two in Kentucky. This marks the largest loan granted by the department’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing, or ATVM, program. The plants would have…...
The U.S. Energy Department on Dec. 13 announced a $2.5 billion conditional loan guarantee for Wisconsin Electric Power Company, a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group, to finance a portfolio of clean energy projects in Wisconsin. The portfolio would add more than 1,650 megawatts of utility-scale renewable power and energy storage. This diverse portfolio is expected…...
U.S. natural gas consumption increased by one percent during 2023 to a new record yearly high of 89.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), according to an Dec. 13 report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. U.S. natural gas consumption has continued to rise during the January to September 2024 period. The increase in…...
The U.S. Energy Department has announced three transportation modal action plans to build a cleaner, more robust and globally competitive transportation network. The action plans pertain to energy and emissions innovation in the maritime, rail, and medium and heavy-duty vehicle sectors. These plans cover the vital elements of the freight sector and convenient and efficient…...
The Public Utility Commission of Texas on Dec. 12 established new rules to improve demand response for residential electricity consumers through smart responsive device programs. The new rule implements legislation enacted by the 88th Texas Legislature in 2023, which sets a target to decrease the total power consumption of customers participating in residential demand response…...
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) Board of Directors on Dec. 12 approved the 2024 MISO Transmission Expansion Plan, a grid expansion plan with a portfolio consisting of 488 transmission projects totaling $30 billion. The projects cover 5,000 miles of transmission lines across 15 states and aim to strengthen grid reliability in the face of…...
The eighth quarterly auction of greenhouse gas allowances under Washington’s cap-and-invest program sold all allowances offered, with current vintage allowances settling at $40.26 per allowance, which is nearly 35 percent higher compared to the previous auction, according to the results released on Dec. 11 by the state’s Department of Ecology. The surge in auction prices…...
The California Energy Commission on Dec. 11 approved a $1.4 billion plan to invest in zero-emission vehicle infrastructure in the next four years through the state’s Clean Transportation Program. The plan, aimed to help install electric vehicle charging systems for nearly 17,000 light-duty EVs, will distribute the funding through competitive grants. The funding will support…...
Increasing well productivity is assisting 34 publicly traded U.S. oil exploration and production companies lower production expenditures on a per barrel basis and making cash reserves available for uses such as share repurchases and dividends, according to a Dec. 11 report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. During the January to August 2024 period,…...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Dec. 11 announced over $735 million in funding through its first Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program to deploy over 2,400 heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) across several states and Tribal Nations. The agency made 70 tentative selections, covering nearly 30 states and three tribal nations to receive funding for heavy-duty…...
The U.S. Energy Department on Dec. 10 provided clarity regarding the status of various applications to export Liquefied Natural Gas to non- Free Trade Agreement countries. Of particular interest have been the Venture Global CP2 LNG and Commonwealth LNG applications. The Biden Administration on Jan. 26 announced a temporary pause on all pending applications seeking…...
The U.S. Energy Department on Dec. 10 announced the selection of six companies to procure domestic Low-Enriched Uranium or LEU. The department will sign contracts with American Centrifuge Operating LLC, General Matter Inc., Global Laser Enrichment LLC, Louisiana Energy Services LLC, Laser Isotope Separation Technologies Inc., and Orano Federal Services LLC. The minimum value of…...
