The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 2 approved Minnesota Power’s high-voltage direct-current, or HVDC, transmission project designed to increase capacity to prepare the system for future expansion and address grid reliability. The approval allows for a capacity of up to 900 megawatts (MW), up from the current 550 MW capacity. The project is estimated…...
The U.S. Energy Department on Aug. 2 announced that Wisconsin has unveiled its initial Home Energy Rebates program, supported by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Wisconsin is the first state in the U.S. to inaugurate the Home Efficiency (HOMES) segment of the rebate program. The program particularly empowers lower income families to save on energy…...
The U.S. Energy Department on Aug. 1 announced up to $63 million in funding for state and local governments to expand battery recycling and upgrade U.S. manufacturing. The initiative will accomplish this by creating innovative technologies such as advanced sensors and modeling that is more accessible to small and medium sized manufacturers. The funding, administered…
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection convened on July 29 to review its Draft 2024 Connecticut Clean Hydrogen Roadmap. The document analyzes how Connecticut’s hydrogen ecosystem can develop and compares its viability to existing energy sources to help the state meet its clean energy goals. Clean hydrogen is projected to play a crucial…...
U.S. crude oil imports from Canada are significantly imperative to U.S. oil refiners, accounting for the majority of total U.S. crude oil imports, according to an August 1 report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. As of Jan. 1, 2024 U.S. oil refining capacity was recorded at 18.4 million barrels per day (b/d). During…...
U.S. refining capacity rose during the start of 2024, according to a July 30 report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. U.S. operable atmospheric oil distillation capacity, the key benchmark of refinery capacity, was recorded at 18.4 million barrels per day (b/cd) during the beginning of 2024, up two percent in comparison to the…...
The New York Power Authority will receive $43 million funding from the U.S. Energy Department for its Propel NY Energy Sustainable Communities Initiative, providing funding to disadvantaged communities affected by the project. The funding is a part of the Transmission Siting and Economic Development, or TSED, grant program under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, or…...
The Texas Public Utility Commission has received 72 applications for funding via the Texas Energy Fund’s “In-ERCOT Generation Loan Program.” The applications request $24.41 billion to fund 38,379 megawatts (MW) of planned dispatchable electricity generation projects in the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region. The In-ERCOT Generation Loan Program, is one of four Texas…...
The U.S. Energy Department on July 24 announced the selection of 20 projects across 16 states to obtain up to $371 million to support the expansion of a reliable and resilient electricity grid. The funding will expedite the permitting of high voltage, interstate transmission projects and support community infrastructure initiatives along major new power lines…
The Michigan Public Service Commission approved a settlement agreement authorizing Consumers Energy Company to raise its natural gas distribution rates by about $35 million, effective Oct. 1, 2024. The amount approved is significantly lower than the $136 million that the utility initially requested. Under the agreement, Consumers Energy will receive a rate of return of…...
European natural gas usage has been on a downward trend since mid-2022, according to a July 23 report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The decline in natural gas usage can be attributed to lower demand due to milder winters and government policies directed at reducing gas usage. Natural gas usage across Europe declined…...
The average gas price in California has decreased by 78 cents per gallon during the last three months, according to the California Energy Commission. The decrease is attributed to the California Gas Price Gouging and Transparency Law, SBX 1-2, which took effect in June 2023. The law enhances transparency by exposing price manipulation in real…...