Energy

The Trump administration’s proposal to vastly expand offshore oil and gas drilling has been sidelined indefinitely as the Interior Department grapples with a recent court decision that blocks Arctic drilling, according to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt. The ruling by a federal judge in Alaska last month may force Interior Department officials to wait until the case goes through potentially lengthy appeals before they can make a final decision on what offshore areas to open up for the oil and gas industry,

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The Trump administration is postponing controversial plans to greatly expand oil and gas drilling off of the nation's coasts, following a recent setback in court and months of pushback from coastal communities. [node:read-more:link]

Bills surfaced in both states that would let utilities refinance uneconomic power plants using ratepayer-backed bonds. [node:read-more:link]

Nebraska Solar Schools has been awarded $31,250 from the Nebraska Environmental Trust for a pilot project within its Solar Energy Education and Development Program: 100 Solar Energy Kits for 100 Nebraska Schools.The focus of the new pilot project is on K-12 schools in Nebraska towns and cities that have developed or plan to develop solar projects, including rooftop solar, solar farms or other installations.The cities and towns in the pilot project’s focus group include but are not limited to: Kearney, Lexington, Loup City, Ainsworth, Aurora, Central City, Chadron, Fremont, Gothenburg, Grand [node:read-more:link]

Analysts say legislation to subsidize Ohio’s nuclear plants through the creation of a statewide “Clean Air Program” would discourage development of wind and solar energy because it would undermine renewable energy requirements set in place a decade ago. The bill would eliminate a surcharge allowing utilities to pass along their costs for complying with the state’s renewable portfolio standard, replacing a competitive renewable energy market with subsidies that appear aimed toward existing nuclear and coal power plants. [node:read-more:link]

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission rejected a Vectren proposal to build an 850-megawatt natural gas-fueled power plant to replace its aging coal-burning A.B. Brown Generating Station. [node:read-more:link]

The Northwestern state joins three others in mandating that all of its electricity comes from carbon-free sources by midcentury, as its governor prepares for a run at the presidency. [node:read-more:link]

In their push to upend the economics of rooftop solar, Iowa’s major electric utilities are up against an opponent as politically potent as they are: the state’s pork producers. Hog farmers in the nation’s top pork-producing state have made clear that they don’t want legislators messing with their net metering arrangements.“Their voice is making a huge difference,” said Kerri Johannsen, who directs the Iowa Environmental Council’s energy program. [node:read-more:link]

Nashville wants to sell its energy system that heats and cools more than 40 buildings downtown — including the Tennessee state Capitol — for $60 million. Metro's District Energy System uses electricity and natural gas to produce steam and chilled water that is distributed through 91,100 feet of underground pipes to its downtown customers.But city officials say its no longer financially viable for Nashville and are in final negotiations with Engie Development, LLC to sell the system. [node:read-more:link]

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