2023-08-17 15:38:32
Prince William County in Virginia has been known for high costs and delays for solar panel permits in the region. However, stakeholder frustration has led to positive changes in the county’s solar permitting process.
Additionally, a Texas county is reconsidering joining a regional solar development coalition following initially rejecting the partnership last month. The Texas attorney general’s office has also stated that counties cannot ban solar development, representing a setback for a rural county seeking a moratorium on new solar projects.
Separately, Duke Energy plans to build a 9.5 MW solar farm near its natural gas plant in Asheville, which is estimated to power approximately 1,800 homes. Meanwhile, a Toyota factory in West Virginia uses a solar farm that provides regarding 10% of the facility’s power and employs sheep to maintain vegetation under the panels.
Turning to oil and gas, Texas regulators are looking to allow oil and gas drilling companies to dump more wastewater into nearby waterways, even though the health impacts have not been studied. US House Democrats from Virginia and North Carolina have joined a group urging federal regulators to reject an extension of the Mountain Valley Pipeline into North Carolina. Climate advocates have criticized Texas’ lax oversight of methane emissions, saying it exacerbates climate change and leads to potential lost revenue from wasted gas.
Clean energy initiatives are progressing in several states. A nonprofit organization is partnering with a historic black church in Savannah, Georgia, to set up a microgrid that incorporates solar panels, electric vehicle chargers, and battery storage. There is optimism regarding North Carolina’s prospects of doubling its clean energy share of power supply by the end of the decade, as investments are spurred by federal incentives. Additionally, Texas has experienced notable growth in wind, solar and battery projects since the passage of the federal Inflation Reduction Act.
In power grid news, a Virginia regulator has recommended suspending Dominion Energy’s interconnection rules due to concerns raised by solar developers regarding project delays. Louisiana regulators temporarily ensured that power might not be shut off during a recent heat wave, but allowed shutdowns to resume once temperatures dropped to regarding 91 degrees.
In the electric vehicle sector, Rivian has gained access to $700 million in property tax breaks for its electric vehicle plant in Georgia following a court order. Mullen Automotive, an electric vehicle start-up, has begun production of its Class 3 electric truck at its Northwest Mississippi assembly plant.
The hydrogen development sees a developer selecting Mason County in West Virginia to build a “lifecycle carbon neutral” hydrogen production facility using a combination of natural gas, carbon capture and renewable energy.
Waco, Texas, has applied for a $5.38 million loan to improve energy efficiency at city facilities. Montana youth achieved a victory in their climate lawsuit, with the outcome hinged on a constitutional amendment guaranteeing a clean and healthy environment. This language has been a longstanding goal for some Kentucky legislators to codify.
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