Energy Policy / Public News Service

If Duke Energy has its way, some Hoosiers may soon face higher electric bills. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, September 20, 2024

Duke Energy's proposed rate hike, profits under fire

Duke Energy is facing criticism over its proposed rate hikes of up to 16%, while delaying the retirement of its coal-fired power plants in Indiana…

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund is anticipated to save over $350 million annually on electric bills for 900,000 low-income households nationwide and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 million metric tons over five years. (Felix Mizioznikov/Adobe Stock)

Friday, September 20, 2024

Solar power drives change in Ohio’s disadvantaged areas

Ohio's most vulnerable communities are set to benefit from more than $312 million in federal funding aimed at reducing energy costs and promoting envi…

NV Energy's proposal sought to increase its rate of return to investors from 9.5% to 10.4%. The Public Utilities Commission approved a 9.65% return, according to the Nevada Conservation League. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, September 20, 2024

Utility regulators deny NV Energy rate change for northern NV customers

Nevada leaders and community groups are pleased with this week's decision by state utility regulators to reject NV Energy's request to raise its basic…

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Rural AZ inn saves on energy bills, helps environment

This article was produced by Local First Arizona.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the Local First Arizona-…

According to Energy.gov, over 50% of the electric power generation workforce in Illinois was in wind, solar, and hydroelectric. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, September 19, 2024

IL energy jobs growth is strong, lacks female workers

Rising demands for clean energy efficiency are producing a wealth of work opportunities in Illinois. These in-demand jobs are also promoting a …

AI queries require about 10 times the electricity of traditional internet searches and the generation of original music, photos and videos requires much more, according to the Electric Power Research Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Iowa researchers shine light on the future of energy use

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

A new report finds the Climate Commitment Act will lead to job gains in construction in Washington state. (anatoliy_gleb/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Report: WA's cap-and-invest program could add 45,000 jobs, $9 billion

Washington's clean energy law could bring thousands of jobs and billions of dollars to the state, according to a new report. Greenline Insights' …

A new report shows companies like ExxonMobil, the Hess Foundation and Shell Oil have been large donors to a slew of programs at Columbia University. Some of this funding has buoyed climate and environmental research. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Columbia U. climate research 'biased' by fossil fuel funding

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …

The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)<br />

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Environmental advocates call on Newsom to sign 'make polluters pay' bills

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Inflation Reduction Act funding is helping leading electric cooperatives, which serve one in five rural Americans, to accelerate the adoption of affordable and reliable clean energy, lowering costs for their members. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Tri-State to lower customer energy costs by $400 million over 20 years

Colorado's second-largest electricity provider, the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, projects new federal clean energy funding will …

The electric vehicle stations will have both fast and slow charging ports. (Mike Mareen/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

EV charging stations coming to NW Arkansas

The Ozark Regional Transit Authority will use a $14.9 million federal grant to build electric vehicle charging stations around northwest Arkansas…

In the past decade, the U.S. Energy Department said 2,555 North Dakota homes, occupied by people with limited incomes, have been weatherized. The free upgrades include furnace repairs, insulation and sealing drafty windows. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

An under-the-radar profession could use a helping hand

September is Workforce Development Month and North Dakota offices managing energy assistance programs hope people in need of a fresh career start will…

School districts across the nation spend $8 billion per year on energy costs. (naraichal/Adobe Stock)

As climate change ramps up, energy efficiency helps OR schools save money

Oregon students are back in the classroom, but their classrooms might not be as energy efficient or climate resilient as they should be. As the …

Data from the Electric School Bus Initiative finds Virginia is one of the top states to own and purchase clean school buses. (Adobe Stock)

VA sees more school districts shift to clean buses

Virginia kids are heading back to school in a more environmentally friendly way. School districts and counties statewide are making the switch to …

In August, Steelton-Highspire became the first school district in Pennsylvania to operate a fully electric fleet, and the first in the country to have its entire bus fleet supported by a solar array. (Steelton-Highspire School District)

Federal funding drives PA's increase in electric school buses

Many Pennsylvania students now ride electric buses to school. Some $900 million from the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program …

According to the site Tech-stack, AI algorithms can forecast energy needs, helps improve the reliability of solar energy supply and balance the grid load. (Adobe Stock)

IL residents can benefit from merging of solar and AI

By Kari Lydersen for Energy News Network.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pu…

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources must report annual greenhouse gas inventories to the legislature and governor each year. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa releases 'Condition of the State' report on clean energy goals

Alternative energy advocates say Iowa is making significant progress on reaching its green power goals by 2035. The state has become a national …

Climate change harms Indigenous people's health. While it causes some health conditions, it is also worsening chronic illnesses to which they are prone. (Adobe Stock)

EPA awards climate grant to CT tribal nation

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation has been awarded a grant to cut climate pollution. It is part of the Environmental Protection Agency's Climate …

In 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ranked Chicago eighth on an annual ENERGY STAR Top Cities list. On average, ENERGY STAR buildings use 35% less energy and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 35% compared to typical buildings. (Adobe Stock)

Innovative construction projects address short-term, long-term IL energy needs

By Audrey Henderson for Energy News Network.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network…

A New York State Comptroller audit chided the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for using outdated data in Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act projects. It also noted the Public Service Commission failed to estimate costs for transitioning to renewables. (Adobe Stock)

Critics: Gov. Hochul slacking on meeting 2030 climate goals

Environmental critics feel New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is not doing enough to meet the state's 2030 climate goals. The concerns come after Hochul …

The Bold Alliance is composed of landowners from several Midwestern states who oppose allowing private companies to use eminent domain to build a CO2 pipeline. (Bold Alliance)

Midwestern group opposes plans for carbon-capture pipeline system

Landowners in several Midwestern states, including Nebraska, have organized in opposition to a plan to use eminent domain to construct a carbon-…

E-scooter companies say shared micromobility can be made safer if more people wear helmets, streets are properly maintained, and more cities add protected bike lanes. (Bondariev Volodymyr/Adobe Stock)<br />

8 years into America’s e-scooter experiment, what have we learned?

By Syris Valentine for Grist.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collaboration…

81% of registered voters across the Midwest oppose the use of eminent domain by companies looking to transport carbon dioxide through underground pipelines, according to a poll commissioned by the Bold Alliance. (Jeffree Beall/Wikimedia Commons)

Poll: Most SD voters disapprove of local control limits on carbon pipelines

A new poll shows most South Dakotans don't approve of legislation that restricts local control on carbon pipelines. South Dakotans this November …

Solar energy costs far less than fossil fuels. The International Energy Agency finds utility-level solar costs about $20 per unit less to produce than natural gas. (Adobe Stock)

Misinformation prevents VA from reaping solar-energy benefits

Although most Virginians support and prefer solar energy, misinformation is keeping more of it from being built. Several counties and cities have …

Sheep graze on a solar field in Garrard County owned by Silicon Ranch Corp. (Silicon Ranch)

KY communities consider solar zoning ordinances

As Fayette County considers approving industrial-scale solar operations on farmland, more communities in the Commonwealth are considering special …

Solar panels on the roof of Lifeline Church of God in Princeton, W.Va. (Resource Rural)

Federal funding reduces barriers to solar for WV schools, churches

Wayne County Schools and a church in Princeton have installed solar panels with help from the Inflation Reduction Act, local grants and solar …

As of June 2024, electric school bus adoption in the U.S. has grown to a total commitment of 12,164 buses since 2012, according to the Electric School Bus Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

AZ has over 150 electric school buses, could more be on the way?

With school in full swing, many Arizona students will take the bus to school. Earlier this summer, the Environmental Protection Agency awarded $900 …

Around 66% of committed electric school buses are located in school districts with the highest shares of low-income households, according to the Electric School Bus Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates tout electric school buses in Nevada, ask for more resources

Nevada has secured 60 electric school buses to take students to and from school and as the school year kicks off, advocates want to see more of the …

As it travels under the Straits of Mackinac, Enbridge's Line 5 diverges into two, 20-inch diameter, parallel pipelines. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

Indigenous water protectors protest aging pipeline

Indigenous water protectors and allies met at Michigan's Straits of Mackinac last week, to spotlight the dangers of the 71-year-old Line 5, deemed …

The new report recommended Pennsylvania address methane leakage by establishing a large-scale program to cap abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells. It could create 75 direct jobs per year and 525 direct jobs by 2030. (Funtay/Adobe)

A new roadmap for a clean energy that prioritizes PA union workers

A new report is providing a roadmap for policymakers and industry leaders to shape the future of Pennsylvania's clean energy landscape. The findings …

The Biden administration is providing a range of subsidies to spur carbon-capture projects to help reduce carbon emissions. But as projects take shape in the Midwest, issues such as landowner rights have led to extensive public debate. (Adobe Stock)

Survey sheds light on public sentiment about carbon-capture land conflicts

In a new poll, 81% of registered voters from several Midwestern states said they oppose corporations resorting to eminent domain for private projects…

Weston Lombard, at his Athens County farm, uses regenerative practices funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. (Photo credit Sijie Yuan)

Ohio reacts to Biden's investment targeting rural electrification

President Joe Biden has announced a landmark $7.3 billion investment, the largest since the FDR New Deal, aimed at electrifying rural America…

The Center for Rural Affairs said if all forecasted solar in the Midwest was developed on prime farmland, it would occupy only 1.45% to 2.9% of such farmland in this part of the nation. (Adobe Stock)

Tractors, barns and solar panels: Renewables help reshape MN ag land use

Minnesota has plenty of prime farmland, with some of it being converted in the transition to clean energy sources such as solar. The movement has …

Colorado residents and out-of-state visitors spent an estimated $10.8 billion on outdoor recreation within Colorado's river basins in 2019. About a quarter of this came from participants in water sports such as rafting. (Adobe Stock)

Polis taps nation’s strongest water-quality protections for 15 CO rivers

Nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court left key watersheds unprotected by the Clean Water Act, the Polis administration has designated new …

Liquefied gas export terminals have zeroed in on the Texas Coast for a major expansion of the industry. (AA+W/Adobe Stock)

Climate activists along TX coast want LNG ban

Climate and environmental activists along the Texas Coast are celebrating after receiving favorable news from an insurance company covering liquefied …

A letter signed by more 500 faith leaders was delivered to Citibank headquarters, calling on them to stop funding climate destruction and aggressively enable a green energy transition. (P�ter M�cs/Adobe Stock)

LA climate activists target Wall Street

Environmental activists of various faiths and denominations are spending the summer protesting on Wall Street to highlight the effects financial marke…

A key goal of Michigan's Healthy Climate Plan is to limit energy burden from powering and heating homes to not more than 6% of annual income for low-income households. (M.studio/Adobe Stock)

New solar deal brightens Lansing's green future

Lansing residents and businesses can breathe easier following a new 15-year renewable energy deal. The partnership between General Motors and North …

From 2011 to mid-2020, 95 gigawatts of coal capacity was closed or switched to another fuel and another 25 gigawatts is slated to shut down by 2025, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)

West Virginia’s PSC faces lawsuit over coal-plant directive

The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is facing legal challenges for its 2021 directive that Appalachian Power increase the usage of three of…

Research shows South Dakota had the fifth-highest rate of cropland abandonment between 1986 and 2018, trailing Texas, North Dakota, Kansas and Montana. (Adobe Stock)

Former croplands could be ‘sweet spot’ for renewable-energy production

Researchers mapped American croplands that have fallen out of production in hopes of inspiring new uses for them, such as renewable energy. Roughly 3…

Colorado is investing in key infrastructure to power and maintain electric vehicles, including connecting new solar canopies to the electric grid, and adding more charging stations. (Adobe Stock)

Clean buses coming to Colorado transit systems

The Colorado Department of Transportation is investing nearly $32 million to help local governments and other stakeholders transition to electric vehi…

The Washington State Department of Commerce expected to fund at least 6,500 rebates for EVs through June 2025 with its new program. (IanDewarPhotography/Adobe Stock)

Demand high for WA EV incentive program

Washingtonians want to drive electric vehicles and a new rebate program from the state is providing proof. Earlier this month, the Washington State …

The Interior Department says it will hold more lease sales in the Central Atlantic in 2026. (Twixter/Adobe Stock)

Offshore wind industry gains momentum in VA

Virginia's Dominion Energy has won a lease to continue growing its offshore wind portfolio near Virginia's coast. The move is expected to grow the …

Local grocery stores like Long's Pic Pac in Pineville, Kentucky, run on a razor-thin profit margin, making them among the least profitable industries in the U.S. (Mountain Association)

What an extra $15,000 a year means for a rural Kentucky grocer

This article was produced by Resource Rural.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the Resource Rural-Public N…

Among U.S. adults surveyed, 20% said they have heard a lot about Project 2025, while 39% have heard a little and 42% have heard nothing at all, according to a recent YouGov poll. (Adobe Stock) <br /><br />

Conservative plan to ‘drill, baby drill’ threatens ocean health

Critics of a conservative plan to expand offshore oil drilling said it endangers coastal communities who rely on a healthy ocean. Project 2025…

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported there are 1,800 projected job openings for wind turbine technicians each year. (Adobe Stock)

SUNY Morrisville wraps first Offshore Wind Institute classes

SUNY Morrisville recently wrapped up its first classes as part of New York's Offshore Training Wind Institute. The state-funded program is part of …

Activists said Wall Street is bankrolling the coal, oil and gas companies, polluting communities. (Nicola/Adobe Stock)

TX climate activists target Wall Street

Environmental activists from across the country, including from Texas, are spending the summer protesting on Wall Street to highlight the effects the …

The number of Kentuckians who had their power disconnected increased by 228% in 2022, compared to a 29% increase nationwide, according to a new study by the Energy and Policy Institute and Center for Biological Diversity. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Utility disconnections in extreme weather harm communities

Housing advocates said they are seeing more Kentuckians affected by electricity shut-offs. In 2022, the number of Kentuckians who had their power …

Illinois is the nation's fifth-largest electricity producer, and typically sends about one-fifth of the power it generates to other states over interstate transmission lines. Illinois generates more electricity from nuclear energy than any other state.(Adobe Stock)

New study says IL needs new less expensive energy options

A new study warns that Illinois will face future energy shortages and a higher risk of blackouts, unless investments are made soon in cleaner energy…

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 20, 2024

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Energy Policy

Duke Energy's proposed rate hike, profits under fire

Solar power drives change in Ohio’s disadvantaged areas

Utility regulators deny NV Energy rate change for northern NV customers

Rural AZ inn saves on energy bills, helps environment

IL energy jobs growth is strong, lacks female workers

Iowa researchers shine light on the future of energy use

Report: WA's cap-and-invest program could add 45,000 jobs, $9 billion

Columbia U. climate research 'biased' by fossil fuel funding

Environmental advocates call on Newsom to sign 'make polluters pay' bills

Tri-State to lower customer energy costs by $400 million over 20 years

EV charging stations coming to NW Arkansas

An under-the-radar profession could use a helping hand

As climate change ramps up, energy efficiency helps OR schools save money

VA sees more school districts shift to clean buses

Federal funding drives PA's increase in electric school buses

IL residents can benefit from merging of solar and AI

Iowa releases 'Condition of the State' report on clean energy goals

EPA awards climate grant to CT tribal nation

Innovative construction projects address short-term, long-term IL energy needs

Critics: Gov. Hochul slacking on meeting 2030 climate goals

Midwestern group opposes plans for carbon-capture pipeline system

8 years into America’s e-scooter experiment, what have we learned?

Poll: Most SD voters disapprove of local control limits on carbon pipelines

Misinformation prevents VA from reaping solar-energy benefits

KY communities consider solar zoning ordinances

Federal funding reduces barriers to solar for WV schools, churches

AZ has over 150 electric school buses, could more be on the way?

Advocates tout electric school buses in Nevada, ask for more resources

Indigenous water protectors protest aging pipeline

A new roadmap for a clean energy that prioritizes PA union workers

Survey sheds light on public sentiment about carbon-capture land conflicts

Ohio reacts to Biden's investment targeting rural electrification

Tractors, barns and solar panels: Renewables help reshape MN ag land use

Polis taps nation’s strongest water-quality protections for 15 CO rivers

Climate activists along TX coast want LNG ban

LA climate activists target Wall Street

New solar deal brightens Lansing's green future

West Virginia’s PSC faces lawsuit over coal-plant directive

Former croplands could be ‘sweet spot’ for renewable-energy production

Clean buses coming to Colorado transit systems

Demand high for WA EV incentive program

Offshore wind industry gains momentum in VA

What an extra $15,000 a year means for a rural Kentucky grocer

Conservative plan to ‘drill, baby drill’ threatens ocean health

SUNY Morrisville wraps first Offshore Wind Institute classes

TX climate activists target Wall Street

Experts: Utility disconnections in extreme weather harm communities

New study says IL needs new less expensive energy options