April 16 NEC Energy News
¶ “Biden Administration Announces It Will Resume Onshore Oil And Gas Lease Sales With Higher Royalty Rate” • The Interior Department announced it plans to resume onshore oil and gas lease sales on federal land. The royalty rate for companies to pay to the federal government will be higher. The Bureau of Land Management will issue sale notices on Monday. [CNN]
¶ “Wind Power Surpasses Coal, Nuclear As Power Generation Source In US” • For the first time in recorded history, wind power was the second-largest source of electricity in the country for an entire day. The Energy Information Administration released data that shows wind energy surpassed both coal and nuclear power on March 29, 2022. [VICE]
¶ “Pentagon To Build Nuclear Microreactors To Power Far-Flung Bases” • Pentagon officials recently announced that the Defense Department will build a nuclear microreactor that can be flown to an austere site by a C-17 cargo plane and set up to power a military base. A number of nuclear scientists and watchdogs question the need for such a device. [Yahoo News]
¶ “Growing Perennial Grasses Could Help Curb Climate Change” • Climate change is driving up temperatures and causing more frequent heatwaves in the American Midwest. But according to a study led by the University of Maryland, growing the perennial giant miscanthus could cut Midwest warming by one degree Celsius. [Earth.com]
¶ “California Wants To Speed Up The EV Revolution” • California announced an initiative to move the EV revolution forward. Its Air Resources Board has a proposal to eliminate the sale of cars and light-duty trucks powered by gasoline and diesel oil by 2035. This is in line with policies similarly enacted by some of the most progressive nations. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “New York Green Lights Massive Renewable Energy Projects To Cut Fossil Fuel Reliance” • Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the State Public Service Commission approved contracts for the Clean Path New York project and the Champlain Hudson Power Express project. They are expected to reduce the city’s reliance on fossil fuels by over 50% in 2030. [The Hill]
¶ “New York Is To Have 10 GW Of Distributed Solar Energy By 2030” • New York Governor Kathy Hochul, in advance of Earth Week, announced that the State Public Service Commission has approved a framework for New York to achieve at least 10 GW of distributed solar by 2030. That would supply annual needs of nearly 700,000 average homes. [CleanTechnica]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.