The federal review of a key transmission line to connect commercial-scale solar projects in Nevada to millions of households has been delayed by months over concerns about a likely route across a national monument designed to protect thousands of ice age fossils. The 470-mile-long Greenlink West transmission line would stretch along Nevada’s western boundary, from Las Vegas north to Reno, carrying as much as 4,000 MW of mostly renewable electricity from dozens of proposed solar projects in the state.
In late January, a geothermal power startup, Fervo Energy, began conducting an experiment deep below the desert floor of northern Nevada. It pumped water thousands of feet underground and then held it there, watching for what would happen. The results from the initial experiments—which MIT Technology Review is reporting exclusively—suggest Fervo can create flexible geothermal power plants, capable of ramping electricity output up or down as needed. Potentially more important, the system can store up energy for hours or even days and deliver it back over similar periods, effectively acting as a giant and very long-lasting battery.
The Biden administration has pledged another $1.2 billion to help extend the operating life of older or distressed nuclear power plants, with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm saying nuclear power is needed to support the nation’s clean energy goals. The funding, announced by the Dept. of Energy on March 2, is the second tranche of financial aid included in the $6 billion Civil Nuclear Credit Program that was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress in 2021.
The U.S. Supreme Court Monday asked the U.S. Solicitor General to weigh in on a Texas law that bans independent transmission companies such as NextEra Energy and Grid United from building power lines in the state. With the support of Entergy, ITC Holdings, and Xcel Energy’s Southwestern Public Service, the Texas Public Utilities Commission in December asked the Supreme Court to reverse an appeals court finding that the state’s law likely violates the U.S. Constitution’s dormant Commerce Clause. The Supreme Court is deciding whether to take the case.
Renewable energy capacity contracted by U.S. corporations soared 45% in the past 12 months, epitomizing the energy supply and demand tectonic shifts now magnified by greater energy security concerns. S&P Global Commodity Insights found that all tracked business sectors boosted their green energy portfolio markedly, with increases ranging from 16% to 79%. The technology and web services sector accounts for more than half of the tracked total corporate renewable capacity, but manufacturing logged the largest year-over-year increase.
At a Calaveras Amador Mokelumne River Authority (CAMRA) board meeting on February 16, the developer of the proposed Mokelumne River Battery Project presented an overview of the project. The project aims to generate and store “clean” energy using existing infrastructure and an open-loop pump system that pumps water through an underground tunnel between two reservoirs. The project is currently in the planning phase but is already facing scrutiny by environmental groups, community members in both Calaveras and Amador counties, and political leaders.
The Washington State Court of Appeals gave the green light for the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe to proceed in its “greenwashing” litigation against the City of Seattle. In 2021, the tribe filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging that City Light’s claims that it’s the “Nation’s Greenest Utility,” and that its hydro-electric operations on the Skagit River have improved conditions for salmon are misleading and harmful to the tribe.
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