Getting climate, energy & environment news right.

PJM-Google AI partnership aims to speed up generator interconnection
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PJM-Google AI partnership aims to speed up generator interconnection

PJM announced a multiyear collaboration agreement with Google and Tapestry, with the aim of further streamlining the grid operator’s planning process for connecting new generation resources. The goal is to significantly cut processing times for reviewing new interconnection applications, allowing large volumes of requests to be processed quickly. Officials have specifically warned about threats to reliability...

US orders halt to construction of Equinor’s New York offshore wind project
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US orders halt to construction of Equinor’s New York offshore wind project

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum ordered a halt to construction of Equinor’s Empire Wind project off the coast of New York, saying information suggested the Biden administration approved it without enough environmental analysis. In a post on X on Wednesday, Burgum said the information would be reviewed further but did not elaborate on the faults identified....

Trump administration ordered to unfreeze funds authorized under Biden-era climate laws
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Trump administration ordered to unfreeze funds authorized under Biden-era climate laws

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to unfreeze funds under Biden-era laws authorizing massive investments in climate-friendly projects.  U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, an appointee of President Trump during his first term, on Tuesday ordered five federal agencies to immediately resume disbursing already-awarded funds appropriated under the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment...

Trump Looks to Boost Use of Technology to Speed Up Permitting
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Trump Looks to Boost Use of Technology to Speed Up Permitting

President Donald Trump signed a directive April 15 aimed at bolstering the use of technology in the permitting process for infrastructure developments, part of a broader administration effort to cut red tape and speed the approval of new projects. The memorandum directs executive departments and agencies to make “maximum use of technology in environmental review and permitting...

Researchers unveil breakthrough solution to colossal issue facing wind power: ‘Innovation is key to closing the loop’
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Researchers unveil breakthrough solution to colossal issue facing wind power: ‘Innovation is key to closing the loop’

Researchers have devised and tested a way to mix old wind turbine blades with asphalt and cement concrete for more resilient road surfaces, expanding recycling options for the sector. According to the Global Wind Energy Council, there were 117 gigawatts of wind power installations around the globe in 2023, which was a 50% increase over the previous...

Newsom, California Democrats double down on cap-and-trade program
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Newsom, California Democrats double down on cap-and-trade program

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and top state Democrats announced Tuesday they would seek an extension of the state’s cap-and-trade emissions reduction program — countering Trump administration efforts to thwart such initiatives. Newsom — along with state Sen. Mike McGuire, the Senate president pro tempore, and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas — made this decision following a recent federal executive...

Agriculture Department cancels $3B grant program for climate-friendly crops
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Agriculture Department cancels $3B grant program for climate-friendly crops

The Trump administration canceled a $3.1 billion grant program for climate-friendly crops, the Agriculture Department announced Monday.  In a press release, the department said that it was canceling Biden-era Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, which funded 141 projects that sought to advance climate-friendly farming practices. Projects funded under the program supported things like planting cover crops, which...

Pakistan mulls US oil imports to ease trade imbalance, sources say
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Pakistan mulls US oil imports to ease trade imbalance, sources say

Pakistan is considering importing crude oil from the United States for the first time to offset a trade imbalance that triggered higher U.S. tariffs, according to a government source directly involved with the proposal and a refinery executive. Countries are scrambling to find ways to lower their U.S. tariff burdens, including buying more U.S. oil...

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