Good Monday morning!
In the news today and from the weekend…
Grid:
- The Guardian reports that a new study from Energy Innovation found that it is more expensive to continue operating nearly all 210 coal plants across the United States than it is to construct an array of solar panels or a cluster of wind turbines near these sites. The findings come as the nation’s coal plants continue to age, become increasingly costly to maintain and are being displaced by cheaper sources of natural gas.
- Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that an Iowa city considers a roughly $20 million project to bury power lines underground to improve grid resilience.
Minerals:
- The Wall Street Journal publishes an op-ed on Biden’s Green-Energy Mineral Lockup. The feds block mining that is essential for making EV batteries.
- Fox News and The Northern Miner report the Biden administration on Thursday announced that it would complete a 20-year withdrawal of 225,504 acres in a northern Minnesota forest area that is home to some of the largest domestic critical mineral reserves.
- Utility Dive reports with a $700 million loan commitment from the Department of Energy, Ioneer hopes to launch a site that could produce enough lithium to support 370,000 EVs annually.
Congress:
- E&E Daily reports the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hear from trucking companies, railroads, construction contractors and labor representatives as it holds its first meeting under new Republican leadership.
- E&E Daily reports the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will evaluate the Department of Energy’s implementation of the bipartisan infrastructure law during a hearing this Thursday.