In the news today…
Grid:
- Mining.com reports that the Department of Energy has to hurry if it wants to allocate the tens of billions in grants and loans made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Argus reports coal-fired generation in the PJM Interconnection decreased by 37pc last month amid additional coal unit retirements and other market factors.
Minerals:
- E&E News Greenwire reports that the Biden administration wants minerals needed to build out electric vehicles and green the grid. Mineral-rich African countries could be where it finds them.
- Bloomberg reports a $37.5 million grant to Graphite One acts as a relaxed form of venture capital as the White House supports nascent parts of the domestic cleantech supply chain.
- E&E News PM reports the Biden administration is offering up $37.5 million for graphite mining in Alaska and processing in Washington state, a strategic move to help build out part of the electric vehicle battery supply chain that China now dominates.
- Time and The Maine Monitor reports on a lithium deposit in Maine.
Mining:
- E&E Energywire and Politico Pro report a federal appeals court on Monday upheld the Biden administration’s approval of a contested lithium mine in northern Nevada, angering environmentalists even as supporters said it was a victory for batteries in electric vehicles.
- The National Interest reports Beijing’s decision to lash out against U.S. curbs on advanced technology sales may have inadvertently alerted the world to the risks that its effective monopoly poses to vital supply chains.
- E&E Daily reports the House Natural Resources Committee will vote this week on legislation to undo the ban on new oil leasing and mining around a national park in New Mexico.