The Continuing Impact of Coal Ash - Energy Law Insights
Litigating During COVID: What You Need to Know
Solar Powered Generation Sees Significant Growth while Some Solar Energy is Increasingly Blocked from Production - Our Currents focus article this month is on developments in the growth of solar electric power generation...more
Good afternoon! This is Akin’s newsletter on climate change policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major climate policy headlines from the past two weeks and forthcoming climate-related events and...more
Pennsylvania and RGGI – Decision and Resolution - On November 1, 2023, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, in a five-judge panel decision, issued a long-awaited ruling denying the authority of the executive branch,...more
What is the Hydrogen Hubbub? Hydrogen is seen by many as the fuel of the future, a substance that can provide heat through combustion, or electrical power from fuel cells, emitting only water in the process. Its potential...more
The Cost of "Electrification" “Electrification” has become a ubiquitous term these days, although depending on who you ask, it might have different meanings. However defined, a critical component of electrification as a...more
The United States Energy Information Administration published a January 19th report titled: Increasing Renewables Likely to Reduce Coal and Natural Gas Generation Over Next Two Years (“Report”)...more
“A controversial natural gas pipeline in West Virginia appears dead for now after it failed to make next year’s spending bill from Congress.” Why this is important: With apologies to Mark Twain, the reports of the...more
A recent report released last week by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) shows that hundreds of coal plant sites could host new nuclear reactors. Siting new nuclear at retiring coal sites, referred to as the...more
Coal Producer Plans to Create 181 New Jobs in Southwest Virginia Mine Complex - "Coronado Global Resources Inc., an international coal company, is committing $169.1 million toward the effort to increase capacity at its...more
Now, more than ever, energy industry participants are seeking creative pathways to minimize the cost and schedule for deployments of carbon-free electric generation facilities. Enter the latest trend: coal-to-nuclear...more
Global Coal Prices Surge as Ukraine Tensions Worsen Supply Woes - "Europe relies on Russia for around 35% of its natural gas, and has been grappling with a gas shortage since last summer that sent local prices to record...more
West Virginia: Most Coal Reliant State Struggles Amid Green Power Push - "West Virginia is most dependent on coal for electricity and among the least dependent on renewables." Why this is important: As renewables...more
How a Colorado Coal Plant Could Become a Massive Battery for Renewable Energy - "If the idea works, it could be a case study for other communities trying to preserve jobs and property taxes as the world shifts to cleaner...more
Shot Heard Across Texas: San Antonio Gets a Temporary Restraining Order Against ERCOT - "CPS Energy, the municipal electric utility serving San Antonio and the surrounding area, has won the first skirmish against the...more
The White House demonstrates its continued support for fossil fuel communities during the current clean energy transition by standing up the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communicatees and Economic...more
WV Legislature Adopts Compromise Amendment to Natural Gas Property Tax Bill - "HB 2581 would provide a revised methodology to value oil and natural gas properties by the State Tax Commissioner in response to a West...more
Renewables to Dominate New U.S. Power Capacity in 2021 - "Renewable energy, mostly solar and wind, are set to account for more than two-thirds of the new electricity generation capacity that the United States will...more
Overview of the current energy mix, and the place in the market of different energy sources - Due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. total energy consumption in 2020 is on pace to decline for a second straight...more
New Law Pushes Appalachian Power Toward More Renewable Energy - "Appalachian — which for years has relied heavily on coal and more recently natural gas to serve about 500,000 western Virginia customers — will acquire 210...more
U.S. Department of Energy: Oil and Gas Production to Account for 68 Percent of Energy Consumption Over Next Two Decades - "Natural gas is increasingly powering plants to produce electricity, but oil and natural gas are...more
Mountain Valley Says Natural Gas Pipeline Timing Depends on Litigation, U.S. Approvals - “'As the litigation process progresses and as we receive additional information from FERC regarding potentially releasing the...more
Spain Shuts Down Half of Its Coal Power Stations - "The move away from coal is driven predominantly by fundamental economics, although these are amplified by emissions trading schemes and other measures." Why this is...more
Trump Administration Approves Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for Land Leasing, Oil Drilling - "The Trump administration continues to roll back environmental protections and opening doors for the fossil fuel industry in...more
ExxonMobil, Partners Discover Carbon Capture Technology for Industrial Sources - "A possible breakthrough in technology that could capture more than 90% of carbon dioxide emitted from industrial sources has been announced...more
Supreme Court Lifts Key Obstacle to Atlantic Coast Pipeline, but More Challenges Remain - "The U.S. Supreme Court has reversed a lower court ruling that held up construction on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would...more