In the States and Territories
NC: Governor Roy Cooper announced the state will move forward with studies of the potential for offshore wind power generation that have been stalled since June due to unresolved state budget issues. The studies will analyze the state’s potential to manufacture, ship, and service offshore wind turbine components and will pave the way for future development of offshore wind power in North Carolina. “We know we need to move to a clean energy future in order to fight climate change, but we also know that clean energy creates so many good-paying jobs for the people of North Carolina,” Governor Cooper said. As many states, mostly in the Northeast, are rapidly expanding their offshore wind energy industry, Governor Cooper hopes that developments in his own state will “drag offshore wind development to the South.” North Carolina will move forward with offshore wind study, governor says – EnergyNews.us
NJ: Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order raising New Jersey’s offshore wind energy goal from 3,500 megawatts of offshore wind-generated electricity by 2030 to 7,500 megawatts by 2035. Governor Murphy hopes this will help meet the State’s objective of generating 50% of its total energy from renewable sources by 2030 and a 100% clean economy by 2050. Murphy intends to involve key stakeholders, including the commercial and recreational fishing industries and clean energy experts. “Our offshore wind industry will generate billions of dollars in investments in New Jersey’s future that will, in turn, create thousands of jobs. We have an immense opportunity to maximize our potential and make this region – and, specifically New Jersey – the nexus of the global offshore wind industry,” Governor Murphy said. Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order to Increase Offshore Wind Goal to 7,500 Megawatts by 2035 – InsiderNJ
PR: Governor Wanda Vazquez announced GridMod, a $20 billion plan to modernize and decentralize Puerto Rico’s power grid over a 10-year period. GridMod was jointly developed by federal, local and private sector energy experts and focuses on repair and reconstruction measures that will strengthen the grid and ensure its resilience against natural disasters like the hurricanes that struck Puerto Rico in 2017. The plan recommends a decentralized electricity network that incorporates renewable energy and micro-networks to improve resiliency, reliability and performance during natural disasters. “The GridMod Plan will provide the safe, modern and resilient electricity network that our communities need and deserve,” said Governor Vazquez. Puerto Rico unveils $20 billion plan to revamp island’s power grid – Reuters
WY: Governor Mark Gordon introduced a new initiative called Power Wyoming to state lawmakers. The initiative will study the economic relationship between the state’s reliance on coal, oil and natural gas for much of its revenue and its overall fiscal health. Preliminary data presented to the legislature’s Revenue Committee forecasted a decrease in revenue, job and populations numbers, mostly due to declining demand for coal, low natural gas prices and an unstable oil market. Governor Gordon hopes to utilize information gathered by this new initiative to plan for Wyoming’s fiscal future. “The hard truth is, Wyoming faces many external pressures impacting our future and those have often seemed to drive our own economic fate,” Governor Gordon said in a statement. “There are many economic forces out of our control... However, there are many ways we can control our destiny to position Wyoming for economic stability — but they require planning and action.” Governor announces energy plan to take future revenue shortfalls head on – Casper Star Tribune
National
U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and the Department of Energy (DOE) announced $15 million in new funding for the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning for application in energy technology. The funding will go towards 23 projects in the DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) covering technologies including optimization of natural gas to electric power system design, unconventional energy generation, and hydrogen power generation. According to the DOE, the projects are intended to address the next generation of energy challenges. “The incorporation of AI and Machine Learning into our energy technology design and engineering processes has great potential to increase the productivity of our nation’s engineers and scientists,” said Secretary Perry. Department of Energy Announces $15 million for Development of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Tools – Energy.gov
Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced a bill that aims to improve the way the United States handles spent nuclear fuel. The bill proposes to advance a safety review of the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository, ensure the Department of Energy has adequate funding to construct and maintain infrastructure related to the facility, and directs the DOE to pursue a temporary storage program to consolidate spent nuclear fuel from other plants as progress on the Yucca Mountain facility continues. “If we’re serious about reducing carbon emissions in a meaningful way, we need to get serious about dealing with nuclear waste,” Senator Barrasso said. Sen. Barrasso Introduces Bill to Reform Nuclear Waste Management – Daily Energy Insider