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ConocoPhillips had sought to build up to five drill sites, dozens of miles of roads, seven bridges and pipelines. The Interior Department approved the project with three drill pads after saying last month that it was concerned about the greenhouse gas impacts of Willow. Its Bureau of Land Management last month recommended a "preferred alternative" that includes three drill sites and less surface infrastructure than originally proposed. The decision comes after the Biden administration on Sunday announced new protections for Alaskan land and water. Environmental groups criticized the Biden administration, saying it was trying to have it "both way" on climate change.

☆ Offbeat multiverse movie 'Everything Everywhere' dominates the Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The movie claimed seven awards overall, including three of the four acting Oscars for stars Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis, who built a career in horror films such as "Halloween," won best supporting actress for playing a frumpy tax agent named Deirdre Beaubeirdre. "The Whale" star Brendan Fraser, known for 1990s roles such as "The Mummy" and "Encino Man," won best actor for playing a severely obese man trying to reconnect with his daughter. "Naatu Naatu," a song from the Indian movie "RRR" that created a viral dance sensation, was honored as best original song. The 95th Academy Awards ceremony was broadcast live on Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) ABC network.

[1/5] Plants grow through an array of solar panels in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S., May 6, 2022. REUTERS/Brian SnyderMarch 6 (Reuters) - U.S. imports of solar panels are finally picking up after months of gridlock stemming from implementation of a new law banning goods made with forced labor, according to two Chinese solar companies. The gains are a relief to major Chinese suppliers including Trina Solar (688599.SS) and Jinko Solar (JKS.N), who are finally getting products into the lucrative U.S. market after long delays. Trina rival Jinko Solar Holding Co Ltd (JKS.N) has also had shipments released from detention, a source close to the company said. It would not specify how many of those were solar products.

☆ Biden's clean energy factory jobs may elude U.S. union workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Right to work laws allow employees to work in union-represented workplaces and be covered by collective bargaining agreements without joining a union or paying dues. American products, he vowed, would be made with union labor. Union labor. Many of the jobs created will be union jobs, the official added. "It's not a favorable environment, but we can still organize," Samantha Smith, senior adviser for clean energy jobs at the AFL-CIO, said in an interview.

☆ Nations reach accord to protect marine life on high seas
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea came into force in 1994, before marine biodiversity was a well-established concept. The treaty will create a new body to manage the conservation of ocean life and establish marine protected areas in the high seas. "For the first time, we are getting a binding agreement for the high seas, which until now have hardly been protected," Lemke said. Several marine species — including dolphins, whales, sea turtles and many fish — make long annual migrations, crossing national borders and the high seas. The high seas have long suffered exploitation due to commercial fishing and mining, as well as pollution from chemicals and plastics.

☆ EV batteries getting second life on California power grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A view of the SEPV Sierra solar and storage facility owned by startup, B2U Storage Solutions, in Lancaster, California, U.S. in this handout photo taken in 2022. B2U Storage Solutions/Handout via REUTERSFeb 7 (Reuters) - Hundreds of used electric vehicle battery packs are enjoying a second life at a California facility connected to the state's power grid, according to a company pioneering technology it says will dramatically lower the cost of storing carbon-free energy. B2U Storage Solutions Inc, a Los Angeles-based startup, said it has 25 megawatt-hours of storage capacity made up of 1,300 former EV batteries tied to a solar energy facility in Lancaster, California. B2U's technology allows the EV battery packs to be bundled together without having to be taken apart first. "Second life and re-use helps the overall lifecycle be more energy efficient, given all the efforts that go into making that battery," Hall said in an interview.

☆ U.S. government backs smaller version of Conoco Alaska drilling project
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 1 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's administration said on Wednesday it would support a scaled-back version of ConocoPhillips' (COP.N) planned $6 billion Willow oil and gas drilling project in Alaska but has not yet made a final decision on the contentious proposal. Alaska officials and ConocoPhillips backed that option in letters submitted to the agency in recent months. In a statement, ConocoPhillips said the design represented "a viable path forward" for Willow and said it was ready to begin construction "immediately" upon approval. The company said the project would deliver up to $17 billion in revenue for federal and state governments and local Alaska communities. A final decision will be made no sooner than 30 days after the review's publication, the department said.

☆ U.S. solar prices still soaring as projects stalled
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 30 (Reuters) - U.S. solar energy contract prices have soared by a third over the past year as project developers have struggled to get imported panels, according to a report published late on Monday. But wind energy prices fell a little in recent months, thanks to major new federal subsidies. Wind PPA prices were 1.9% lower in the fourth quarter than in the third - their first decline since early 2021. The spike in solar prices resulted from the seizure by U.S. customs officials of hundreds of shipments of solar energy components at U.S. ports since June. Clark added, however, that demand was still strong for solar projects and that prices might stabilize in the second half of 2023.

Jan 31 (Reuters) - Solar panels and home batteries have soared in popularity because they allow consumers to generate and store their own carbon-free power and save on their electricity bills. When used this way, they are called virtual power plants, or VPPs. "Virtual power plants are at the center of that." U.S. solar companies including Sunrun Inc (RUN.O) and SunPower Corp (SPWR.O) have pooled some of their customers' systems into virtual power plants in California, Hawaii and New England. Sunrun last year, for example, operated a virtual power plant with thousands of homes in New England that provided 1.8 gigawatt-hours to the grid during June through August.

☆ A dietitian shares the smoothie-making mistake that causes blood sugar spikes — and 5 healthy recipes to try instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Rachel Hosie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Making smoothies with fruit alone is a mistake that causes blood sugar spikes, a dietitian said. It's important to add healthy fats, protein, and fiber, Nichola Ludlam-Raine told Insider. She shared five recipes for nutritionally balanced smoothies, from carrot cake to apple pie flavors. "The main mistake people make when making smoothies is making them with 100% fruit," registered dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine told Insider. "These combined help to slow down the release of the energy from the blended fruit," Ludlam-Raine said.

☆ U.S. lawmakers seek repeal of Biden solar tariff waiver
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The move is aimed at propping up domestic solar manufacturers, which have struggled to compete with cheap panels made overseas - often by Chinese companies. A Commerce Department probe last year found that some solar panel makers were dodging U.S. tariffs on Chinese-made goods by moving their products through Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. New proposed duties on imports from those countries will not kick in until June of 2024 because of a two-year waiver from Biden. Months later, the Commerce Department issued a preliminary decision to extend existing tariffs on Chinese solar products to goods from those nations. The White House has said the tariff exemption will serve as a bridge while the U.S. sector ramps up.

Despite layoff announcements and signs of a slowdown elsewhere in the economy, the labor market for clean energy jobs remains tight. said Abigail Ross Hopper, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association trade group. The Biden Administration has repeatedly promised that new green energy jobs would be well-paying union jobs. Some solar companies have tried to recruit veterans, saying the skills learned in military life translate well to the industry. Utility scale solar developer SOLV Energy, SunPower and Nextracker last year teamed up with nonprofit Solar Energy International to fund a women-only training program for solar installers.

☆ U.S. holds sale of drilling rights off Alaska coast
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 30 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Friday will hold a sale of oil and gas drilling rights off the coast of Alaska, the first federal auction in the region in more than five years. The agency had scrapped the Cook Inlet sale earlier this year before the IRA passed, citing a lack of industry interest. Cook Inlet stretches 180 miles (290 km) from Anchorage to the Gulf of Alaska. There are 14 active federal leases in Cook Inlet, all of which were purchased by Houston-based Hilcorp at the last federal auction in the region in 2017. Operating oil and gas platforms in the area are all in state waters, but oil production has declined substantially since peaking in the 1970s.

☆ Environmentalists sue to stop U.S. oil and gas auction off Alaska coast
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Industry Insight | Saw Law Firms Move Past The Pandemic Into A More Client-Focused Service Environment | Thomson Reuters Institute | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 21 (Reuters) - Environmental groups sued the Biden administration on Wednesday to block a sale of oil and gas drilling rights off the coast of Alaska that is scheduled for next week. Interior had scrapped the Cook Inlet sale this year before the IRA passed, citing a lack of industry interest. "Cook Inlet is already experiencing severe effects of climate change, and new oil and gas leasing will only magnify those harms," the complaint said. Cook Inlet stretches 180 miles (290 km) from Anchorage to the Gulf of Alaska. Operating oil and gas platforms in the area are all in state waters, but oil production has declined substantially since peaking in the 1970s.

☆ California to vote on hotly debated change in rooftop solar policy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Solar installers from Baker Electric place solar panels on the roof of a residential home in Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California, U.S. October 14, 2016. For decades, Californians with rooftop panels have been credited for excess power at or near the full retail electricity rate. Solar companies counter that the changes would slow new installations and threaten California's clean energy and climate change goals. California's three investor-owned utilities are Pacific Gas & Electric (PCG.N), Southern California Edison (EIX.N) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SRE.N). Customers installing solar with a battery, for example, would save about $136 a month under the plan, compared with $100 a month with just solar.

☆ European energy firms dominate landmark California offshore wind auction
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The auction began on Tuesday and ended Wednesday, the offshore wind industry's first chance to snag leases in waters off the U.S. West Coast. "Today’s lease sale is further proof that industry momentum -- including for floating offshore wind development -- is undeniable," U.S. Winners of the five leases were mainly divisions of European energy companies already developing projects in the U.S. offshore wind market. "The macroeconomic environment has hardened significantly over the last six to 12 months," said Alon Carmel, a partner at consultancy PA Consulting who advises offshore wind companies. About 100 megawatts of floating wind capacity is currently installed in the world compared with 50 gigawatts (GW) for conventional offshore wind.

☆ California offshore wind auction ends with $757.1 mln in high bids
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Dec 7 (Reuters) - The Biden administration's sale of offshore wind development rights off the coast of California drew $757.1 million in high bids from developers seeking a foothold in the domestic industry's expansion to the Pacific Ocean. The auction, which began on Tuesday and stretched into Wednesday, is part of the administration's plan to put wind turbines along every U.S. coastline to tackle climate change and create jobs. Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ California first offshore wind auction surpasses $500 million
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 7 (Reuters) - The first ever auction of offshore wind development rights off the coast of California was in its second day on Wednesday, with high bids topping half a billion dollars. There is currently about 100 megawatts of floating wind capacity installed in the world, compared with 50 gigawatts (GW) for conventional offshore wind, Zaidi noted. Previous federal offshore wind auctions have all been for leases in shallower waters of the Atlantic Ocean. High bids on individual leases ranged between $95.3 million and $148.8 million, according to live auction results on the BOEM web site. They include established offshore wind players like Avangrid Inc (AGR.N), Orsted (ORSTED.CO) and Equinor (EQNR.OL), which are all developing projects on the U.S. East Coast, as well as potential new entrants, including Swedish floating wind developer Hexicon (HEXI.ST) and Macquarie (MQG.AX) unit Corio.

☆ California offshore wind auction bids top $460 mln on day two
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 7 (Reuters) - The first ever auction of offshore wind development rights off the coast of California entered its second day on Wednesday, with high bids topping $460 million. Previous federal offshore wind auctions have all been for leases in shallower waters of the Atlantic Ocean. After 22 rounds of bidding, high bids totaled a combined $462.1 million. Two leases off the central coast had commanded high bids of more than $100 million, with the remaining leases attracting high bids in a range of $62.7 million to $98.8 million, according to live auction results on the BOEM web site. The identities of the bidders are not disclosed during the auction, but 43 companies had been approved to participate.

☆ European energy firms capture most leases in California offshore wind auction
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 7 (Reuters) - The Biden administration's sale of offshore wind development rights off the coast of California drew $757.1 million in high bids, mainly from European developers seeking a foothold in the domestic industry's expansion to the Pacific Ocean. Winners of the five leases were primarily divisions of European energy companies that are already developing projects in the U.S. offshore wind market. The winners included Norway's Equinor ASA (EQNR.OL), Denmark's Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Germany's RWE AG (RWEG.DE), Ocean Winds, which is a joint venture between France's Engie (ENGIE.PA) and Portugal's EDP Renewables (EDPR.LS), and U.S. developer Invenergy LLC. The auction, which began on Tuesday and stretched into Wednesday, is part of the administration's plan to put wind turbines along every U.S. coastline to tackle climate change and create jobs. Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Alexander Smith, Aurora Ellis and Nick ZieminskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. will consider new priority areas for solar energy on public lands
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Interior Department said in a statement that its Bureau of Land Management will update an Obama-era plan that established special zones for solar projects based on access to transmission, solar energy potential and protecting natural and cultural resources. The agency said the new plan would reflect advances in solar technology, new transmission and the administration's ambitious clean energy goals. It could also expand beyond the six states included in the 2012 plan, Interior said. Interior, specifically, has a congressional mandate to permit 25 gigawatts of renewable energy on federal lands by 2025. Under Biden, Interior has sought to address concerns by wind and solar companies that public lands are less friendly to development than private lands due to higher costs and more onerous permitting.

☆ U.S. kicks off first California coast offshore wind auction
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 6 (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday is set to kick off the first sale of offshore wind development rights for waters off the coast of California, expanding the nascent domestic industry to the Pacific Ocean. "It puts California on a path to be a global hub for offshore wind technology," JC Sandberg, interim chief executive of the American Clean Power Association, said on a call with reporters. Previous federal offshore wind auctions have all been for leases in shallower waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The California sale is viewed as a test of industry appetite for investing in floating offshore wind technology, which to date has been limited to small pilot projects in places including Norway and Portugal. Companies approved to bid at the auction include established offshore wind players like Avangrid Inc (AGR.N), Orsted (ORSTED.CO) and Equinor (EQNR.OL), which are all developing projects on the U.S. East Coast.

☆ U.S. to expand solar panel tariffs after probe finds Chinese evasion
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The announcement was welcomed by Auxin Solar, a small U.S. solar panel maker that requested the Commerce investigation in February. Producers including New East Solar, Hanwha Q CELLS, Jinko Solar (JKS.N) and Boviet Solar were found not to be dodging the tariffs, Commerce said. "The only good news here is that Commerce didn't target all imports from the subject countries," Abigail Ross Hopper, president of solar trade group the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), said in an emailed statement. Buyers of solar panels for both large utility projects and residential rooftops say new tariffs will worsen what is already a difficult market for accessing solar energy equipment. The mere threat of new tariffs on solar imports also contributed to a slowdown in project development this year, the industry has said.

A UN study last year found "negligible" correlation between household food waste and gross domestic product, indicating most countries "have room to improve." "We do have a long way to make the goal," said Jean Buzby, the food waste liaison at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration agreed in 2018 to tackle America's food waste together. A spokesman for New Zealand's environment ministry said the country is finalizing its baseline food waste estimate so it can establish a target. SLOWEST GAZELLEIn California, which has America's most ambitious climate policies, officials are trying to ensure food waste goes to composting, not landfills.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was up 0.1%, following mild losses for U.S. overnight. Australian shares (.AXJO) lost 0.28%, while Japan's Nikkei stock index (.N225) was off 0.16%. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index (.HSI) was flat while China's CSI300 Index (.CSI300) was down 0.3%. Some Chinese cities have begun cutting routine community testing, days after China announced an easing of some of its heavy-handed coronavirus measures. China reported 17,909 new COVID-19 infections on Nov. 14 compared with 16,203 a day earlier.

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