Energy news in brief

** The U.S. Energy Department on Tuesday finalized two rules easing energy standards on consumer fixtures and appliances, including one on shower heads after President Donald Trump complained some showers don’t adequately rinse his hair.

** The Star Tribune reported that 22 pipeline protesters were arrested for trespassing this week at a Line 3 construction site in Minnesota. 

** The president of OPEC reiterated that the oil producers’ cartel shouldn’t rush to increase output early next year and said energy demand was still fragile with the coronavirus raging across parts of the world reported Bloomberg.

** The Bangor Daily News reports outside groups have spent $3.7 million to continue the dispute over a Central Maine Power transmission line after a court ruled an anti-power line ballot referendum unconstitutional over the summer. 

** Researchers estimate more than 6,200 jobs, or 16% of New Jersey’s clean energy workforce, have been wiped out by the pandemic reported the NJ Spotlight.

** The former CEO of defunct South Carolina utility SCANA will plead guilty to federal conspiracy fraud charges involving the 2017 failure of a $9 billion nuclear project reported The State.

** Allete plans to install solar panels and a wind turbine at its Duluth, Minnesota headquarters to symbolize the company’s clean energy shift reported Business North.

** A coalition of environmental and Indigenous groups petition a federal court to stop the Trump administration’s “headlong rush” to issue drilling leases in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge according to E&E News.

** Colorado Politics reports the University of Denver completes the installation of solar panels expected to reduce carbon emissions by 3% to 4%.

** A Northern California city is finally able to move forward with putting power lines underground after years of trying thanks to county funding reported the Union of Grass Valley.