Energy news in brief

** Duke Energy Renewables spent an estimated $75 million to $100 million to replace power that its renewable energy projects — largely wind power — could not generate for customers during the February freeze in Texas.

** Engineering companies Baker Hughes and Akastor plan to merge their offshore oil drilling equipment units to form a global company serving the energy industry, the U.S. and Norwegian firms said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

** The Biden administration’s Bureau of Land Management has rescinded a new permit for grazing on public lands granted to two Oregon arsonist ranchers pardoned by Donald Trump.

** Crude exports from Louisiana’s offshore supertanker port tumbled to zero as Asian buyers limited purchases to manage high inventories that threaten to overwhelm storage facilities. The port sent out a record of nearly 15 million barrels in January.

** Tesla’s share of the critical European battery-electric-vehicle market crumbled in the first month of 2021, and China has taken the top spot from Europe in the EV race, according to new research.

** Texas energy companies failed to pay another $345 million for electricity and other services incurred during last month’s cold snap, the operator of the state’s grid said on Monday.

** San Antonio’s municipal-owned utility said it racked up an estimated $1 billion in energy costs in the winter storm that sacked Texas in February, a tally that could take residents a decade to pay.

** U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, senators with declining manufacturing sectors are pushing to invest $8 billion through tax credits to create clean energy jobs. They unveiled legislation Monday that aims to help rural communities that have lost jobs in the coal and and fossil fuel industries.

** Aptera’s 1,000-mile solar EV is closer to reality than ever before thanks to interest from investors and drivers. The San Diego-based startup behind the intriguing battery-powered three-wheeler, the Paradigm, recently announced that it accepted $4 million during its round of Series A funding.

** Toyota Motor Corp. said it plans to sell as much as 500 billion yen ($4.7 billion) in yen and foreign currency sustainability bonds, in what would be one of the biggest offerings globally in the booming market to fund environmental and social projects.

** Volvo Cars said Tuesday that it plans to sell only fully electric cars by 2030, building on a prior target of having 50% of sales come from fully electric models by 2025.

** South Dakota lawmakers advance a bill that would roll back green building standards for state buildings based on cost concerns.