** The National Fire Protection Association believes firefighters are at greater risk responding to electrical vehicle fires than typical vehicle fires, in part due to a general lack of understanding.
** Senator Joe Manchin accused US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen of “not following the law” on electric vehicle tax credits as automakers push the Biden administration to apply broad interpretations to a bill that he largely wrote last year.
** The House Oversight Committee on Thursday demanded that Special Presidential Envoy for Climate (SPEC) John Kerry release documents pertaining to his negotiations with the Chinese Communist Party.
** The Biden administration will expand eligibility for an Inflation Reduction Act-enabled tax cut for electric vehicles, the Treasury Department announced Friday.
** The US government walked back a controversial part of the new electric-car tax credit. The rule change means that more electric SUVs from Tesla and others qualify for the $7,500 incentive.
** Tesla Inc raised prices in the United States of its best-selling vehicle, the Model Y, by $1,000 after the government raised the ceiling on the price of crossover electric vehicles eligible for tax credits.
World
** The European Union’s ban on imports of Russian refined oil products, including diesel and jet fuel, will disrupt global flows once it takes effect and could hurt Moscow more than an embargo on crude oil.
** There’s been a seismic shift in investment trends with Europe no longer the epicenter of clean energy investments after losing that spot to China. Indeed, China spent $546 billion on renewables in 2022, more than triple the European Union’s total spend at $180 billion, and the United States’ $141 billion.
** In April, Mexico plans to power up the first phase of a huge solar energy project near a beach town popular with tourists making the short drive from the United States. Once completed, the full $1.6 billion project will have a generating capacity of 1,000 megawatts — enough to power some 500,000 homes.
** South Africa is in talks with the US about renewing a nuclear-cooperation agreement that lapsed in December and resulted in the suspension of a license for supplies of the fuel to a key power plant.
** Germany is considering re-routing existing subsidies for eliminating coal-fired power plants to help defense manufacturers build new production facilities, according to people familiar with the matter.
** Russia’s seaborne oil flows look as if they are moving higher. Two possible explanations: the nation is pushing more cargoes onto the water after Germany and Poland all but halted piped imports, and Moscow has one eye on an impending ban on fuel purchases by the European Union.
** Europe imposed a ban Sunday on Russian diesel fuel and other refined oil products, slashing energy dependency on Moscow and seeking to further crimp the Kremlin’s fossil fuel earnings as punishment for invading Ukraine.
Russia was willing to meet India’s oil needs at ‘market price’, the CEO of top Russian oil major told Reuters on Monday.