** President-elect Donald Trump is set to overturn a ban on some US exports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, in a boon for US energy producers.
** –Hyliion Holdings Corp., an Austin, Texas developer of sustainable electricity-producing technology, announced it has been awarded a $6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Methane Emissions Reduction Program. For this project, representing a total of $8.4 million in federal and non-federal funding, Hyliion will install up to 2 megawatts of KARNO™ generators in collaboration with oil and gas partners.
** Laser Photonics Corporation, a leading global developer of industrial laser systems for cleaning and other material processing applications, announced that it received an order from the Cooper Nuclear Station (CNS), Nebraska’s largest single-unit generator providing clean and reliable electricity.
** Illinois regulators approve a four-year, $600 million rate increase for ComEd that will fund grid infrastructure investments the utility says are needed as demand grows.
** Wisconsin officials continue to investigate a 1,650-barrel pipeline spill that Enbridge first reported on Nov. 11.
** General Motors and ChargePoint partner to deploy 500 ultra-fast electric vehicle chargers across the U.S. by the end of 2025.
** The U.S. Energy Department unveils plans to conduct environmental reviews for proposed hydrogen hubs in Appalachia, California and the Northwest.
World
** Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have announced plans to work toward a merger that would form the world’s third-largest automaker by sales, as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels reported the Associated Press. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors Corp. also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses.
** Russia faces increasing difficulty shipping commodities to China through its vast eastern rail network, a sign of the growing economic challenges stemming from war and sanctions, despite the Kremlin’s assurances that all is well.
** Chinese electric car maker Nio Inc. started sales of its most expensive car as it seeks to double deliveries in 2025 and eventually become profitable.
** New data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) suggests that the picture of EV demand in Europe might not be so bleak after all. Across Europe, the number of new EVs registered so far in 2024 has declined by about 1.4% compared to the same time last year. But, Autoblog analysis shows that the apparent decline is not as widespread as previously thought.
** India’s state oil refiners are finding it hard to buy the volume of Russian crude they need, according to people familiar with the matter. Oil executives from three of the nation’s government-owned processors said they haven’t been able to obtain enough Russian crude for January loading in the so-called spot market.
