** Ford plans to idle a Detroit-area electric truck plant for weeks as it contends with softer-than-expected EV sales. ** Occidental Petroleum nears completion of a direct-air carbon capture facility in Texas that would be the first large-scale facility to remove carbon dioxide directly from the air; the company plans to build dozens more. ** The U.S. Department …
Category: Solar Energy in Oklahoma
Enel Green Power applauds SPP’s $8 billion transmission line improvements
This week’s decision by the Southwest Power Pool to approve nearly $8 billion in transmission line projects has the support of renewable energy Enel Green. Stephen Pike, head of Enel Green Power North America, one of the largest wind operators in the 14-state grid, including Oklahoma, that makes up the SPP, applauded the …
Renewable energy earnings plunged for ALLETE Inc.—wind out of its sails
The third quarter for ALLETE, Inc., the renewable energy operator, wasn’t exactly what leadership wanted. It’s as though the wind was taken out of the sails of its wind farm earnings, including those in Oklahoma. Its earnings totaled $.78 cents on net income of $45 million, a significant drop from the $1.49 a share …
Controversial transmission project touted in US Senator’s ad campaign
New Mexico U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat, came out in a recent TV politcal ad that he supports the controversial SunZia transmission project that stretches from his state to California and Arizona. Developers worked for 20 years to get the 550 mile project approved and in the ad, Sen. Henrich called it a …
Attorneys General elections linked to climate and environment in other states
Oklahoma Attorney General Genter Drummond is not one of them, but attorneys general candidates in 10 other states face elections watched carefully by environmentalists because of climate change and renewable energy. Depending on your point of view about climate change and the development of renewable energy, the election results could prove to be critical—one …
Energy briefs
** Boeing on Monday launched a stock offering that could raise up to $19 billion as the planemaker looks to strengthen its finances squeezed by an over month-long strike by its workers and preserve its investment-grade credit rating. ** Campaign spending by ethanol producers related to a South Dakota carbon pipeline ballot measure far outweighs spending by …
Google makes another step toward more renewable power for its operations
Google, with one of the largest data centers in the world located in northeast Oklahoma, recently made a power contract with a 350-megawatt solar project north of Austin, Texas. Google LLC reached the agreement with Engie North America, part of French utility Engie SA and the Chillingham solar project is anticipated to go online …
Power grid seeks experts to help with major transmission projects
The Southwest Power Pool, the group that controls the 14-state power grid, including Oklahoma, wants to create a pool of industry experts to be used for major transmission projects encouraged by the federal government. In an announcement about the move, the SPP said the experts may be chosen to serve on an independent panel to …
Study finds increased costs for solar and wind construction but lower for natural gas
The average U.S. construction costs for solar photovoltaic systems and wind turbines in 2022 were close to 2021 costs, while natural gas-fired electricity generators decreased 11%, according to recently released data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Average construction costs for solar generators increased by 1.7% in 2022, and for wind turbines they increased …
Energy briefs
** Striking Boeing machinists rejected a proposed contract that would have ended a costly 41-day work stoppage. The machinists, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), turned down a deal that includes a 35 percent wage increase over the next four years, a $7,000 ratification bonus and improved retirement offerings. ** Nearly 80 …