<[link removed]> JUNE NEWSLETTER Declare Energy Freedom this July 4th It’s summer. Congress is taking a break, but there’s still plenty heating up in the energy transition and the renewable energy revolution to keep us busy. There’s certainly been no shortage of news out of Texas, which remains ground zero in the ongoing battle over energy resources and reliability. The reality in the Lone Star State is that wind and solar are both keeping customers cool by keeping the air conditioning on, and helping them keep their cool by tamping down electricity prices. The news out of Texas this month wasn’t all positive, but even the growing socialist, big government tendencies of former free-market-loving Texas Republicans can’t stop the growth of wind and solar. Meanwhile, three states passed laws to increase transparency and protection for consumers by prohibiting utilities from passing onto ratepayers the cost of their political activities. Consumers want more sustainable and reliable energy options and better customer service. They don’t want to pick up the bill for fat cat utility executive lunches with politicians and trade association soirees. Consumers want the power to choose and take control of their energy usage. The decision by legislators in Maine, Colorado, and Connecticut to shine a light on utility corruption is a good first step toward putting consumers first. This Fourth of July, we should all think about declaring our #EnergyFreedom. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July holiday. Robert Dillon, Executive Director Recent Noteworthy Posts <[link removed]> Clean Energy (Mostly) Survives Texas Legislature <[link removed]> The Texas Legislature doubled down on subsidizing fossil energy at the end of its regular session and raised costs on wind and solar energy, but rejected worse attacks on the state’s booming clean energy sector. The Legislature approved SB 2627 <[link removed]> and SJR 93 <[link removed]> which provide $7.2 billion in low-interest loans for the development of up to 10,000 megawatts of new methane gas power plants. Members also passed HB 5 <[link removed]> , which makes gas power plants eligible for tax breaks while revoking eligibility for renewable energy projects and battery storage for similar tax breaks. Read More <[link removed]> <[link removed]> New York Times: Facing Brutal Heat, the Texas Electric Grid Has a New Ally: ‌Solar Power <[link removed]> The New York Times recently covered the big reliability and cost benefits solar power is bringing to Texas’ electricity grid, despite the socialist efforts of the state’s Republicans to prop up coal and natural gas. From the New York Times: Strafed by powerful storms and superheated by a dome of hot air, Texas has been enduring a dangerous early heat wave this week that has broken temperature records and strained the state’s independent power grid. But the lights and air conditioning have stayed on across the state, in large part because of an unlikely new reality in the nation’s premier oil and gas state: Texas is fast becoming a leader in solar power. Read More <[link removed]> <[link removed]> Last Laugh: The Onion Spoofs Texas Governor <[link removed]> AUSTIN, TX — Addressing the life-threatening heat dome that has settled over Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced Thursday that a backup prayer system had been added to the state electricity grid. “To prevent the deadly outages we’ve experienced over the last few years, these new reserves will kick in to supply affected residents with prayers to our Lord and Savior,” said Abbott, adding that as soon as the power grid failed, God would be called upon to provide electricity to the millions of homes that have lost power. “The dozens of regional prayer circles we have set up will kneel and immediately begin to mitigate the strain on our current inefficient electrical system. Residents can rest assured that as soon as a blackout occurs, our new system will ask our Heavenly Father to return power so that no one dies of heat stroke.” At press time, several Texans were shocked to discover that they had already been charged tens of thousands of dollars for backup prayer usage. Read More <[link removed]> <[link removed]> Wind and Solar are Keeping Texas Cool <[link removed]> Heatmap correspondent Matthew Zeitlin checked in with Josh Rhodes at the University of Texas about the positive role wind and solar power are playing on the Texas grid in the latest heat wave after electricity prices recently spiked at over $4,400 per megawatt hour. The past few days have shown that, at least so far, Texas’s deregulated, renewable-and-gas heavy electric grid can stand up to the extreme summer heat. Late Thursday afternoon, wind and solar were providing 40 percent of the power on operator ERCOT’s grid — around 30,000 megawatts, about even with the amount of power coming from natural gas. At the same time, prices in Texas stayed relatively low. This impressive production from solar and wind comes amid a heat wave that, earlier this week, caused record-breaking demand <[link removed]> on the Texas grid. While Texas has a unique combination of systemic electricity reliability issues and high renewables usage, the question of if and how renewables can shoulder the load of spiking electricity demand is one being asked across the country as the grid begins to decarbonize. Despite its fossil-fuel-friendly reputation, Texas is one of the leading states for renewable energy. Last year, renewables accounted for about a quarter of Texas’ electricity, according to the Energy Information Administration <[link removed]> . Around 15 percent of all the United States’ renewable generation comes from Texas. Read More <[link removed]> <[link removed]> Three States Bar Utilities from Charging Customers for Lobbying <[link removed]> Monopoly utilities have long taken advantage of their ratepayers, engaging in anti-free market tactics to protect their power, overcharging customers and limiting the growth of renewable energy along the way. The Washington Post <[link removed]> recently covered a growing movement by state legislators to crack down on Big Utility corruption and increase transparency and protection for consumers by prohibiting utilities from charging ratepayers for political activities. Big Utilities are using money that they collect from customers’ monthly bills to fund political machines that push legislation, curry favor with regulators, and alter the outcomes of elections. Excerpts from The Washington Post <[link removed]> : Utilities across the country use money collected from customers’ monthly bills to fund their political activities, including lobbying, advertisements and trade association membership dues. That’s about to change in three states — Colorado, Connecticut and Maine — that recently passed laws to prohibit this practice. Read More <[link removed]> What We’re Reading Right Direction FERC aims to fix the grid’s renewable energy backlog. Can it? <[link removed]> – E&E News Developers and climate advocates say a proposal from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission may not spur enough change. Rooftop solar was overlooked. Now it’s closing a New England power plant <[link removed]> – Climatewire The expansion of solar panels on New England roofs is helping keep the lights on during winter, rendering at least one fossil fuel power plant unnecessary. Low-Energy Fridays: Why is the Texas electrical grid always in a crisis? <[link removed]> – R Street Institute It’s summertime in Texas, which means that the state is facing a punishing heat wave <[link removed]> . This week <[link removed]> , the Texas grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), forecasted tight electric conditions and asked consumers to take voluntary action to reduce their usage during peak periods. The news provoked a fair amount of consternation, with people across the United States wondering why the grid seems to be in perpetual crisis. <[link removed]> Former Ohio House Speaker Householder sentenced to 20 years for state’s largest bribery scheme <[link removed]> – Ohio Capital Journal Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted in the largest bribery scheme in state history. Householder served Ohio for a decade as a lawmaker, now he’s going to be serving for twice that long — as an inmate in federal prison. Can rooftop solar alone solve climate change? Here’s the answer <[link removed]> – The Los Angeles Times A California energy journalist explores whether solar development on residential and commercial rooftops, brownfields and unused agricultural land across the country could generate enough power to displace fossil fuels <[link removed]> . Without Solar Power, This Texas Heat Wave Would Burn Much Worse <[link removed]> – Texas Monthly Texas’ still-growing solar sector has been a “workhorse” during the recent heat wave, producing more than 15% of the state’s energy <[link removed]> in the afternoon hours when power demand surges. Dominion Energy, Virginia solar developers clash over small-scale project rules <[link removed]> – Utility Drive Virginia solar advocates spar with Dominion Energy over what they say are “unreasonable” barriers to connecting third-party solar projects <[link removed]> between 250 kW and 1 MW to the grid. Wrong Direction Power companies quietly pushed $215m into US politics via dark money groups <[link removed]> – The Guardian Donations have helped utilities increase electricity prices, hinder solar schemes and helped elect sympathetic legislators. US power companies have made political donations of at least $215m to dark money groups in recent years, according to a new analysis of 25 for-profit utilities, amid growing concerns around how they wield influence. The Spying Scandal Inside One of America’s Biggest Power Companies <[link removed]> – The Wall Street Journal A private investigator surveilled Southern Co.’s CEO, prompting an internal investigation into whether it was commissioned by another executive. Renewable Energy Threatens Utility Profiteers <[link removed]> – The Progressive Magazine Monopolies like Georgia Power are pushing customers to keep using expensive, unsustainable fossil fuels. Follow us on Twitter <[link removed]> and LinkedIn <[link removed]> . <[link removed]> Energy Choice Coalition 25 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 820 Washington, DC 20001 United States Powered by Squarespace <[link removed]> Unsubscribe <[link removed]>