Watt’s Happening aims to provide breaking news, sharp analysis, and thoughtful commentary from the cutting edge of the energy sector as this dynamic area of the world continues to expand and grow before our eyes.
Weekly Highlights:
Staff Cuts Continue, This Time at the DOE
As part of the economic fallout from the government shutdown, employees of certain parts of the Department of Energy — namely, the Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP), and Minority Economic Impact — have received notices that they may be dismissed or transferred to another department. To justify this decision, the Trump administration blamed the Biden administration’s “war on American energy” for permitting boondoggle spending projects and government overreach. Others disagree, citing that the president is cutting programs that he doesn’t politically agree with.
Clean Energy in New York Comes Under Fire
In addition to cutting the number of employees at federal agencies, President Trump has also cut federal grants to clean energy organizations. This, among other things, has put pressure on New York Governor Kathy Hochul and organizations like the nonprofit Empire Clean Cities. Indeed, Empire Clean Cities had recently planned a project to reduce air pollution in an area of the Bronx that has an asthma rate two times that of the city average. These cuts have threatened Governor Hochul’s hopes — and the state’s stated plans — to reduce the state’s carbon emissions by 2030 and have impelled her to possibly consider cutting a deal and supporting President Trump’s natural gas pipeline plans.
Boston Moves to Decarbonize Housing
Boston has also pledged to decarbonize its housing by 2030, and one way it is planning to do so is through window-straddling heat pumps. Right now, technology produced by Gradient is being piloted at lower-income communities and homes for the retired, but the goal is to make the technology more mainstream. Indeed, the New York City Housing Authority has also announced intentions to acquire the technology from Gradient as well. A quick definition is required. Heat pumps are essentially air conditioners that run in reverse, shifting rather than generating heat. Thus, they are more energy efficient, cheaper, and less disruptive to tenants.
China Tightens Its Control on Rare Earth Minerals
It appears that the trade war with China shows no sign of abating. Indeed, in advance of a meeting between Chinese Premier Xi Jinping and President Trump later this month, China has further tightened its grip over the crucial rare earth minerals that are needed for the global technology-driven economy to continue functioning. With the added five minerals added to the seven already subject to export controls (meaning that they require a permit if they want to be exported), that brings the total to twelve. While this is ostensibly being done in the name of national security, most analysts concur that it’s really being done as a form of leverage to bring Donald Trump to the negotiating table.
Ohio Tries a New Green Energy Tactic
The state of Ohio just passed a new law aiming to launch energy projects in former coal mines. While the immediate causes behind this legislation — fueling AI data centers and curbing power price increases — are no surprise, it is also important that this land be put to some sort of use after the end of mining operations. Also, often due to concerns about environmental damage and health problems, many buyers are often uninterested in purchasing this kind of land. They are, however, interested in buying farmland for their green energy projects, causing conflict in the state.
About the Author: Toni Mikec
Toni Mikec is the managing editor for Energy World, a publication of the Center for the National Interest. Before that, he worked as a political consultant for Your Voter Guide in Sacramento and as a senior editor at Eagle Financial Publications in Washington DC. He holds a B.A. in International Relations (summa cum laude) from the University of California, Davis and a M.A. in International Relations and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Image: Shutterstock/Michael R Ross
