Form Energy plant on former W. Va. steel site would scale up novel approach to make batteries that can store intermittent energy longer, firm says, promising to "build strong relationships" with labor unions during construction.
Plan calls for construction of a desalination plant on the Sea of Cortez in Mexico and a 200-mile pipeline to transport water to a reservoir west of Phoenix.
Six private renewable energy developers have signed 20-year power-purchase agreements with South Africa's state-owned utility Eskom for 13 solar photovoltaic projects across the country.
The grants went to projects in 12 states. U.S. DOT says it received applications totaling more than $10 billion, far more than the approximately $300 million it had available.
UPDATE: Interim chair of key federal regulator of energy, power infrastructure is named Jan. 3, but agency still has a 2-2 partisan split that could hamper project decisions until new Senate hearings confirm a permanent leader.