The Tennessee Valley Authority began increasing power output at the first of three units at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in north Alabama to accommodate customer requests for more clean energy, but observers have mixed views on the $475-
million effort.
President Trump’s executive order that rescinded his predecessor’s policy to boost long-term resilience in communities due to climate-change effects appears to be at odds with new U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development hurricane-rebuilding block grants that have references to rising sea levels.
Exxon Mobil Corp. plans to invest $50 billion over five years to expand its U.S. oil-and-gas production facilities, the company said on Feb. 2, when it released its 2017 results, which included $8.4 billion in fourth-quarter earnings and $19 billion in income for the year.
With the federal government taking a back seat on climate change, states and cities are accelerating initiatives to control emissions through CO2 cap-and-trade programs and carbon-use taxes.
More big corporations are looking to meet up to 100% renewable energy goals, but antiquated grid operator planning has delayed construction of transmission infrastructure that is putting the targets at risk.
After years of low oil prices and reduced offshore activity, the Trump administration has given the oil industry a boost, offering proposals for a massive drilling plan and a rollback of Obama-era regulations.
