By Karen Uhlenhuth, Energy News Network

This winter, lawmakers in two Plains states are backing bills calling for a similar process. In Nebraska, state Sen. John Cavanaugh has proposed spending $250,000 on a climate action plan that would be produced by the University of Nebraska. In Kansas, state Rep. Mark Schreiber is preparing a bill to form a task force to provide “strategic guidance and objectives” for energy in the state.

The vast majority of states already have a climate or energy plan. According to the National Association of State Energy Officials, all but eight — including Kansas, Illinois and Wisconsin — have drafted a state energy plan. The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions says 33 states have released or are developing a climate action plan. Read more here.

LB 483: Provide for a climate change study and action plan

Previously Posted 

• Nebraska needs overall plan for energy policies, Lincoln Journal Star, November 4, 2015
  Nebraska’s Energy Office director says the state needs a comprehensive approach to its energy policies as it faces what could be a “seismic” change in federal regulations governing emissions. David Bracht, Gov. Pete Ricketts’ chief adviser on energy issues, talked about state energy policies Wednesday at the eighth annual Nebraska Wind and Solar Conference in Omaha. . . . [The] Nebraska Legislature has instructed the state Energy Office to create a comprehensive energy plan and budgeted more than $630,000 to see it done.
  LB469 – Provide procedures and reporting requirements relating to a state plan on carbon dioxide emissions, require a strategic state energy plan, and provide requirements for meteorological evaluation towers.
• 2011 Nebraska Energy Plan, National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO)

ALSO IN THE NEWS

• Masdar Achieves First Close on 1.6 GW Clean Energy Portfolio in United States from EDF Renewables, EDF Renewables News Release. The Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company said the U.S. offers “considerable scope for further growth.” Power from the diversified portfolio projects will be sold under long-term contracts to a variety of offtakers, including utilities, hedge providers and community choice aggregators (CCAs). The 300MW Milligan 1 Wind Farm in Saline County, Nebraska is included in the portfolio.
• Wadena now powered by 100% carbon-free electricity, Wadena Pioneer Journal
  Harnessing the winds on the open plains of Nebraska or the sun in Iowa tends to provide more bang for the buck than the dark winters up in the woods of northern Minnesota. This article includes a brief video about renewable energy certificates (RECs).

ENERGY STORAGE

• How U.S. Grid Operators Plan to Tackle Energy Storage at Gigawatt Scale, Greentech Media
  Batteries and hybrid renewable-storage will be a massive grid resource. Transmission grids and energy markets need to adapt.
• DOE lab aims to answer the ‘big questions’ about storage and help dramatically increase deployment, Utility Dive

EV NEWS

• Carmakers in US to spend $250B on electrification by 2023, push for national standard, group says, Utility Dive. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI) representing GM, Ford, Honda and others, has committed to working with the new administration on a national electrification program that would bring all automakers “under a unified set of common requirements” that could include rising percentages of EV sales.
• Ford bets $29B on leading the ‘electric vehicle revolution’, Smart Cities Dive
  Ford CEO Jim Farley said on the company’s Q4 earnings call last week that it will invest $29 billion in autonomous vehicles (AVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) through 2025, a dramatic ramp-up of its spending in those areas.
• Most states in early stages of developing electric vehicle policies, report says, American Public Power Association