Thursday, June 16, 2016

Energy News Digest for June 16, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for June 16, 2016

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Solar’s Latest Subsidy Is Squeezing Down Costs -- And Companies (Bloomberg News)

California’s Landmark Cap & Trade Program Faces Uncertain Future (Reuters)

California Governor Wants to Resurrect a Plan to Expand the State’s Power Grid – Some Say It’s Not That Simple (Los Angeles Times, CA)

BC Hydro Acknowledges Dark Past of W.A.C. Bennett Dam in New Exhibit (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Mason County Leader Seeks Land Swap to Preserve Angleside Forest in Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • California Governor Wants to Resurrect a Plan to Expand the State’s Power Grid – Some Say It’s Not That Simple
  • BC Hydro Acknowledges Dark Past of W.A.C. Bennett Dam in New Exhibit
  • Powerhouse at Ross Dam Getting New Transformers
  • Centralia City Light Rate Increase Approved
  • Snohomish PUD Increases Security at its Facilities
  • Pepco Merger Done, Exelon CEO Chris Crane Wants Market Reforms to Save Nuclear Fleet
  • New York City, Con Ed Blamed for 2nd Ave Building Fires Caused by Illegal Gas Hookups
  • We Need Lots More Power Lines – Why Are We So Bad at Planning Them?
  • Senate Bill Keeps LIHEAP Funds Level
  • How the 1920s Thought Electricity Would Transform Farms Forever
  • Pine Beetle Making a Comeback in the Inland Pacific Northwest
  • Mason County Leader Seeks Land Swap to Preserve Angleside Forest in Shelton
  • Solar’s Latest Subsidy Is Squeezing Down Costs -- And Companies
  • California Local Renewables Are Getting Robbed, But CA Independent System Operator Can Help
  • U-S Chamber of Commerce Joins Anti-Solar Crusade
  • Feds Say Energy Efficiency Will Slow Electricity Sales Growth through 2040
  • The Lazy Homeowner’s Guide to Keeping Your House Cool This Summer
  • Considering a Career Path in the California Pot Industry? Here’s What You Should Know
  • Microsoft Teams with Ancillary Marijuana Company in Landmark Partnership
  • California’s Landmark Cap & Trade Program Faces Uncertain Future
  • Why the Tesla Boom Could Actually Be Very Good News for the Electric Grid
  • Op/ED: Should Single Moms Be Forced to Subsidize Luxury Electric Cars?
  • Flying Wi-Fi: Google Accused of Stealing Project Loon Idea
  • Facebook Messenger Is Adding a Home Button to Help Keep Track of Conversations
  • Nine Visual Tools to Create Awesome Social Media Images
  • Shelton Native Accepts Job as City’s Next Top Administrator
  • Dramatic Video Shows Hero Disarming Shooter at Seattle Pacific University in 2014
  • Weyerhaeuser Sells Final Piece of Cellulose Fibers Business
  • Don’t Toss That Burning Cigarette from Your Vehicle – You Could Face $1,025 Fine
WORD OF THE DAY

Frenetic • \frih-NET-tick\ • Adjective - Frenzied, frantic

The three-o’clock return of the office staff from the nearby “Jitters” coffee stand was a constant source of entertainment for the floor supervisor. From his massive cubicle on the tenth floor of the glass and metal corporate castle, the boss watched his staff’s frenetic work as they bounced between the cubicles like the miniature football players on those Tudor Tru-Action Electric Football Games of his youth…only to crash and burn at 4:30.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

California Governor Wants to Resurrect a Plan to Expand the State’s Power Grid – Some Say It’s Not That Simple (Los Angeles Times, CA)

BC Hydro Acknowledges Dark Past of W.A.C. Bennett Dam in New Exhibit (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Powerhouse at Ross Dam Getting New Transformers (Skagit Valley Herald, Mt Vernon, WA)

Centralia City Light Rate Increase Approved (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

Snohomish PUD Increases Security at its Facilities (Snohomish PUD, Everett, WA)

Pepco Merger Done, Exelon CEO Chris Crane Wants Market Reforms to Save Nuclear Fleet (Utility Dive)

New York City, Con Ed Blamed for 2nd Ave Building Fires Caused by Illegal Gas Hookups (Courthouse News Service)

We Need Lots More Power Lines – Why Are We So Bad at Planning Them? (Vox)

Senate Bill Keeps LIHEAP Funds Level (Electric Co-op Today)

How the 1920s Thought Electricity Would Transform Farms Forever (Gizmodo)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Pine Beetle Making a Comeback in the Inland Pacific Northwest (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Mason County Leader Seeks Land Swap to Preserve Angleside Forest in Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Solar’s Latest Subsidy Is Squeezing Down Costs -- And Companies (Bloomberg News)

California Local Renewables Are Getting Robbed, But CA Independent System Operator Can Help (Utility Dive)

U-S Chamber of Commerce Joins Anti-Solar Crusade (Grist Online)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Feds Say Energy Efficiency Will Slow Electricity Sales Growth through 2040 (Utility Dive)

The Lazy Homeowner’s Guide to Keeping Your House Cool This Summer (Realtor.com)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Considering a Career Path in the California Pot Industry? Here’s What You Should Know (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Microsoft Teams with Ancillary Marijuana Company in Landmark Partnership (Marijuana Business Daily)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California’s Landmark Cap & Trade Program Faces Uncertain Future (Reuters)

SCIENCE SWIMS IN A BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Why the Tesla Boom Could Actually Be Very Good News for the Electric Grid (Washington Post)

Op/ED: Should Single Moms Be Forced to Subsidize Luxury Electric Cars? (Morning Consult)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Flying Wi-Fi: Google Accused of Stealing Project Loon Idea (Gizmodo)

MARKETING & MEDIA

Facebook Messenger Is Adding a Home Button to Help Keep Track of Conversations (AdWeek)

Nine Visual Tools to Create Awesome Social Media Images (Social Media Examiner)

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton Native Accepts Job as City’s Next Top Administrator (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Dramatic Video Shows Hero Disarming Shooter at Seattle Pacific University in 2014 (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Weyerhaeuser Sells Final Piece of Cellulose Fibers Business (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Don’t Toss That Burning Cigarette from Your Vehicle – You Could Face $1,025 Fine (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

FLYING FIGS – DIVERSIONS

First New Rainier Beer in 20 Years Is Being Brewed in Woodinville

A Bizarre Avocado Crime Wave is Sweeping through New Zealand

Cow With Head Stuck in Tree Is Freed by Firefighters

Italian Chefs Create Mile-Long Neapolitan to Break Longest Pizza Record

SONG OF THE DAY

Beer Bottle Symphony Orchestra (not Rainier Beer, but still pretty cool)

Rainier Beer Commercials

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LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.