The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for January 21, 2015

British Columbia: Hydro Chief Says More Talks Key to Finding Peace River Dam Solutions with First Nations
Energy’s Holy Grail? You Can Find It at Redmond’s Helion Energy
Chelan PUD Pays Off another $9 Million in Debt
Bonneville Power Administration Says Power Line Will Ease Burdens on Hydro
Oregon: Coe Rebuffs Overtures to Rejoin Emerald People’s Utility District Board as Top Executive
Legarsky Leaves Jefferson PUD Finance Position
Nuclear Industry Losing Its Glow. Should Government Step In? “…If…nuclear industry’s operating capacity disappears…the U-S will become far more reliant on natural gas & it will go backward in its efforts to curb carbon emissions…”
Kansas City Power & Light Will Stop Using Coal at Some of Its Generating Units
Missouri: Utilities Boost Focus on Cybersecurity as FERC Adopts New Standards
U-S Department of Energy Releases Voluntary Code of Conduct for Safeguarding Customer Data
Electrifying the Bakken
How Is the Fuel Mix for U-S Electricity Generation Changing?
How to Get Young People to Work at Your Co-op
Four Terms Every Utility Executive Must Know
Mysterious Goo Blamed in San Francisco Bay Area Bird Deaths; Tests Eyed for Substance’s Source
California: Los Angeles River Restoration May Have New Funding Source
California: Century Later, the ‘Chinatown’ Water Feud Ebbs
Portland Now Generating Hydropower in Its Water Pipes
Defective Panels Threatening Profit at China Solar Farms
Renewables Enjoy New Bipartisan Consensus, But Efficiency Standards Remain Under Attack
How the Rise of a Mega Solar Panel Farm Shows Us the Future of Energy
Largest-Ever Study Quantifies the Value of Rooftop Photovoltaics
Breaking Wind: The Odd Culture of Wind Farm Protests
Beaverton Energy Conservation Firm Sold to California Outfit
Oregon Bank Is the First to Work with Colorado Marijuana Businesses
Marijuana Taxes Could Help Pay for Mental Health Treatment in Washington If New Bill Is Passed
Goldendale Residents Wonder, Does Pot Have a Place?
King County Prosecutor Puts Medical Marijuana Businesses ‘On Notice’
Unique Hurdles Facing Legal Pot in Live-And-Let-Live Alaska
Nearly Half of Electric Car Tax Breaks Go to State’s Wealthiest Ten Percent
Where the Electric Vehicle Boom is Happening & How Utilities Can Take Advantage
What’s Behind President Obama’s Push for High-Speed Internet
Who Exactly is a Broadband Common Carrier?
Facebook Report Says It Adds More than $200 Billion to Global Economy
Facebook Is Cracking Down on Hoaxes in Your News Feed
President Obama’s State of the Union Goes Big on Social Media
NBC to Stream Super Bowl to Convince People to Buy Cable
Six Ways to Improve Your Twitter Marketing Results
In State of the Union, President Obama Sets an Ambitious Agenda
Peninsula Counties Hope for Timber Subsidy to Stave Off Impacts on Road DepartmentsVideo: ‘Ticket Bots’ Target of Proposed Washington State Law
States with the Highest (And Lowest) Gas Taxes
One Phone Making Thousands of 911 Calls to Kitsap Dispatchers
Deflategate – NFL League Sources Say 11 of 12 Patriots Footballs Underinflated

WORD OF THE DAY

Bucolic • \byoo-CALL-ick\ • adjective – 1: of or relating to shepherds or herdsmen: pastoral 2a: relating to or typical of rural life b: idyllic.

A soft, warm breeze rustled the tall grass enveloping Barney as he lay in the pasture watching the clouds lazily roll by, framed by a deep azure sky. “This day couldn’t be better,” he mused, enjoying his bucolic escape with a deep, spiritual contentment.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

British Columbia: Hydro Chief Says More Talks Key to Finding Peace River Dam Solutions with First Nations (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/hydro-chief-says-more-talks-key-to-finding-site-c-solutions-with-first-nations-1.1737261

Energy’s Holy Grail? You Can Find It at Redmond’s Helion Energy (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2015/01/20/energy-utilities/123507/nuclear-fusion-helion-energy-redmond/

Chelan PUD Pays Off another $9 Million in Debt (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2015/jan/20/pud-pays-off-another-9-million-in-debt/

Bonneville Power Administration Says Power Line Will Ease Burdens on Hydro (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/articles/2014/11/bonneville-power-administration-says-power-line-will-ease-burdens-on-hydro.html

Oregon: Coe Rebuffs Overtures to Rejoin Emerald People’s Utility District Board as Top Executive (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/32675374-75/scott-coe-rejects-epud-boards-offer-to-rehire-him-at-annual-salary-of-202000.html.csp

Legarsky Leaves Jefferson PUD Finance Position (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

http://www.ptleader.com/news/legarsky-leaves-pud-finance-position/article_ec9b73ce-a103-11e4-bc63-ff7d8b3b4a05.html

Nuclear Industry Losing Its Glow. Should Government Step In? “…If…nuclear industry’s operating capacity disappears…the U-S will become far more reliant on natural gas & it will go backward in its efforts to curb carbon emissions…” (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2015/0120/Nuclear-industry-losing-its-glow.-Should-government-step-in

Kansas City Power & Light Will Stop Using Coal at Some of Its Generating Units (Kansas City Star, MO)

http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article7783470.html

Missouri: Utilities Boost Focus on Cybersecurity as FERC Adopts New Standards (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/utilities-boost-focus-on-cybersecurity-as-ferc-adopts-new-standards/354194/

U-S Department of Energy Releases Voluntary Code of Conduct for Safeguarding Customer Data (American Public Power Association)

http://www.publicpower.org/Media/daily/ArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=43022

Electrifying the Bakken (The Bakken Magazine, Grand Forks, ND)

http://www.thebakken.com/articles/966/electrifying-the-bakken

How Is the Fuel Mix for U-S Electricity Generation Changing? (U-S Energy Information Administration)

http://www.eia.gov/energy_in_brief/article/fuel_mix_for_elect_generation.cfm

How to Get Young People to Work at Your Co-op (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/industry/trends-reports-analyses/how-to-get-young-people-to-work-at-your-co-op/77138

Four Terms Every Utility Executive Must Know (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/christine-hertzog/2184201/four-terms-every-utility-executive-must-know

FISH & WILDLIFE

Mysterious Goo Blamed in San Francisco Bay Area Bird Deaths; Tests Eyed for Substance’s Source (Associated Press)

http://www.usnews.com/news/science/news/articles/2015/01/20/mysterious-goo-blamed-in-bay-area-bird-deaths-tests-planned

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

California: Los Angeles River Restoration May Have New Funding Source (Associated Press)

http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article7583027.html

California: Century Later, the ‘Chinatown’ Water Feud Ebbs (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/21/us/a-century-on-the-chinatown-water-feud-ebbs.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Portland Now Generating Hydropower in Its Water Pipes (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/portland-now-generating-hydropower-in-its-water-pipes/

Defective Panels Threatening Profit at China Solar Farms (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-20/defective-panels-threatening-profit-at-china-solar-farms-energy.html

Renewables Enjoy New Bipartisan Consensus, But Efficiency Standards Remain Under Attack (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/renewables-enjoy-new-bipartisan-consensus-but-efficiency-standards-remain/353420/

How the Rise of a Mega Solar Panel Farm Shows Us the Future of Energy (GigaOM)

https://gigaom.com/2015/01/20/a-special-report-the-rise-of-a-mega-solar-panel-farm-why-its-important/

Largest-Ever Study Quantifies the Value of Rooftop Photovoltaics (Phys.Org)

http://phys.org/news/2015-01-largest-ever-quantifies-rooftop-photovoltaics.html

Breaking Wind: The Odd Culture of Wind Farm Protests (RenewablesBiz)

http://www.renewablesbiz.com/article/15/01/breaking-wind-odd-culture-wind-farm-protests

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Beaverton Energy Conservation Firm Sold to California Outfit (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2015/01/beaverton-energy-firm-sold-to-california-outfit.html

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Oregon Bank Is the First to Work with Colorado Marijuana Businesses (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2015/01/oregon-bank-is-the-first-to-work-with-colorado.html

Marijuana Taxes Could Help Pay for Mental Health Treatment in Washington If New Bill Is Passed (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/health-care-inc/2015/01/marijuana-taxes-could-help-pay-for-mental-health.html

Goldendale Residents Wonder, Does Pot Have a Place? (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/latestlocalnews/2805890-8/goldendale-residents-wonder-does-pot-have-a-place

King County Prosecutor Puts Medical Marijuana Businesses ‘On Notice’ (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/king-county-prosecutor-puts-medical-marijuana-businesses-notice

Unique Hurdles Facing Legal Pot in Live-And-Let-Live Alaska (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/20/us-usa-marijuana-alaska-idUSKBN0KT17R20150120

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Nearly Half of Electric Car Tax Breaks Go to State’s Wealthiest Ten Percent (Washington Policy Center)

http://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/brief/nearly-half-electric-car-tax-breaks-go-state%E2%80%99s-wealthiest-10-percent

Where the Electric Vehicle Boom is Happening & How Utilities Can Take Advantage (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/where-the-electric-vehicle-boom-is-happening-and-how-utilities-can-take-adv/347877/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

What’s Behind President Obama’s Push for High-Speed Internet (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2015/0120/What-s-behind-President-Obama-s-push-for-high-speed-Internet-video

Who Exactly is a Broadband Common Carrier? (The Hill, Washington, DC)

http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/technology/229955-who-exactly-is-a-broadband-common-carrier

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook Report Says It Adds More than $200 Billion to Global Economy (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/20/us-facebook-report-idUSKBN0KT0MB20150120

Facebook Is Cracking Down on Hoaxes in Your News Feed (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2015/01/20/facebooks-news-feed-hoaxes/

President Obama’s State of the Union Goes Big on Social Media (USA Today)

http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/01/21/obama-sotu-twitter-facebook/

NBC to Stream Super Bowl to Convince People to Buy Cable (Consumerist)

http://consumerist.com/2015/01/20/nbc-to-stream-super-bowl-to-convince-people-to-buy-cable/

Six Ways to Improve Your Twitter Marketing Results (Social Media Examiner)

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/improve-your-twitter-marketing-results/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

In State of the Union, President Obama Sets an Ambitious Agenda (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/21/us/state-of-the-union-obama-ambitious-agenda-to-help-middle-class.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Peninsula Counties Hope for Timber Subsidy to Stave Off Impacts on Road Departments (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150121/news/301219984/peninsula-counties-hope-for-timber-subsidy-to-stave-off-impacts-on

Video: ‘Ticket Bots’ Target of Proposed Washington State Law (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/2015/01/21/ticket-bots-state-law-concers-sports/22093681/

States with the Highest (And Lowest) Gas Taxes (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2015/01/20/24-7-wall-st-state-gas-taxes/22056799/

One Phone Making Thousands of 911 Calls to Kitsap Dispatchers (Associated Press)

http://www.kxly.com/news/northwest/1-phone-making-thousands-of-911-calls-to-kitsap-dispatchers/30820140

Deflategate – NFL League Sources Say 11 of 12 Patriots Footballs Under Inflated (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

http://www.khq.com/story/27901765/nfl-league-sources-say-11-of-12-patriots-footballs-under-inflated

DIVERSIONS

The Mystery of the 132-Year-Old Winchester Rifle Found Propped against a National Park Tree

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/01/14/the-mystery-of-the-132-year-old-winchester-rifle-found-propped-against-a-national-park-tree/

Ohio Firing Ends in Glittery Vandalism Charges - Boss’s Office Covered in Glitter, Silly String, Police Say

http://koin.com/2015/01/16/ohio-firing-ends-in-glittery-vandalism-charges/

This is Just Sad – This App Builds You a Fake Girlfriend or Boyfriend, Voicemails & All

http://gizmodo.com/this-app-builds-you-a-fake-girlfriend-or-boyfriend-voi-1680660234

New Marijuana Strain Named after Seahawks Running Back Marshawn Lynch

http://blog.seattlepi.com/marijuana/2015/01/20/new-marijuana-strain-named-after-seahawks-running-back-marshawn-lynch/

SONG OF THE DAY

Atlanta Rhythm Section – Imaginary Lover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD3FmNxACqM

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites 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.

The Energy News Digest

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Energy News Digest for January 21, 2015

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