First Solar, a major solar panel manufacturer based in the United States, will invest $1.2 billion in building its fourth U.S. factory while boosting operations at existing plants. The expanded operations will create nearly 1,000 new jobs, reports the New York Times.  “This investment is an important step toward achieving self-sufficiency in solar technology, which, in turn,…

Devon Energy Corp is one of several oil and gas companies who will partner with a Tulsa non-profit founded by the George Kaiser Family Foundation to attract tech startups to Oklahoma, reports Bloomberg. The group aims to bring as many as 2,000 tech jobs to the state over the next decade, in an effort to diversify…

Farmers and researchers have teamed up to experiment with installing solar panels over crops, a combination called ‘agrivoltaics’ that is showing promise, reports Axios. Shade-loving crops like kale and root vegetables thrive under solar panels, and farmers and landowners benefit from a new way to profit off their land as they deal with economic uncertainty. Read…

The Biden Administration has designated nearly 700,000 acres in the Gulf of Mexico for auction for offshore wind development, reports the Houston Chronicle.  “These two wind energy areas represent exciting progress toward having the first offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico, where there is a mature industry base and the know how to advance…

Investor interest in renewable energy has grown sharply over the last decade, with energy firms and producers viewing the industry as a low-risk, high-reward way to diversify their portfolios and maximize profits in a swiftly changing energy world, reports PowerMag. These investors include major oil and gas companies like Shell, Chevron and Exxon Mobil, showing that…

The Department of Energy will soon begin accepting applications from states seeking part of $250 million in funding allocated for energy efficiency upgrades, reports The Hill. The funding, which will support energy efficient upgrades for commercial and residential buildings, is part of a recent effort to lower energy use and costs.  The decreasing costs associated with…