Axios

There's fresh evidence that U.S. oil demand is coming back from the pandemic and "this time it looks like it’s here to stay," Bloomberg reports.

The big picture: "Retail gasoline sales rose last week to just 1% below year-ago levels, just before regional lockdowns brought fuel consumption to a crawl, Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy said on Twitter," Bloomberg writes.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is formally asking for input about how companies should disclose climate-related risks in filings with the regulators.

Why it matters: It's the latest sign the commission is moving toward the creation of requirements that go beyond efforts to breathe life into existing 2010 guidance to companies.

Additions of new U.S. solar generating capacity broke new records last year despite the COVID-19 pandemic slowing some types of projects, per new industry data.

Why it matters: It shows a surge in growth thanks to increasing cost competitiveness, but also how solar continues to benefit from supportive state and federal policies.

As the auto industry ramps up production of electric vehicles, some big carmakers aren't taking any chances on securing the necessary batteries: they plan to make their own cells.

Why it matters: Efforts to rapidly improve battery technology and make EVs more affordable could be hampered by a shortage of raw materials like lithium, cobalt and nickel. Many automakers are racing to lock up supply chains — and in some cases, to produce batteries themselves.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) will continue her efforts to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks at Mount Rushmore despite the Biden administration's refusal to grant her request.

Why it matters: Noem's push to ensure the fireworks comes amid a number of concerns about coronavirus spread, wildfires and tribal sovereignty — the monument is carved into land sacred to the Lakota Sioux.

More and more liquefied natural gas companies are moving to show buyers they're serious about trying to rein in greenhouse gas emissions.

Driving the news: Spanish energy company Repsol said emissions linked to LNG loaded into a Swedish-flagged chemical tanker would be fully offset via carbon credits. Reuters has more.

The above cliff is what happened to electric vehicle startup Lordstown Motors stock Friday after short-seller Hindenburg Research issued a report saying the truck company had "misled investors on both its demand and production capabilities."

The big picture: The report hits Lordstown for, among other things, promoting nonbinding "pre-orders" that turn out to be from customers that generally don't operate fleets and "often do not have the means to make the purchases."

General Motors has made five additions to its roster of outside lobbying firms that will work on topics including electric vehicles.

Why it matters: Big companies are positioning themselves to influence policy and legislation as Democrats wield expanded power, but Republicans also hold lots of sway in the narrowly divided Congress.