May 4, 2020 - Energy & Environment

Southern California Edison nabs huge battery storage contracts

Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios

Power giant Southern California Edison has signed contracts to procure 770 megawatts of battery storage projects that are slated to come online in the summer of 2021.

Why it matters: That's a lot! The seven projects appear to comprise largest battery storage procurement announcement ever, per battery wonks talking about it here.

It exceeds the total amount of new storage capacity added nationwide in 2019, which was 523 megawatts per the Energy Storage Association and Wood Mackenzie.

The big picture: Most of the projects will be co-located with existing solar power plants, underscoring how batteries can help ensure renewable power is stored and then deployed during times of high demand.

Southern California Edison said the projects are part of its compliance with California Public Utilities Commission requirements aimed at boosting grid reliability while curbing emissions.

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Axios

Updated 12 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Ruth Bader Ginsburg will lie in state in Capitol's National Statuary Hall

Photo: Getty Images

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Monday that the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will lie in state in the Capitol's National Statuary Hall on Friday, making Ginsburg the first woman to ever receive the honor.

The state of play: The Supreme Court also announced Monday that Ginsburg will lie in repose on the front steps of the building on Wednesday and Thursday, allowing the public to pay respects to the late justice outside.

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Barak Ravid

25 mins ago - World

Trump announces new Iran sanctions in effort to maintain international arms embargo

Photo: Anna Moneymaker-Pool/Getty Images

President Trump signed an executive order on Monday that would impose sanctions on any person or entity that contributes to the supply, sale, or transfer of conventional arms to or from Iran or is engaged in providing training and financial support related to those weapons.

Why it matters: The executive order is the first step by the Trump administration to put teeth into its claim that international sanctions on Iran were restored over the weekend, one month after the U.S. initiated the "snapback" process under a United Nations Security Council resolution.

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Alayna Treene

39 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Exclusive: Conservative group launches $2M Supreme Court ad

Screengrab of ad, courtesy of Judicial Crisis Network.

The Judicial Crisis Network is launching a $2.2 million ad campaign to put pressure on vulnerable Senate Republicans in battleground states to support a quick confirmation when President Trump announces his Supreme Court nominee.

The big picture: "Follow Precedent," previewed by Axios, is one of the first national and cable television ads to run following Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg's death Friday.