K Kaufmann
Mid-Atlantic Bureau Chief
I didn’t start out to be an energy reporter. Back in 2005, I was a beat reporter at The Desert Sun, covering a town called Palm Desert -- about 12 miles east of Palm Springs -- when the city launched ambitious and, at the time, innovative energy efficiency and solar programs. I quickly got hooked and ultimately became the paper’s first energy reporter, covering wind, solar and geothermal development in the California desert. I came back East to D.C. in 2014 to become communications manager at the Smart Electric Power Alliance, a nonprofit working to accelerate the U.S. energy transition through cross-industry collaboration. What I learned there, among other things, is that utilities and regulators are lousy at telling their own stories, and that the energy transition is one of the most misunderstood, underreported and compelling narratives of our time. Before the pandemic, when I was not geeking out on cleantech stories, I could often be found at D.C.’s storied 9:30 Club, listening to very loud indie bands or at the local rep houses watching indie films and documentaries. Guilty pleasures include superhero movies, the Fast & Furious franchise and, of course, John Wick.

Recent Articles
Biden Veto Upholds 2-year Moratorium on Solar Tariffs
President Biden vetoed a resolution to end the moratorium on solar tariffs imposed on equipment produced in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
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USDA Announces $10.7B for Rural Clean Energy Projects
USDA announced $10.7 billion in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to help rural electric cooperatives fund zero-emission and carbon capture projects.
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Senate ENR Searches for Bipartisan Compromise on ‘Permitting Reform’
Sen. Joe Manchin called on colleagues to put politics aside and hammer out a bipartisan bill to accelerate permitting of energy and transmission projects.
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Podesta Lays Out Biden’s Priorities for ‘Permitting Reform’
Biden may not agree with all provisions in Sen. Manchin’s permitting bill, but he will support it to start negotiations in the Senate, a key adviser said.
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DOE Rolls out New Process for Designating Key Transmission Corridors
DOE wants to accelerate transmission projects under development by designating their proposed routes as National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors.
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