Meter Reading: Expiration of Tax Credit Threatens Wind, Lack of Disclosure for Fracked Wells, and More

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The potential expiration of a tax credit for wind development could have a detrimental effect on the industry, according to the Department of Energy.

Windpower development threatened by expiring tax incentive — “Wind energy is powering new investments in domestic manufacturing, but impending expiration of a federal tax incentive is threatening the trend, the U.S. Department of Energy says in a report out today.” San Antonio Express-News

BP looks to positives in effort to sell Texas City refinery – “Refineries don’t often have curb appeal, all-new kitchens, quaint charm or many of the other amenities folks use to sell houses. So, in marketing its Texas City refinery, BP has to turn to other selling points – including a Gulf Coast location convenient to shipping and energy infrastructure and $1 billion in renovations. The company also has to get past a troubled legacy. Fifteen workers died there in a 2005 explosion, and it has a history of other fatalities. BP has said it plans to sell the refinery by the end of 2012. But to whom, and for how much?” — Fuel Fix

Fracking Hazards Obscured in Failure to Disclose Wells — “Energy companies failed to list more than two out of every five fracked wells in eight U.S. states from April 11, 2011, when FracFocus began operating, through the end of last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The gaps reveal shortcomings in the voluntary approach to transparency on the site, which has received funding from oil and gas trade groups and $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy.” — Bloomberg