RealClearEnergy: 'Cyber-Ninja Force' Being Developed to Protect Energy, Gas Grid

According to the Department of Energy, roughly $250 million has been invested in the past five years to create 35 new tools and technologies to combat cyberattacks on the U.S. grid. Several experts said public-private partnerships such as the Cybersecurity Risk Information Sharing Program (CRISP) have dramatically improved the sharing of real-time threat information. Nearly 80 percent of all U.S. electricity customers get their power from utilities that are part of this group.

Something comparable is being attempted in terms of cyber expertise, with the creation of a mutual-support network known colloquially as the “cyber-ninja force.” It operates in a similar fashion to emergency responder crews that travel to help overwhelmed utilities with major weather outages.

“There is a cyber-ninja force; it’s just at a very early stage,” said Duane Highley, president and CEO of the Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation during the Senate energy panel hearing. “The cyber mutual assistance program operates parallel to the utilities and has 93 members. It sends IT professionals to assist with the restoration” of systems.

Bloomberg: Flying Drones That Generate Power From Wind Get Backing From EON

Technology that uses flying drones to generate electricity from the wind is getting a boost from the Germany utility EON SE, which is backing a test project that may help cut the costs of producing power offshore.

The machines stay airborne like kites to tap the energy of high-altitude wind currents. The force of the wind would push forward the drones, which would tug at a cable anchored to drive a power turbine. The technology still is in its early stages, with a handful of pilot projects around the world, including one bought up by Alphabet Inc. in 2013.

The Hill: Carbon Emissions From Energy Energy Drop

Carbon dioxide emissions from the United States’ energy sector fell last year, due mainly to a significant drop in the use of coal.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported Monday that energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide, the most common human-emitted greenhouse gas, were down 1.7 percent in 2016, compared with the previous year.

That came despite increases in the use of both oil and natural gas, and a resulting growth in carbon emissions from both fossil fuels.

CNN: Russia Could Soon Control a U.S. Oil Company

In a crazy twist of international events, Russia's state-owned oil company Rosneft might end up owning Citgo, a U.S. energy company based in Houston, Texas.

This isn't a direct takeover. Instead, it hinges on the ability of Venezuela's state-run oil company to pay back its Russian loan. The Venezuelan company owns Citgo, which was used as collateral for the loan.

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers are highly alarmed. In hotly worded letters to the Trump administration in recent days, members of Congress and senators warned that it could be a big problem for U.S. national security if Russia gets a hold of Citgo.

Fortune: Tesla Overtakes GM as America's Most Valuable Automaker

For the first time in the era of the modern automobile, the most valuable U.S. carmaker is not based in Detroit. Silicon Valley's Tesla overtook General Motors on Monday to become the U.S. carmaker with the largest market capitalization as the century-old automobile industry increases its reliance on software and cutting-edge energy technology.

That milestone is likely to be on the minds of Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk and GM Chief Executive Mary Barra as they and other CEOs visit the White House on Tuesday to discuss tax reform and infrastructure with President Donald Trump.