Conservative political groups are pushing for the repeal of renewable portfolio standards in several states. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is at the heart of these efforts, which are being underwritten by the Koch brothers and fossil fuel companies. “Clean energy is beginning to become mainstream,” said Gabe Elsner, executive director of the Energy and Policy Institute, a clean-energy think tank in Washington. “Renewable energy is popular and has increased political power now,” but, he added, “that power is still eclipsed by the resources of the fossil fuel industry.” [Washington Post]

The New York Times spoke out against the Koch brothers anti-renewable energy efforts in an editorial that discusses their push to eliminate solar net metering roll back RPS regulations. “Oklahoma lawmakers recently approved such a surcharge at the behest of the American Legislative Exchange Council, the conservative group that often dictates bills to Republican statehouses and receives financing from the utility industry and fossil-fuel producers, including the Kochs. As The Los Angeles Times reported recently, the Kochs and ALEC have made similar efforts in other states, though they were beaten back by solar advocates in Kansas and the surtax was reduced to $5 a month in Arizona.” [New York Times]

Utilities and other energy sector stocks, which have performed well this year, are expected to face headwinds when several companies report what could be lower quarterly earnings this week. “Given the weak earnings outlook, some investors are saying the recent spike in energy stocks and exchange-traded funds like the Energy Select Sector SPDR XLE -0.60% is a classic late-cycle play in an aging bull market. Others see it as a smart bet because of innovation in the industry and higher crude-oil and natural-gas prices. Those higher prices, however, slipped this past week with oil seeing its worst weekly drop since mid-March and natural-gas prices down 2% on the week.” [Market Watch]