The Trump administration says it's buying back another energy company's U.S. offshore wind leases for four more wind projects, as it seeks to discourage the expansion of wind energy in favor of fossil fuels. That brings the total amount spent on these agreements to nearly $2.6 billion. Chicago-based Invenergy has agreed to end its four offshore wind leases that were very early in development in exchange for reimbursements of lease fees totaling $765 million. The company had already canceled the Leading Light Wind project off New Jersey's coast. The others are off the coasts of Maine and California. It will invest in natural gas and geothermal projects instead. President Donald Trump doesn't support offshore wind development, and prioritizes fossil fuels.

Even as President Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the U.S. and remains the leading source of new power. New reports released Wednesday by global energy think tank Ember and the Solar Energy Industries Association show the continued growth of solar and decline of coal in the United States despite federal policy. Ember says in May, for the first time, solar supplied more of the nation's electricity than coal, or 12.8%. Coal supplied 12.2%, its fourth-lowest monthly share ever. The Republican president has been helping the struggling U.S. coal industry while curtailing solar and wind. A Democratic California congressman says the coal industry is dying.

The Energy Department says a small nuclear reactor under development at a national lab has reached a crucial milestone that could allow it to produce electricity in the next few years. The microreactor being developed by Antares Nuclear Inc. at the Idaho National Lab reached "criticality" on Thursday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said. The milestone occurs when a nuclear reactor achieves a self-sustaining chain reaction capable of producing a steady release of energy. Antares is the first private company to bring an advanced reactor to criticality under a pilot program begun last year by the Trump administration.

Oil and gasoline prices are rising as the war in Iran intensifies and other global conflicts affect supply. That means pain at the pump for drivers filling up with gas. But electric vehicle drivers are largely unaffected by spikes in oil prices. Electricity prices — even as different grids have different power mixes — are more regulated. Experts say prolonged high gas prices may drive some EV interest and sales. Car-buying resource Edmunds says it has seen an uptick in people researching EVs and hybrids. But the experts also say just how far that will go is unclear. And in the U.S., significant incentives to buy EVs have gone away.