COAL: A hearing next week on pollution waivers could determine the fate of some of Illinois’ largest coal plants. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
ALSO: Documents show coal companies repeatedly complained to Ohio Gov. John Kasich about water regulations, which supports a former state EPA administrator’s assertion that he was forced out because of industry influence. (Columbus Dispatch)
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EFFICIENCY: While one Ohio utility continues to fight the state’s efficiency mandate, regulators approve Duke Energy’s plan to go above and beyond what the law requires.; and during this week’s heat wave, the PJM Interconnection set a new record for using demand response. (Midwest Energy News, Greentech Media)
POLITICS: A Wyoming Republican’s amendment to a bipartisan efficiency bill would block EPA carbon limits, another would prevent federal agencies from considering the social cost of carbon in rulemaking. (The Hill)
SOLAR: Why some big utilities are embracing small-scale solar power, a Wisconsin solar manufacturer suspends operations, and made-in-Minnesota solar panels are now available off the shelf at home improvement stores. (InsideClimate News, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Clean Energy Resource Teams)
INDIANA: Indiana regulators reverse course on efforts to seek funds from utility groups for an upcoming conference. (Indianapolis Star)
WIND: A Minnesota company seeks to expand the use of small wind turbines on farms, and Lansing, Michigan’s public utility announces an eight-turbine wind project. (Minnesota Public Radio, MLive)
BIOFUELS: A report finds a $603 million Energy Department program to commercialize cellulosic biofuels is falling short of its goals. (The Hill)
ELECTRIC CARS: Tesla unveils a new “Supercharger” charging station in Illinois, hybrid and electric car sales continue to grow. (Rockford Register Star, Los Angeles Times)
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GRID: A startup company takes a new approach to compressed air energy storage. (IEEE Spectrum)
COMMENTARY: Why contracts with the Prairie State Energy Campus deserve further investigation, and some advice for people interested in buying an electric car. (Midwest Energy News, Clean Energy Resource Teams)