FIXED RATES: Wisconsin has gained national notoriety for large increases in fixed charges on utility bills, a strategy widely seen as a way for utilities to preserve revenues amid increased efficiency and distributed solar. (Midwest Energy News)

MICHIGAN: Critics say the first comprehensive energy policy to move forward in the legislature will slowly erode Michigan’s retail open access law and cause relatively slow renewable growth. (Midwest Energy News)

***SPONSORED LINK: Know an innovative project at the forefront of electricity transformation? Consider applying for Rocky Mountain Institute’s eLab Accelerator April 24-27 — an invitation-only bootcamp for electricity innovation. Apply today.***

REGULATION: The Obama administration has released updated timelines for a variety of new environmental regulations, including state-level compliance models of the Clean Power Plan. (Greenwire)

WIND:
• Amazon looks to source all of its power for an expanded data center in central Ohio from wind, reviving a 100-megawatt project that had stalled. (Columbus Business First)
Presidential candidate Donald Trump tells an Iowa audience he’s “OK” with the Production Tax Credit for wind systems. (The Hill)

DISTRICT HEATING: A public-art installation in St. Paul, Minnesota, aims to shed light on the city’s infrastructure and district heating and electricity system. (MinnPost)

SOLAR:
• Lincoln, Nebraska’s city-owned utility plans to update its rates and guidelines for customers who generate solar power for the grid. (Lincoln Journal Star)
The CEO for a major U.S. solar installer says extending a 30 percent tax credit is no longer necessary for continued growth of the industry. (Utility Dive)

GRID SECURITY: An industry simulation of a widespread blackout illustrates how vulnerable the North American power grid is to cyber attacks. (EnergyWire)

OIL AND GAS:
• North Dakota lawmakers begin setting aside money to reclaim legacy drilling sites where companies are no longer responsible for cleanup. (Associated Press)
Utility industry leaders stress the importance of diversifying energy sources to avoid an over-reliance on natural gas. (Forbes)

COAL: A new study shows that, for the seventh year in a row, coal production in Ohio exceeds $1 billion in a year. (Associated Press)

TRANSPORTATION: Researchers say a stronger focus on transportation policies in cities worldwide could significantly reduce projected carbon emissions. (Climate Central)

***SPONSORED LINK: Join the nation’s most successful women leaders in energy as they share their industry knowledge, strategies and experiences at the Leadership Conference for Women in Energy, December 7-8 in Newport Beach, California.***

FRACKING: Local officials will conduct a hand recount of an anti-fracking ballot initiative that failed this month in Ohio. (Youngstown Vindicator)

COMMENTARY: Motorcycling and recreational boating advocates say the federal Renewable Fuel Standard’s ethanol mandate has led to an increase in vehicle engine damage. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

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Andy Balaskovitz

Andy compiles the Midwest Energy News digest and was a journalism fellow for Midwest Energy News from 2014-2020. He is managing editor of MiBiz in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was formerly a reporter and editor at City Pulse, Lansing’s alternative newsweekly.

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