COAL: Critics raise concerns about Ameren’s novel plan to mine cryptocurrency near one of its Missouri coal plants as part of an effort to maintain power demand from the facility. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
ALSO:
• A Public Utilities Commission of Ohio staffer recommended an independent auditor use a “milder tone and intensity” in its report about ratepayer subsidies for two AEP coal plants, emails show. (Cleveland.com, subscription)
• An ongoing fire at an Illinois coal mine may pollute local water sources for years to come after an attempt to use PFAS-laden foam to extinguish the fire was unsuccessful. (Southern Illinoisan)
SOLAR:
• Koch Industries subsidiary and major greenhouse gas contributor Flint Hills Resources is the latest dues-paying member of Minnesota’s solar industry trade group as the company pursues a solar installation at its refinery campus. (Energy News Network)
• Ohio regulators approved two new solar projects last week totaling 264 MW as the state continues to see a surge in solar development. (Columbus Dispatch)
• Large solar projects face pushback in rural communities, with neighbors expressing aesthetic concerns and resentment that the electricity is going to cities. (Christian Science Monitor)
WIND:
• A mid-Michigan county’s pursuit of wind development during the Great Recession has paid off as local schools and governments receive millions of dollars in annual payments and companies look to invest there. (Checks and Balances Project)
• Wind energy development has gradually moved east in Kansas over the past 20 years, while 30 new projects have been built or proposed statewide in the past decade. (Wichita Eagle)
EFFICIENCY: Evergy officials say the utility is preparing energy efficiency programs for low-income customers in Kansas. (Missouri Independent)
MICROGRIDS: County officials in the Cleveland area say microgrids can help drive business development and support grid reliability as powerful storms become more frequent. (WOSU)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Rivian draws attention from onlookers as it test drives its new electric truck in Chicago for the first time. (Chicago Tribune)
PIPELINES:
• Iowa landowners increasingly raise eminent domain concerns as developers pursue a pipeline project to transport carbon dioxide for underground storage. (Globe Gazette)
• The FBI is assisting a Michigan law enforcement agency’s investigation into a tampering incident last week that briefly shut down the Line 5 pipeline. (MLive)
TRANSPORTATION: Additional bus-only lanes in downtown Minneapolis are expected to help reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions by limiting idling time. (Star Tribune)
RENEWABLES: A Wisconsin utility’s voluntary renewable energy purchasing program has decreased in price as costs decline and more customers participate. (Sun Prairie Star)
COMMENTARY: Utility-scale solar development would benefit northeastern Indiana, and some local planners are being proactive in “laying the groundwork for responsible and thoughtful development in our counties.” (KPC News)