PETCOKE: Representatives of Illinois’s coal, oil and gas, chemical, shipping and other industries on Wednesday denounced Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed petcoke rules, saying the governor is misusing his emergency powers. (Midwest Energy News)
OHIO: Ohio lawmakers hold a hearing on a bill that would repeal the state’s renewable energy standard. (Columbus Business First)
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COAL: Participants at a North Dakota symposium on proposed EPA rules debate the viability of carbon capture. (Fargo Forum)
OIL: TransCanada begins moving oil on the southern leg of Keystone XL, Koch Industries subsidiary cancels plans for a pipeline to ship Bakken oil to Illinois, more oil was spilled last year in rail incidents than in the previous 40 years, and North Dakota sees a surge in its proportion of millionaires. (Reuters, Bloomberg, McClatchy, Fargo Forum)
UTILITIES: “This is not your grandfather’s utility anymore” — why increased competition has some utilities cutting dividends; and Comcast gets into the electricity business in Pennsylvania. (Bloomberg, Greentech Media)
RENEWABLES: Utility-scale renewable energy grew by 23 percent between 2009 and 2012, with solar seeing the sharpest increase. (Denver Post)
BIOFUELS: An ethanol trade group expects to see “significant changes” to an EPA proposal to cut the renewable fuel standard, and biodiesel refineries are shutting down amid uncertainty about the mandate. (Des Moines Register)
TRANSPORTATION: Rail companies look for cost savings by fueling locomotive with natural gas. (Associated Press)
GREEN ECONOMY: Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin discusses efforts to expand clean energy jobs. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
COMMENTARY: Why Wisconsin “cannot afford to sit still” on renewable energy policy. (WisBusiness.com)