Closing the Cloud Factories, a new ebook from Kari Lydersen and Midwest Energy News, explores the lessons learned from the fight to shut down Chicago’s coal plants. Get your free copy today.
OHIO: Despite appeals from business and consumer groups, Gov. John Kasich still plans to sign a bill freezing the state’s renewable energy and efficiency standards. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
***SPONSORED LINK: Midwest Energy Policy Conference 2014 — Get the early-bird discount now for the Midwest Energy Policy Conference on Sep. 30-Oct. 1 in St. Louis!***
PETCOKE: A company storing petroleum coke along Chicago’s Calumet River plans to consolidate its operations into one enclosed pile. (Associated Press)
CLIMATE: Ohio coal executive Bob Murray threatens to sue the EPA, saying the agency is “not telling the truth about global warming.” (ThinkProgress)
ALSO: Utilities’ measured reaction to carbon rules shows their political clout, and a poll finds Americans are willing to pay more to mitigate climate change. (E&E Daily, Bloomberg)
UTILITIES: Consumer advocates say a Kansas utility’s plan to allow pre-payment for electricity is a bad deal for ratepayers, and Kansas officials seek assurance that expanding the Southwest Power Pool to include three utilities in the Dakotas won’t impact ratepayers. (EnergyWire, Topeka Capital-Journal)
FRACKING: A law firm’s annual report predicts a “manufacturing renaissance” from shale gas. (Columbus Business First)
NATURAL GAS: Consol Energy wants people to start thinking of it as a natural gas company rather than a coal company. (Reuters)
RENEWABLES: Warren Buffett says he plans to double his investment in renewable energy. (Bloomberg Businessweek)
SOLAR: A Minnesota convent is planning to build a 4-acre solar farm. (KTOE)
***SPONSORED LINK: Support Solar in Illinois – Purchase a raffle ticket to win a Tesla Model S and Bosch Home Charger from the Illinois Solar Energy Association! Only 2,000 tickets will be sold.***
BIOENERGY: Iowa farmers promote miscanthus — a tall grass related to related to sugar cane — as an energy crop. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
COMMENTARY: Why carbon rules aren’t the biggest threat to utilities, and “a mistake is sitting on Gov. John Kasich’s desk.” (The Energy Collective, Cleveland Plain Dealer)