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)

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.