CLIMATE: More than 300,000 people march in New York and elsewhere to demand action on climate change, the same day a new report finds U.S. carbon emissions are rising again after falling for several years. (New York Times)
ALSO: The march was largely ignored by television news yesterday; protests are expected to continue on Wall Street today. (Media Matters, Reuters)
***SPONSORED LINK: Join Schlumberger, CN Rail & many more at the 2nd Annual Frac Sand Logistics & Market Forecast Summit USA as they find practical solutions for overcoming rail, storage and transloading bottlenecks. Midwest Energy News readers save 15% with code ‘FRSMEN15’ ***
COAL: Dynegy’s plan to make its newly acquired Illinois coal plants profitable by switching grid operators will cost ratepayers millions with little, if any, improvement in reliability, according to a recent analysis. (Midwest Energy News)
SOLAR:
• A study finds schools are saving millions by installing solar panels. (ClimateWire)
• Solar advocates say a South Dakota utility’s proposed rate change is intended to inhibit solar power. (Rapid City Journal)
• Minnesota reservation plans a 1 MW solar project. (Forum News Service)
• GTM Research ranks Minnesota among its top five states for solar innovation. (Greentech Media)
WIND: An Iowa Democrat co-sponsors a bill that would revive the production tax credit, among other measures; wind energy complicates the Kansas governor’s race; and a facility to service wind turbine gearboxes will open next year in St. Paul. (The Hill, Al Jazeera, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal)
ETHANOL: The cellulosic ethanol industry still faces a great deal of uncertainty despite recent refinery openings, and earnings are stronger for ethanol producers thanks in part to lower corn prices. (New York Times, Minneapolis Star Tribune)
EFFICIENCY: An analysis suggests the PJM Interconnection has cost ratepayers more than $1.3 billion in recent years by overlooking energy efficiency. (CleanTechnica)
FRAC SAND: A Wisconsin groundwater ruling could have a major impact on future frac sand mining. (Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism)
NUCLEAR: A report finds dismantling a Kansas nuclear plant could cost as much as $1 billion. (Wichita Eagle)
OIL: A well failure spills 20 barrels of oil onto a North Dakota wheat field and wetland. (Associated Press)
***SPONSORED LINK: Join top executives from the area’s RTOs, utilities, transmission developers, and state regulatory agencies at EUCI’s Transmission Expansion in the Midwest, Nov. 4-5 in Indianapolis.***
POLITICS: A poll finds energy policy is a low priority for voters. (Columbus Business First)
COMMENTARY: Why clean energy is essential to Ohio industries. (Columbus CEO)