NUCLEAR:
• Exelon says it will likely close the Quad Cities nuclear plant, with a final decision expected in September. (Crain’s Chicago Business)
• Federal regulators may impose penalties for safety violations committed by contractors at a Minnesota nuclear plant. (Minnesota Public Radio)
EPA: The Obama administration will reportedly include new incentives for wind and solar as part of the Clean Power Plan. (Bloomberg)
***SPONSORED LINK: Illinois Residents — Enter to win a 4kW solar installation! Only 1,200 tickets will be sold. 1 for $40, 3 for $100 www.illinoissolar.org ***
EFFICIENCY:
• Missouri’s utility regulator is considering whether to institute a “decoupling” policy to ensure utilities will not lose money as a result of encouraging customer energy efficiency. (Midwest Energy News)
• Madison’s mayor encourages citizens to help the city win a national energy efficiency competition. (Wisconsin State Journal)
SOLAR:
• Ohio regulators are considering further revisions to a 2014 decision on net metering as utilities push back. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• A Cleveland program helps cut costs for solar installations. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• A new leasing plan from SolarCity will help small businesses install solar power. (ClimateProgress)
• A Minnesota solar project may face delays resulting from local opposition. (Minnesota Watchdog)
WIND:
• A new study says climate change will increase wind speeds in Great Plains states. (Climate Central)
• North Dakota regulators approve a new hearing for a proposed wind farm after ownership changes hands. (Bismarck Tribune)
COAL:
• Peabody Coal reported a quarterly loss of $1 billion this week, forcing it to suspend its dividend. (Reuters)
• Indiana regulators approve conversion of another unit of an Indianapolis coal plant to run on natural gas. (WFYI)
UTILITIES: Cost projections for a Chicago gas line replacement project have ballooned to $8 billion, cutting into profits for Wisconsin Energy following its Integrys acquisition. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
HYDROPOWER: High river levels mean a shortfall of electricity for a hydro-dependent Illinois town. (LaSalle News Tribune)
PIPELINES: Iowa farmers file a lawsuit to block eminent domain for a proposed crude oil pipeline across the state. (WHO-TV)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Minnesota-based Polaris beats Harley-Davidson to the punch in bringing an electric motorcycle to market. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
BIOFUEL: UPS announces it will buy 46 million gallons of biodiesel for its fleet over the next three years. (New York Times)
***SPONSORED LINK: Join us at the 14th annual Illinois Renewable Energy and Sustainability Fair, August 22 & 23, 2015, at the Ogle County Fairgrounds in Oregon, Illinois. Speakers, exhibits, children’s activities, music, food.***
SUSTAINABILITY: A Michigan couple says “paying attention” is the key to living off the grid. (Michigan Radio)
COMMENTARY: Five years later, we’ve learned nothing from the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history. (Pacific Standard)