NUCLEAR: Exelon plans to close two Illinois nuclear plants next year unless the company receives state funding support, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker called a “threat” that would “need to be backed up by a thorough and transparent review of their finances.” (WBEZ)
ALSO: Exelon officials say the announcement is unrelated to Pritzker’s recently unveiled energy plan that includes utility accountability measures. (Southern Illinoisan)
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TRANSPORTATION:
• Researchers across the Midwest are developing cleaner aviation fuels that aim to significantly reduce the industry’s emissions. (Energy News Network)
• Indianapolis’ transit service will purchase 27 hybrid buses expected to improve fuel efficiency up to 25%. (Indianapolis Star)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• A Minnesota agency will fund the installation of 38 electric vehicle fast-charging stations to help build out the state’s charging network. (WCCO)
• Indianapolis Power and Light parent company AES is launching an electric vehicle subscription service in the greater Indianapolis area. (Inside Indiana Business)
BIOENERGY: An urban garden project in a traditionally underserved Chicago neighborhood will include an onsite anaerobic digester that produces renewable natural gas to be sold on the market. (Centered)
RENEWABLES: A plan to allow AEP to be Columbus, Ohio’s clean energy aggregator would spur $1 billion in new renewable energy investments in the state. (Columbus Dispatch)
PIPELINES: If elected, Joe Biden would likely face pressure from environmental groups to permanently shut down the Dakota Access pipeline. (E&E News, subscription)
WIND: County officials in southeastern Nebraska continue debating land use regulations that critics say threaten potential wind projects. (Beatrice Daily Sun)
SOLAR:
• An eastern Ohio county declines to sign a commitment to purchase solar power at long-term fixed rates. (Herald-Star)
• County officials approve plans for a 74 MW solar project in western Wisconsin. (Daily Reporter)
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OIL & GAS: A lightning strike causes hundreds of gallons of brine and oil to spill at a North Dakota saltwater disposal well. (Bismarck Tribune)
COMMENTARY:
• Closing two Illinois nuclear plants would harm the state’s ability to achieve aggressive clean energy goals, an editorial board says. (Chicago Sun-Times)
• An Indiana utility’s request for renewable energy projects is a shift from just a few years ago when it called for major natural gas investments, signifying broader changes in the utility industry, a clean energy analyst writes. (Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis)