OHIO: State lawmakers remove Rep. Larry Householder as House speaker after he and others were formally indicted on charges involving an alleged $60 million bribery scheme. (Cleveland.com)
ALSO: Environmental groups ask a bankruptcy court for Murray Energy to disclose any involvement it had in the state’s nuclear bailout law. (Columbus Dispatch)
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SOLAR:
• After an unexpected compromise to preserve net metering, Iowa utilities and clean energy groups disagree over how a new law should be interpreted by regulators. (Energy News Network)
• Michigan farmers have an opportunity to retain land and earn additional income by leasing property for solar projects, researchers say. (Yale Climate Connections)
• A federal program to support renewable energy projects in rural areas has mostly helped finance solar projects. (Wisconsin State Farmer)
TRANSPORTATION: Chicago transit advocates say the expansion of a bike share program can be potentially transformative in areas of the city that have been historically underserved and disinvested. (Energy News Network)
UTILITIES:
• A municipal takeover of ComEd’s electric service in Chicago is not financially feasible, a mayoral aide says during a hearing on the utility’s bribery scandal. (Chicago Sun-Times)
• Hot weather and cost cutting helped Xcel Energy post second quarter profits despite a reduction in electricity sales due to the pandemic. (Star Tribune)
RENEWABLES: Experts say recent changes to federal PURPA rules will mostly benefit utilities while harming small-scale solar developers. (Utility Dive)
COAL: Michigan’s two largest utilities are transitioning from coal as it becomes increasingly costly to operate the plants compared to alternatives. (Michigan Radio)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Tesla files suit alleging EV startup Rivian persuaded employees recruited from Tesla to share trade secret information. (Utility Dive)
• Researchers expect the price of an all-electric vehicle to be equivalent to gasoline-powered models within the next five years. (InsideClimate News)
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BIOMASS: Several Minnesota timber companies seek to produce wood pellets for international markets as a way to use forest residuals and revive the state’s forestry sector. (KBJR)
COMMENTARY:
• A Michigan editorial board says the state’s attorney general should drop legal challenges to the Line 5 pipeline and allow a Great Lakes tunnel project to move forward. (Detroit News)
• A repeal of Ohio’s nuclear bailout law should also include strengthening the state’s clean energy targets, an editorial board writes. (Columbus Dispatch)