ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A pair of Ford engineers powered a friend’s wedding reception with their hybrid F-150 last week after the electricity went out in the middle of the party, giving a viral marketing boost to the truck’s capabilities as a power source. (Detroit Free Press)

TRANSPORTATION:
• The Biden administration is considering tougher penalties for automakers who fail to meet fuel economy standards. (E&E News)
• St. Paul’s city council votes to eliminate parking requirements for new developments, joining Minneapolis and a handful of other cities around the country. (St. Paul Pioneer Press)

CLIMATE:
• Michigan lawmakers, activists and labor leaders call on the legislature to expand clean energy jobs and prepare for climate change. (Detroit News)
• Kansas Wesleyan University launches a new curriculum to ensure climate change impacts are considered across multiple areas of study. (Kansas Reflector)
• Protesters gathered at MidAmerican Energy’s headquarters in Des Moines to demand the utility retire all of its coal plants within 9 years. (Iowa Public Radio)

PIPELINES: The Biden administration is under increasing pressure from Democrats to pull permits for the Line 3 pipeline in Minnesota. (HuffPost)

SOLAR:
• The Ohio Siting Board today will consider a 144 MW solar project proposed on 1,100 acres west of Columbus. (Springfield News-Sun)
• A Nebraska town celebrates completion of a 2.4 MW solar array that will provide power directly to its municipal grid. (Kearney Hub)
• The U.S. Army plans to install 385 solar systems on base housing at Fort Riley in Kansas. (Solar Power World)
• Auto industry supplier Bendix says a new 1.1 MW solar array in Indiana alone will cut the company’s North American carbon footprint by 3%. (WANE)
• Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds declared yesterday “Solar Day in Iowa,” as a proclamation was read at the State Fair. (news release)

POWER PLANTS: Wisconsin lawmakers consider extending state aid to communities affected by impending closure of two power plants. (Telegraph Herald)

HYDROGEN:
• Developers say a proposed blue hydrogen facility in North Dakota would be the largest in the U.S. (Upstream)
• An Illinois company is recognized for its work in improving hydrogen storage technology as well as attracting a diverse workforce. (Centered)

UTILITIES: Xcel Energy is expected to continue pushing forward on clean energy after retiring CEO Ben Fowke’s departure this week. (S&P Global)

COMMENTARY:
• Illinois Rep. Sean Casten talks with David Roberts about “Hot FERC Summer” and his efforts to draw more attention to the agency. (Canary Media)
• Environmental economists say Minnesota’s new Clean Cars policy is a good start, but doesn’t go far enough to reach climate goals. (MinnPost)
• A columnist says Missouri can’t afford to continue ignoring climate change. (Northwest Missourian)

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Ken Paulman

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.