SOLAR: A sweeping Illinois clean energy law last year guaranteed the “right to self-generate,” but many municipal and cooperative utility customers still face barriers. (Energy News Network)
ALSO: Ameren will acquire a 150 MW solar project in southeastern Illinois from developer Invenergy. (Renewables Now)
WIND:
• A Kansas bill that would have severely restricted wind energy development doesn’t have enough support to make it out of committee, its sponsor says. (Kansas Reflector)
• The Republican chairman of a Kansas Senate utilities committee, who is a staunch clean energy opponent, reverses his decision to strike wind energy testimony from an environmental health expert based on concerns over violating the state’s open records law. (Wichita Eagle)
PIPELINES: A Michigan panel approves Enbridge’s request to begin seeking a contractor to build an underground tunnel for Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. (MLive)
CLEAN ENERGY:
• Citizen-driven efforts in Detroit to create more sustainable neighborhoods have had varying degrees of success over the past decade. (Outlier Media)
• The University of Iowa is recognized by the U.S. EPA as one of the top institutions in the U.S. for using onsite, clean energy generation. (Daily Iowan)
EFFICIENCY: A recent Michigan ruling directs DTE Energy to spend an additional $10.5 million on efficiency and weatherization to help relieve the energy burden for low-income customers. (WEMU)
UTILITIES: A Kansas bill that would cap electric rate increases at 1% each year faces strong opposition and legal concerns from Evergy and state utility regulators. (Topeka Capital-Journal)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• An Indiana bill would allow businesses like gas stations to sell electric vehicle charging to help recover installation costs, though clean energy advocates are critical of an amendment that would require power to come from the local utility. (WFYI)
• A northeastern Ohio city applies for state funding to install public electric vehicle chargers in hopes of bringing visitors and business activity to downtown. (Record-Courier)
HYDROGEN: An Ohio regional transit agency is part of a regional alliance seeking $2 billion in federal funding to help build a hydrogen industry hub. (Canton Repository)
DIVESTMENT: Students and faculty at five U.S. colleges push a new legal strategy to pressure their schools into divesting from fossil fuels, which could have implications for nonprofit endowment managers across the country. (Grist)
NUCLEAR:
• Nebraska legislation calls for a feasibility study on the potential to deploy smaller advanced nuclear reactors in the state. (KETV)
• Major coal-reliant states including Indiana and Missouri are pursuing policies to incentivize the development of advanced nuclear reactors. (E&E News)
OIL & GAS: North Dakota’s mineral resources director says oil and gas companies are increasingly taking steps to limit flaring in their operations. (Prairie Public Broadcasting)