CLEAN ENERGY: An economic development partnership between U.S. and Canadian entities has created a platform for investing in clean energy projects in the Great Lakes region with 40 projects included so far. (Energy News Network)
FOSSIL FUELS: GOP-backed legislation in Indiana would prevent the state government from investing or contracting with companies that boycott fossil fuel companies. (Indianapolis Star)
PIPELINES:
• Iowa has more than 46,000 miles of underground pipelines that state safety officials say rarely involve safety concerns. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
• The owner of the Rover natural gas pipeline that runs through northern Ohio sues federal regulators over a $20 million fine involving a dilapidated house that was in the pipeline’s route. (Cleveland.com)
SOLAR:
• The Ohio Senate passes a bill that would make it easier for members of homeowners associations to install rooftop solar panels. (Solar Power World)
• Construction is completed on a 7.5 MW solar project in northern Wisconsin (WAOW)
RENEWABLES: A Michigan-based startup prepares to deploy four prototype cell towers that are self-powered with wind, solar and storage. (MiBiz)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Minnesota-based RV manufacturer Winnebago unveils a new electric camper van concept. (Star Tribune)
WIND:
• A developer continues to pursue plans for a 12-turbine wind project in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula despite pushback from local residents and a proposed zoning ordinance that could block the project. (Daily Mining Gazette)
• Northwestern Ohio county officials approve payments from several area wind projects that will distribute $3.1 million to local entities. (Crescent-News)
UTILITIES: North Dakota is getting a record $46.4 million in federal relief funds to help cover home heating costs for low-income residents. (Associated Press)
COMMENTARY:
• A rural Minnesota town could serve as a cautionary tale for communities reliant on oil pipelines for revenues as energy sources become more diversified and oil dependence wanes, a columnist writes. (Daily Yonder)
• After being “boxed out” of hog production, a Wisconsin farmer uses portions of his land for solar production: “The hottest commodity market available to me, my family and land.” (Wisconsin State Journal)
• Despite its commitments to clean energy projects, MidAmerican Energy plans to continue burning coal and invest in carbon capture projects, potentially costing ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars, an Iowa Sierra Club official writes. (Des Moines Register)