POLICY: Critics say an Ohio lawmaker’s plan for clean energy standards would effectively continue a freeze on them for another three years. (Midwest Energy News)
BIOFUELS:
• Researchers from Minnesota conclude that for every three gallons of corn ethanol that’s burned as part of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, Americans avoid burning just one gallon of gasoline made from oil. (Climate Central)
• A federal judge in Minnesota says the state’s biodiesel mandate does not conflict with the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. (Progressive Farmer)
• The U.S. EPA proposes changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard that would allow biofuels to be processed at more than one location and for cellulosic ethanol to be made from willow and poplar trees. (Reuters)
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SOLAR: A campaign in Michigan looks to reduce the cost to install solar projects for homeowners. (MLive)
WIND: Recent pushes for offshore wind stir controversy across the Great Lakes region as well as concerns about the effects on migratory birds. (Ideastream, WBFO)
PIPELINES:
• A coalition of labor groups is urging the Obama administration to allow the Dakota Access project to move forward. (EnergyWire)
• A Michigan man reflects on the impact of living among Dakota Access pipeline protesters. (MLive)
GRID: Federal regulators order transmission operators in MISO’s footprint to reduce their return on equity by more than 2 percent. (RTO Insider)
WASTE-TO-ENERGY:
• Local officials in Minnesota are considering plans for a $200 million garbage-to-fuel refinery being proposed by a Canadian company. (Finance & Commerce)
• A new 16-megawatt landfill methane generation facility begins operating in Illinois. (Inside Indiana Business)
ECONOMY: A survey of business leaders suggests the economy may be slowing in the Midwest due in part to weakening energy businesses. (Associated Press)
EFFICIENCY: “Energy Action Month” in Ohio will emphasize the state’s weatherization assistance program. (WCSM)
CLIMATE: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces plans for requiring Canadian provinces to adopt a carbon tax or cap-and-trade system. (Associated Press)
COMMENTARY:
• A new federal public health agency report confirms that petcoke piles near Chicago pose a public health hazard to nearby residents. (NRDC)
• Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley has become the “epicenter” of the state’s growth in large, utility-operated solar gardens. (Eau Claire Leader-Telegram)
• That Michigan’s clean energy transition will rely heavily on energy efficiency “should come as no surprise.” (NRDC)