ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A used electric vehicle dealer in Minnesota says sales dropped off at the start of the pandemic and it’s been much harder to reach customers who aren’t already motivated to buy an electric vehicle. (Energy News Network)
ALSO:
• Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian hires a design engineer from General Motors in the latest sign of large automakers losing talent to startups. (Detroit Free Press)
• Tesla, Volkswagen and Ford each signal plans to build bigger, cargo-hauling electric vehicles. (E&E News, subscription)
***SPONSORED LINK: Renew Missouri is hosting a Continuing Legal Education tackling utility ratemaking and energy policy in Kansas. Participate virtually or in person in Lenexa, Kansas on June 12. Click here to register or for more information.***
WIND:
• The Nature Conservancy identifies more than 140,000 square miles of land across 17 central U.S. states where wind development would have minimal impact on wildlife. (Yale Climate Connections)
• North Dakota regulators approve plans for a 200 MW wind project after rejecting the proposal last year over wildlife concerns. (Bismarck Tribune)
SOLAR:
• After building momentum over the past two years, Illinois’ solar industry is quickly falling off due to the pandemic and a lack of state funding for key programs. (E&E News, subscription)
• County officials in southern Illinois approve plans for a public-private solar project. (Premier Broadcasting)
• Ohio is among locations where Williams Co. plans to install solar projects at its natural gas processing and shipping locations. (The Oklahoman)
• Duke Energy plants pollinator species around its 1.6 MW solar project near Purdue University in Indiana. (Renews.biz)
UTILITIES: Indiana consumer advocates and at least one mayor criticize utilities for attempting to recover costs from customers for lost sales during the pandemic. (Statehousefile.com, Indianapolis Business Journal)
COAL: The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts a 25% drop in U.S. coal production this year. (S&P Global)
PIPELINES: Illinois regulators last week rejected a request by environmental groups to delay a decision on the Dakota Access pipeline expansion. (Reuters)
***SPONSORED LINK: Center Out: A Strategy for Climate Success will be hosted by the Great Plains Institute on June 25. Join the conversation about how the Midwest can lead the clean energy transformation. Click here for more and to RSVP.***
BIOFUELS: More than 40 lawmakers from mostly Midwest states urge the Trump administration to decline issuing blanket waivers for biofuel blending requirements. (E&E News, subscription)
COMMENTARY: Expanded tax credits for renewable energy, stronger energy efficiency programs and building electric vehicle infrastructure are ways to boost clean energy jobs in response to the pandemic, advocates say. (Environmental Defense Fund)