REGULATION: Following a two-year study on how to transform utility regulation in Minnesota, clean energy groups are now closely involved with pilot projects that begin to implement some of those changes envisioned. (Midwest Energy News)
SOLAR:
• Minnesota officials release new data on the growth of the state’s solar sector, which now employs nearly 4,000 people and added more than 200 megawatts in the first quarter of 2017. (WCCO)
• Construction on a 4-megawatt solar project at the site of a former landfill near Cleveland is expected to start in September. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• A new solar installation will completely offset an Iowa county park’s electricity consumption. (WHO-TV)
• Officials unveil a new 5-megawatt solar project in Indiana. (PV Tech)
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POLICY: Amid controversy over a new bill to phase out net metering, advocates are seeking a more comprehensive, statewide energy plan for Indiana. (Terre Haute Tribune Star)
WIND: Kansas’ wind energy industry is poised for major growth over the next six years, according to an industry group. (Associated Press)
PIPELINES:
• Dakota Access pipeline protesters have shifted their attention toward financing the project, leading cities to divest billions of dollars in their portfolios from Wells Fargo. (Mashable)
• North Dakota regulators are looking into whether the Dakota Access pipeline developer removed too many trees during construction. (Associated Press)
FRAC SAND: A Wisconsin conservation group files to intervene in a lawsuit against a county’s frac sand ban. (River Valley Media Group)
EFFICIENCY: The U.S. Department of Energy’s last-minute regulations on energy efficient lightbulbs under the Obama administration are reportedly creating confusion for the industry. (E&E News)
COAL: Billionaire investor Warren Buffett says he doesn’t believe coal is poised to make a comeback under the Trump administration. (AFP)
CLIMATE: Officials in Iowa City are moving forward with plans for a citywide Climate Action Steering Committee. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
COMMENTARY: For Ohio communities with FirstEnergy power plants at risk of closing, financial analysts it’s in their best interest to begin planning a future without them. (Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis)