MINNESOTA: Republican state lawmakers look for greater oversight of energy funds, proposing a bill that would redirect revenue to the general fund and end a solar incentive program. (Associated Press)
SOLAR:
• Proposed legislation in Indiana would eliminate the state’s net metering program in a decade and reimburse self-generators at wholesale prices, moves advocates say would decimate the state’s solar industry. (Midwest Energy News)
• Installing solar panels has been “a huge cost savings” for a car dealership in southwest Minnesota. (Marshall Independent)
• Payments to 450 laid-off workers at a First Solar plant in Ohio will end at the end of the week, the company says. (Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune)
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COAL:
• A federal judge rules that an Ameren Missouri coal plant violates the Clean Air Act, which could ultimately force the utility to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on pollution control equipment. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• Indiana and several environmental groups are objecting to Peabody Energy’s bankruptcy plan, citing concerns about how it will pay for about $1 billion in future mine cleanup costs. (Reuters)
• A consumer advocacy group in Indiana seeks public input on a planned $270 million rate increase to pay for pollution controls at a coal plant there. (Inside Indiana Business)
WIND:
• A new 161 MW wind project in mid-Michigan is slated to begin construction in early 2018. (Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun)
• Proposed legislation in North Dakota would divert a larger share of tax revenue from wind farms to the state rather than local governments. (Prairie Business Magazine)
EFFICIENCY: Michigan and DTE Energy officials say a Detroit-area LED streetlight program will save about $2 million this year and has already decreased energy use. (Associated Press)
OIL AND GAS: Nearby residents raise questions about plans for twin natural gas plants in Ohio. (Youngstown Vindicator)
STORAGE: Federal energy regulators say storage facilities should be able to earn both cost- and market-based revenue streams. (RTO Insider)
BIOFUELS:
• Officials involved with Minnesota’s successful biofuels industry are concerned about the Trump administration’s approach to the sector. (Inforum)
• Wichita State University wins an $855,000 federal grant to develop ammonia as an alternative to petroleum-based fuels. (Wichita Business Journal)
PIPELINES:
• The Trump administration hints vaguely at approving controversial projects like Dakota Access and Keystone XL. (Grist)
• Oil and gas transportation groups push back against local officials in North Dakota who approved a resolution last month opposing the Dakota Access pipeline. (Business North)
GRID: Despite uncertainty under a new administration, the U.S. power sector remains headed toward a cleaner, more decentralized grid. (Utility Dive)