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IOWA: More than 100 renewable energy projects have been approved for production tax credits but aren’t operating, forcing other developers to wait in line. (Midwest Energy News)
SOLAR:
• Some developers in Minnesota claim Xcel Energy is violating previous agreements by taking too long to approve or deny community solar projects. (Midwest Energy News)
• Alliant Energy’s Iowa utility looks to increase its solar generation by 50 percent. (Des Moines Register)
***SPONSORED LINK: Hear top executives from the area’s RTOs, utilities, transmission developers, and state regulatory agencies discuss and debate critical issues at EUCI’s Transmission Expansion in the Midwest conference November 9-10 in Indianapolis.***
OIL BY RAIL: More trains carrying crude oil from North Dakota are being rerouted through densely populated areas of Minneapolis, records show. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
RENEWABLES: A new report shows that, globally, onshore wind and solar are nearly in line with the price of natural gas and coal. (Washington Post)
WIND: An Amazon executive says Ohio is a key supplier in growing the wind industry due to its manufacturing capabilities. (Columbus Business First)
FRACKING: Local election officials in Ohio are upset that supporters of an anti-fracking initiative questioned the results of a similar ballot proposal in 2014. (Youngstown Vindicator)
PIPELINES:
• The “prospect of losing” an eminent domain fight in state court led TransCanada to seek Keystone XL pipeline approval from Nebraska regulators, experts say. (Associated Press)
• North Dakota regulators are assured of safety measures being taken by a company with a pipeline running beneath a lake. (Bismarck Tribune)
NUCLEAR: As a disaster plan is publicized, local officials near St. Louis are downplaying the risk of a slow-burning fire at a landfill being located near buried nuclear waste. (Associated Press)
EFFICIENCY:
• Some major universities are cutting their emissions and saving millions by switching from steam to hot water in their energy systems. (ClimateWire)
• One study ranks Ohio in the middle of the pack among the most energy efficient states. (Dayton Business Journal)
OIL AND GAS:
• A new EIA forecast shows Midwest households can expect heating costs for natural gas to drop 14 percent compared to last year due to a mild winter and ample supplies. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
• Parts of eastern Ohio saw some of the highest GDP growth in the country last year due to shale development. (Columbus Business First)
BATTERIES: A West Michigan company looks to fill a niche market by supplying advanced batteries to small companies. (MLive)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: An Ohio town moves closer to bringing in an electric vehicle manufacturer. (Youngstown Vindicator)
COMMENTARY: An Ohio regulatory commission should finally institute a ban created to curb the flow of mercury from coal plants and other industries into the Ohio River. (Cincinnati Enquirer)