ELECTRIC CARS: Advocates say despite Michigan’s legacy as “the automotive capital of the world,” the state is lagging on policies supporting electric cars and compressed natural gas. (Midwest Energy News)
WIND:
• Republican lawmakers in Ohio will again seek to ease setbacks in the state, saying strict rules passed in 2014 are stifling clean energy development. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• The U.S. has 40 percent more wind farm projects under construction than it did a year ago, according to a new report from the American Wind Energy Association. (Houston Chronicle)
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KEYSTONE XL:
• An executive from TransCanada Corp., which has been granted permission to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline, says the company is still debating whether to move forward with the project. (The Hill)
• Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline in Nebraska begin erecting solar panels in the pipeline’s path. (NTV)
• Skeptics in the oil industry question whether Keystone XL is still needed. (Omaha World-Herald)
SOLAR:
• JP Morgan Chase plans to build Ohio’s largest solar array at its headquarters in Columbus (Columbus Dispatch)
• Developers of a Cedar Rapids, Iowa subdivision propose powering homes there with a $3 million solar array. (KCRG)
• A new solar array goes online at Notre Dame University. (WSBT)
• An Illinois county is recognized for removing barriers to solar development. (NCTV)
NUCLEAR:
• FirstEnergy’s CEO says the company will continue to push for subsidies for its Ohio nuclear plants. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• How nuclear subsidies in Illinois and New York could help renewable energy. (Greentech Media)
UTILITIES:
• A report outlines the top regulatory trends for utilities so far this year. (Greentech Media)
• A Nebraska utility is spending millions to defend itself from hackers. (Lincoln Journal Star)
GRID:
• Illinois regulators finalize an open data framework to help developers take advantage of smart meter data. (Utility Dive/Environmental Defense Fund)
• An Indiana company wins a contract for a 1 MW energy storage system at an Army base in Utah. (Microgrid Media)
OIL AND GAS:
• Oil development encroaches on a popular recreation area in North Dakota. (Bismarck Tribune)
• Trump administration officials hint that North Dakota tribes could have more control over oil development on their lands. (Bismarck Tribune)
CLIMATE: The Climate Change Council for Dane County, Wisconsin holds its first meeting. (Sun Prairie Star)
COMMENTARY:
• Media predictions of a solar slowdown are greatly exaggerated. (Midwest Energy News)
• How Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy program helps the state’s rural economy. (Wisconsin State Farmer)
• A Crain’s editorial says Michigan policymakers should support small renewable energy producers. (Crain’s Detroit Business)