OIL & GAS: The temporary nature of oil and gas drilling jobs is among reasons why Ohio counties with the most drilling activity continue to have higher-than-average unemployment rates. (Energy News Network)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Minneapolis will offer incentives to developers to include electric vehicle charging infrastructure in new construction after state building code prevented it from making it a requirement. (Star Tribune)
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SOLAR:
• Officials in Iowa’s second-most populous county extend a moratorium on utility-scale solar projects by three months to consider new regulations. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
• Construction could start soon on a 107 MW solar project in northwestern Ohio. (Toledo Blade)
• Bowling Green, Ohio, officials narrowly reject a proposed ordinance that would offer a rebate to rooftop solar owners, which critics said could undermine the local utility. (BG Independent)
RENEWABLES: A western Ohio county commission rejects a proposal to ban utility-scale solar and wind projects, which critics said would have limited property rights. (Springfield News-Sun)
CLIMATE: Minnesota Democrats plan to make climate change a key policy focus as they prepare to take control of the state legislature. (Star Tribune)
EFFICIENCY:
• Kansas regulators could scale back Evergy’s energy efficiency programs after the utility previously reached an agreement with consumer and environmental advocates on stronger requirements. (Kansas Reflector)
• Combining photovoltaics with high thermal performance window technologies can significantly reduce skyscrapers’ energy consumption, a University of Wisconsin researcher finds. (La Crosse Tribune)
COAL:
• CenterPoint Energy customers in seven Indiana counties could face temporary rate increases to pay for adjusted fuel costs driven primarily by an inoperable coal plant. (Indianapolis Star)
• An Alliant Energy coal plant in northeastern Iowa is set to come offline at the end of this year, ending nearly 75 years in operation as the utility transitions to cleaner sources of power. (News-Press Now)
WIND: A Minnesota municipal utility finds it increasingly difficult to locate replacement parts for wind turbines that were installed in 2009 but haven’t reached the end of their useful life. (AgWeek)
PIPELINES:
• Democrats’ control of the Michigan legislature starting next year is expected to have little effect on the future of Line 5, which will likely be decided in court. (Bridge Michigan)
• A southwestern Iowa county next month will consider an ordinance to regulate hazardous liquid pipelines as developers consider carbon pipelines elsewhere in the state. (News Telegraph)
• Residents in another southwestern Iowa county want local officials to regulate proposed carbon pipelines to protect landowners. (Daily Nonpareil)
UTILITIES:
• State and local officials in Iowa expect higher demand for utility assistance as heating fuel costs rise with other inflationary pressures. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
• Michigan regulators take multiple steps to inform residents of utility bill assistance programs ahead of rising costs this winter. (MLive)
COMMENTARY: The Indiana legislature has shown that it’s “not as forward thinking” on clean energy as Gov. Eric Holcomb touted at a recent global climate conference, an editorial board writes. (Herald Bulletin)
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