SOLAR: Clean energy advocates hail Wisconsin regulators’ decision to allow third-party financing for a residential solar project, though the decision leaves unanswered questions about its scope and what happens next. (Wisconsin State Journal, E&E News)
ALSO:
• Alliant Energy officials discuss plans for a utility-scale solar-plus-storage project in central Wisconsin. (Wisconsin Rapids Tribune)
• An airport in Dubuque, Iowa, plans to power its terminal with solar energy and save about $80,000 a year in electricity costs. (KCRG)
• Construction started recently on a 4,100-acre solar project in central Illinois. (WICS)
Sponsored Link
Mining the Climate Crisis Webinar Series
The clean energy transition presents the opportunity to build a new, better energy system. Join the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy to explore intersections between mining, metal recycling, and environmental justice in their new Mining the Climate Crisis webinar series. Click here to learn more!
COAL: The operator of Ohio’s largest coal plant plans to switch to a different coal ash waste handling method in response to a recent U.S. EPA order to stop using an on-site coal ash pond. (Energy News Network)
CLIMATE:
• A Democratic state senator predicts Minnesota lawmakers will “pass the most significant climate legislation in history” this session. (MinnPost)
• Newly elected Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach plans to challenge the Biden administration on a range of clean energy issues. (E&E News, subscription)
GRID: Federal regulators approve grid operator PJM’s plan for a “first-ready, first-served” interconnection review process that aims to clear a backlog of projects. (Utility Dive)
UTILITIES: Wisconsin regulators approve a $367 million rate increase for subsidiaries of WEC Energy Group to help pay for clean energy and natural gas investments. (Wisconsin State Journal)
CLEAN ENERGY:
• Major automakers are increasingly marketing clean energy products such as batteries and solar panels in addition to electric vehicles. (Inside Climate News)
• A northern Illinois county completes its overhaul of wind and solar siting ordinances, ending a year-long moratorium on projects. (Sauk Valley News)
PIPELINES:
• An Ohio farming family continues to fight a gas utility’s plan to build a natural gas pipeline across their property. (Farm and Dairy)
• A carbon pipeline developer still faces significant public opposition based on a series of public meetings in South Dakota. (Mitchell Republic)
WIND: A lack of early-career opportunities for potential wind energy workers is driving a “workforce gap” in the industry as employers also struggle to find qualified workers, according to two recent reports. (Utility Dive)
STORAGE: Chicago utility ComEd launches a demonstration project for battery storage facilities that could provide neighborhoods with grid reliability in the event of outages. (Daily Energy Insider)
BIOFUELS: The U.S. EPA proposes increasing the amount of ethanol and other biofuels that must be blended into fuel supplies over the next three years. (Associated Press)
COMMENTARY:
• Michigan regulators will hold a public hearing later this month on DTE Energy’s long-term energy plan, which clean energy advocates say is still overly reliant on natural gas. (Union of Concerned Scientists)
• The president and CEO of AES Indiana announces plans to quadruple the utility’s renewable energy capacity and reduce carbon emissions 85% by 2042. (Indianapolis Star)
More from the Energy News Network: Midwest | Southeast | Northeast | West
View this campaign in your browser.