RENEWABLES: In northern Illinois and across the nation, waitlists to connect large renewable energy projects to the electric grid have ballooned, leaving over 1,400 gigawatts of wind and solar projects in limbo. (Chicago Tribune) 

ALSO:

  • The CEO of Kansas City-based utility Evergy says renewables are a cost-effective option to meet rising demand for electricity. (Kansas City Business Journal) 
  • An Iowa county will consider amendments next month to its utility-scale wind ordinance, including new requirements related to setbacks, noise, wildlife and agricultural impact, and shadow flicker. (Gazette)
  • Solar generation saw its ninth consecutive year of growth in Ohio while wind production declined, largely due to unfavorable weather. (Axios)

CLIMATE:

  • North Dakota’s new climate plan highlights energy efficiency, tree-planting and soil health and makes no mention of coal, oil or gas. (North Dakota Monitor) 
  • Ohio State University has made progress on its 2015 climate and sustainability goals, including carbon neutrality by 2050, but is nowhere near on-track to meet its targets, according to school officials. (Columbus Dispatch, subscription)

OHIO: FirstEnergy donated $2.5 million to a dark money group backing Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s campaign, according to newly released records. (Floodlight/USA Today)

OIL & GAS:

  • Ohioans living near a state park where legislation recently authorized fracking operations discuss with sadness how it has changed the area for the worse. (Ohio Capital Journal)
  • Ohio regulators order three injection wells to stop pumping fracked waste underground, six months after they were deemed an “imminent danger” for leaking toxic waste into the surrounding area. (Cleveland.com)
  • A watchdog group’s analysis finds Ohio had more than 1,400 oil and gas well incidents from 2018 to 2023, and that official state reports often downplayed the severity of the cases. (WVXU)

COAL: A St. Louis-area coal plant emitted far more sulfur dioxide pollution than any plant in the country, a news organization’s analysis finds. (Post-Dispatch)

NUCLEAR:

  • A shuttered Ohio plant that once made uranium for nuclear weapons is attracting new interest from companies tied to small nuclear reactors or hydrogen fuel, while local groups have concerns. (Ohio Newsroom) 
  • A package of bipartisan bills would create incentives and remove barriers for establishing small modular nuclear reactors in Michigan. (WNEM)

BUILDINGS: A monastery expects to become Wisconsin’s first net-zero retreat center this year after it integrates battery storage and geothermal systems with its existing ground-mounted solar array. (Cap Times) 

ETHANOL: The U.S. EPA issues an emergency fuel waiver allowing gasoline blended with 15% ethanol to be sold during the summer despite concerns that it contributes to ground-level ozone in warmer weather. (South Dakota Searchlight)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A Minnesota electric vehicle driver has used a website and app to review nearly 2,100 charging stations over the last seven years. (Star Tribune)

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Dan has two decades' experience working in print, digital and broadcast media. Prior to joining the Energy News Network as managing editor in December 2017, he oversaw watchdog reporting at the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, part of the USA Today Network, and before that spent several years as a freelance journalist covering energy, business and technology. Dan is a former Midwest Energy News journalism fellow and a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and mass communications from University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.