ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A Chicago City Council committee approves an ordinance requiring certain new commercial and residential buildings to have at least 20% of parking spaces ready for EV equipment. (Chicago Sun-Times)
SOLAR:
• Solar accounted for 40% of all new U.S. generating capacity in 2019, its highest share ever and more than any other electricity source, according to a new report. (Solar Power World)
• The Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council says rooftop solar installers face an “existential threat” as utilities near caps on customers who can participate in net metering or distributed generation programs. (E&E News, subscription)
• A suburban Chicago high school plans to install nearly 3,000 solar panels that will offset 40-45% of the building’s electricity usage. (Chicago Daily Herald)
PIPELINES:
• An Enbridge official discusses permits and approvals still needed to replace and expand the Line 3 pipeline through northern Minnesota. (Park Rapids Enterprise)
• Minnesota regulators cancel public meetings this week on the Line 3 pipeline and all other meetings for the next two weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak.. (Pioneer Press, news release)
POLICY: Minnesota lawmakers’ efforts to pass clean energy legislation this year may be stymied by the coronavirus outbreak. (Star Tribune)
CLEAN TECH: Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois restricts access to employees only and asks others to cancel visits for the next 30 days. (Science)
GRID: U.S. grid operators say no substantial effect on electricity demand has occurred yet as the coronavirus has spread, but that could change. (E&E News)
WIND: Developers complete a two-turbine, 5 MW wind project to service a production plant in southwestern Minnesota. (North American Windpower)
COMMENTARY:
• The Indiana NAACP calls on Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb to veto legislation the group calls a “social safety net” for the coal industry. (TheStatehouseFile.com)
• It’s increasingly cheaper to build wind and solar than run coal plants and risk stranded assets, a Forbes writer says.