Agrivoltaics grow in Minnesota

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

SOLAR

• Minnesota’s growing number of agrivoltaics projects offer a win-win for the state as it pursues a 2040 carbon-free target while looking to keep agricultural land productive. (MinnPost)

DATA CENTERS

• Nearly 20 communities across Ohio resoundingly voted to rein in or reject data center development in last week’s election, as opponents push state lawmakers to pass a year-long statewide moratorium. (Ohio Capital Journal)

COAL

• A federal emergency order keeping a western Michigan coal plant online is set to expire this week, as the Trump administration appeals a court ruling that vacated its initial order. (Michigan Public)

UTILITIES

• Wisconsin regulators approve a roughly 7% rate increase for We Energies to support new generation and energy storage projects, a smaller-than-requested increase that included lowering the utility’s rate of return. (Wisconsin Watch)
• We Energies’ rate increase approval pushes city of Milwaukee officials to approve a feasibility study on acquiring the utility’s local assets and creating a publicly owned utility. (WTMJ)
• South Dakota regulators approve Black Hills Energy’s latest residential rate hike to fund infrastructure upgrades and rising operating costs, as a separate surcharge request is pending to cover costs of a new $320 million gas plant. (South Dakota Searchlight)

RENEWABLES

• DTE Energy’s latest five-year spending plan includes $23 billion for 7.6 GW of solar and wind energy and 2.7 GW of energy storage, along with 2.1 GW of natural gas. (Utility Dive)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) says the state should continue investing in companies and technology that underpin the EV industry, even after some of the state’s EV backing has been scaled back, delayed, or abandoned. (Crain’s Detroit)

OIL & GAS

• Hundreds of Ohio drivers file complaints with the state claiming gas retailers aren’t passing on the full savings of a recent gas-tax holiday law, which had been amended before passing to limit enforcement actions. (Signal Ohio)

COMMENTARY

• With a Democratic trifecta, Wisconsin officials should adopt a 100% clean electricity standard by 2050 and require utility integrated resource planning as top priorities, an environmental advocate writes. (Wisconsin Examiner)