An energy storage first 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.

STORAGE

• Minnesota regulators approve the state’s first standalone battery storage installation, a 150 MW project meant to store wind and solar power to be released during high demand periods. (MPR News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Michigan needs a roughly $1 billion investment into 66,600 electric vehicle chargers around the state to meet anticipated demand for EV drivers, a Michigan State University study finds. (Detroit News)

• Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa is leading an effort to strip federal funding for the U.S. Postal Service’s transition to an EV fleet to save taxpayer money, though industry observers say the move would have the opposite effect. (Associated Press)

OVERSIGHT

• The head of Indiana’s consumer advocacy office is retiring, giving Gov. Mike Braun the opportunity to appoint an official with direct oversight on utility issues that go before regulators. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

SOLAR

• Minnesota officials say the Trump administration’s effort to terminate a $62 million Solar for All grant allocated to the state will raise electricity bills for low-income ratepayers and jeopardize clean energy jobs. (Detroit Lakes Tribune)

COAL

• A northeastern Illinois city rejects a proposal to extend a contract with the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency over concerns about the power supplier’s reliance on coal. (Shaw Local)

OIL & GAS

• An oil leak from a train car derailment in Wisconsin has been contained and one track has been reopened, though an investigation into the cause of the incident remains ongoing. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

DATA CENTERS

• The developer of a massive southeastern Michigan data center hopes to alleviate residents’ growing concerns about electricity and water use as it joins other proposed projects in the area. (MLive)

UTILITIES

• Some GOP Illinois lawmakers criticize a recent state law banning utility shutoffs during extreme heat and cold for its potential to raise utility bills for all other ratepayers. (Center Square)

BIOFUELS

• Nebraska is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the sustainable aviation fuel market because of the state’s existing ethanol production along with rail infrastructure, blending terminals, and pipelines, business leaders say. (Nebraska Public Media)

• Gevo officials say they are prioritizing plans for a sustainable aviation fuel plant at a site in North Dakota that they say is attractive for its carbon capture capabilities. (Ethanol Producer)

COMMENTARY

• Ohio leaders have failed to hold fossil fuel companies accountable while actively courting the industry for investments, which will cause the public to pay the costs for climate-related damages, a columnist writes. (Cleveland.com)

NEW FROM CANARY 

• Trump admin tightens vise on wind and solar with new tax rules — Jeff St. John

• Deadly blast at US Steel plant highlights need to clean up the industry — Maria Gallucci

• A universal adapter for solar, batteries, EVs, and microgrids is here — Jeff St. John

• As hurricane season returns, Puerto Rico’s grid still struggles — Kathryn Krawczyk