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Could data centers throttle Michigan’s climate goals?

By Andy Balaskovitz

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CLIMATE: Michigan lawmakers are split over whether to provide new tax incentives for large data centers that critics say would drive up electricity demand and disrupt the state’s climate efforts. (Bridge)

ALSO:

  • Students across the country, including in Minnesota, push to strengthen climate change education in school curriculums as extreme weather increasingly disrupts learning. (Inside Climate News)
  • A local Minnesota sustainability commission raises concerns about Mall of America’s plan for a new water park, which could be a high energy and water user and conflict with the city’s climate action plan. (Star Tribune)

POWER PLANTS:

  • Michigan’s largest municipal utility sues the manufacturer of three gas turbines it says are faulty and have needed tens of millions of dollars in repairs since being purchased two years ago. (Lansing State Journal)
  • Kansas City utility Evergy purchases a $60 million stake in a natural gas plant that it says will increase capacity for Missouri customers without needing to build a new plant. (Kansas City Business Journal, subscription)

RENEWABLES: Renewable energy developers need to work with communities and state policymakers in the Midwest to overcome opposition to projects, clean energy experts said last week at a panel in Minnesota. (Utility Dive)

OVERSIGHT: Michigan regulators went beyond their counterparts in Ohio by disallowing $1 million in excess electricity charges from OVEC’s unprofitable coal plants and requiring the company to disclose more information about their operations. (Checks & Balances Project) 

GRID: Grid operators MISO and PJM agree to seek potential near-term transmission upgrades that could increase power flows between the two territories. (Utility Dive)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Ford has started cutting orders from battery suppliers to stem growing losses on plug-in electric vehicles, which are now estimated around $100,000 per car. (Bloomberg, subscription)

POLITICS: A fuel industry group is launching a $6.6 million advertising campaign in key swing states like Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, targeting Democrats over the Biden administration’s vehicle emissions standards. (NBC News)

UTILITIES: Michigan’s attorney general files formal opposition to DTE Energy’s proposed natural gas rate increase request, which includes nearly $75,000 for jet travel costs. (Michigan Advance)

COMMENTARY: The developer of a 1,300 MW solar project in central Wisconsin says the plan would restore 6,700 acres of grasslands while providing local economic benefits. (Capital Times)

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