Eliminating tax credits could devastate rooftop solar

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

SOLAR

• Eliminating federal clean energy tax credits would devastate Michigan’s rooftop solar industry by doubling the amount of time it takes customers to recoup their costs and jeopardizing businesses, a longtime installer says. (Inside Climate News)

• A Minnesota solar company sues Google for defamation and seeks up to $210 million in damages after an AI overview falsely claims that it was a defendant in a state lawsuit over charging improper fees to customers. (Star Tribune)

• Invenergy starts construction on a 240 MW solar project outside Columbus, Ohio that’s expected to come online in 2027. (Solar Power World)

• A Cleveland business cooperative offers a new six-week solar installation course that helps participants determine new site locations and how to approach property owners about projects. (The Land)

• A new 4.7 MW solar project in northwestern Illinois is part of the state’s community solar and adjustable block grant program. (QC News)

PIPELINES

• Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ veto of an eminent domain bill amplifies tensions among Republicans over carbon pipelines, as some say it could reduce their support for her agenda. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

UTILITIES

• Ohio regulators begin hearings to examine payments made by FirstEnergy during the House Bill 6 power plant bailout scandal, and whether those were made using ratepayer money. (Toledo Blade)

BIOFUELS

• A new report looks at 100 academic studies on biofuels’ impacts, finding that biofuel production is displacing needed land for food crops, driving up emissions, and increasing water scarcity. (Inside Climate News)

GRID

• Michigan regulators want more information on the proposed routes of two transmission lines that have faced pushback from landowners. (Michigan Advance)

• Michigan regulators will require the state’s two largest utilities to take dozens of measures to improve grid reliability following a third-party audit. (Michigan Public)

DATA CENTERS

• The Ohio Senate’s version of a budget bill would end tax breaks for large new data centers that will cost the state $127 million in lost tax revenue this year alone. (Signal Cleveland)

CLEAN ENERGY

• Small-business owners and community leaders from across the Midwest and country press Senate lawmakers to preserve clean energy tax credits that have spurred investments and job creation in their regions. (States Newsroom)

NEW FROM CANARY

• Republicans’ ​“Big Beautiful Bill” puts hundreds of gigawatts of planned clean energy projects at risk of not being built as it threatens to dismantle key tax credits, Dan McCarthy reports.

• Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico joined our live event and discussed Democrats’ push to preserve clean energy incentives in the ​“Big Beautiful Bill” with Volts’ John Roberts.