Exelon planning new commercial wind project in Ohio

WIND: Exelon is in the early stages of developing its first commercial wind project in Ohio, a planned 200-megawatt project in the northern part of the state. (Platts)

EFFICIENCY: A consumer advocacy group and a clean energy group are pushing Illinois utilities to allow customers to share real-time energy usage data with third parties as a way to increase energy efficiency. (Midwest Energy News)

***SPONSORED LINK: The Michigan Energy Fair announces two new partners: The Sustainable Living Summit 2016 and The Great Lakes Emergency Preparedness Expo, June 24-25, Ingham County Fairgrounds, Mason, Michigan. For complete information go to www.glrea.org ***

NUCLEAR: A federal plan to test whether nuclear waste could be stored deep underground is rebuffed again, this time after local resistance in South Dakota. (Associated Press)

TRANSMISSION: The Missouri Chamber of Commerce urges state regulators to approve the Grain Belt Express transmission line. (KMOX)

SOLAR:
• A growing number of rooftop solar installations in Wisconsin has some talking about the end of the utility monopoly business model. (Wisconsin Public Radio)
• A New Jersey company donates $3 million worth of solar panels to an Illinois school district. (Associated Press)

PIPELINES: Regulators allow construction on the Dakota Access pipeline to take place on tribal land in northwest Iowa, but it must do so by working underground. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)

COAL: Indiana utilities are confronting challenges with storing coal ash amid new federal rules. (WBOI)

FRACKING:
• A federal district judge says the Bureau of Land Management lacks authority to set rules on fracking. (Associated Press)
• Supporters of the Obama administration’s rules for fracking on public and tribal lands say the regulations are overdue and can coexist with state laws. (EnergyWire)

TRANSPORTATION: Columbus, Ohio receives a $50 million federal grant to become a proving ground for ​“intelligent transportation systems.” (Columbus Dispatch)

STORAGE:
• President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers says storage will help deliver greater penetration of wind and solar, ​“dismantling” critics’ longstanding argument that renewables can’t compete with baseload sources like coal and gas. (Washington Post)
• The distributed energy trend can help municipal utilities ​“reinvent” themselves through software-managed energy storage, according to a research and consulting firm. (Utility Dive)

OIL AND GAS:
• Local authorities in a Minnesota community practice an oil spill response. (Winona Daily News)
• A crane accident that killed one worker at an oil well in North Dakota is the second oilfield-related death in the state this week. (Associated Press)
• A new study finds extreme oil prices — whether high or low — may hamper climate change efforts. (Climate Central)

UTILITIES: Ameren Missouri announces pricing for a $150 million public offering to help repay short-term debt. (St. Louis Business Journal)

COMMENTARY:
• A Michigan researcher says the growing solar industry will welcome coal workers ​“with open arms.” (Huffington Post)
• The Twin Cities region is proud of its leadership on transitioning to clean energy. (Pioneer Press)
• One Minnesota county sends a ​“strong message that the use of renewable energy is the future.” (Faribault Daily News)
• Energy proposals in Michigan still ​“need a lot of work” if they want to move the state forward. (Union of Concerned Scientists)