Fear of losing ag land stokes Midwestern solar opposition

SOLAR: Opponents of utility-scale solar projects mobilize in dozens of rural Midwest communities, with some swayed by misinformation and others concerned about losing their region’s idyllic character. (Grist)

ALSO:
• An eastern Iowa county board remains undecided over plans for a large-scale, $250 million solar project. (WQAD)
• A northern Indiana city receives a SolSmart silver designation for its efforts to streamline and support solar installations. (Times of Northwest Indiana)
• Michigan State researchers develop transparent solar panels that are already being deployed and offsetting power use on a campus building. (Detroit News)

TRANSMISSION: Michigan’s top utility regulator says the state stands to benefit from a planned interstate transmission line that would bring more power into the Lower Peninsula. (Michigan Radio)

UTILITIES:
• FirstEnergy fights to extend the timeline for it to produce documents related to a federal corruption investigation. (Ohio Capital Journal)
• Local aid organizations in southern Indiana are struggling to keep up with growing demand for utility bill assistance as energy prices rise. (Courier & Press)

BIOFUELS: President Biden is expected to announce today the temporary allowance of summertime sales of gasoline blends with 15% ethanol to combat high gasoline prices. (MPR News)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: Residents in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood gathered Monday to mark the two-year anniversary of the botched demolition of a former coal plant smokestack that created lingering public health concerns. (Chicago Sun-Times)

WIND: A Kansas utility continues to investigate a transformer failure that’s caused a wind project to temporarily halt production. (KOAM)

NUCLEAR: A southwestern Michigan community advisory panel meets tomorrow to discuss economic impacts of the impending closure of a nuclear power plant there. (Holland Sentinel)

CYBERSECURITY: A Missouri House lawmaker urges investments in grid security following testimony from a former CIA operative about the risk of cyberattacks from Russia. (KRCG)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: General Motors enters into a multi-year agreement to source cobalt for electric vehicle batteries that will help the automaker bring 30 new electric vehicles to market by 2025. (Detroit Free Press)

CLEAN ENERGY: Illinois clean energy jobs are expected to rise in the coming years, particularly in the solar installation and services sector, according to a nonprofit’s new report. (Intelligencer)