Iowa farming county gets to ​‘yes’ on batteries

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STORAGE

• Three brothers that sought to host an agrivoltaics project with battery storage on their Iowa farm helped to overturn a local moratorium on battery storage, allowing their project to proceed. (Canary Media)

NUCLEAR

• Constellation Energy and Google’s partnership to add 890 MW of nuclear generating capacity at 11 existing plants in PJM’s territory will rely on upgrading turbines, steam centers, and other infrastructure to boost energy output more quickly and cheaply than building new plants. (Canary Media)

RENEWABLES

• Rural solar and wind development have contributed to higher employment, wages, and GDP in communities that host them, and haven’t significantly diminished agricultural output, according to a new University of Missouri report. (Harvest Public Media)

• A proposed 200-MW solar project that didn’t conform with strict zoning rules in west-central Indiana illustrates the clean energy challenges ahead even if federal policies seek to streamline permitting. (Inside Climate News)

DATA CENTERS

• Four Wisconsin Republicans propose repealing a sales tax exemption for data centers that has so far saved developers $1.5 billion. (Wisconsin Examiner)

• Ohio regulators consider plans for a fourth gas-fired power plant at a business park outside Columbus that would help serve a Meta data center. (Spectrum News)

• Requiring Ohio data centers to get 90% of their power from renewables would create the best economic cost-benefit deal for the state and its residents, according to a public policy analysis firm. (Ohio Capital Journal)

PIPELINES

• Iowa regulators deny Summit Carbon Solutions’ request to streamline its permitting request for a carbon pipeline through the state, which the company says has been unreasonably delayed. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

GRID

• Rising demand from data centers and other large users, along with modernization needs, are driving utility grid investments and higher costs for consumers across the Midwest. (Midwest Newsroom)

SOLAR

• Doral Renewables is set to bring online 900 MW of solar capacity as part of a 1.3 GW project in northwestern Indiana. (Solar Power World)

• Cleveland will finance $17.9 million in solar projects at two former landfills with a nearly $15 million federal climate grant and federal clean energy tax credits. (Cleveland.com)

• Renewable energy developer Zelestra secures $350 million in financing for a 203-MW solar project on reclaimed Indiana coal mining land that’s backed by a power purchase agreement with Meta. (PV Magazine)

EFFICIENCY

• A Minnesota nonprofit that’s developing net-zero affordable housing hopes its model will incentivize developers to pursue similar projects. (MPR News)

BIOFUELS

• Michigan’s Democratic nominee for governor calls for tax incentives to attract biofuel production facilities to compete with other states, becoming the first Democrat to secure an endorsement from the Michigan Corn Growers Association. (WKAR)