Iowa lawmakers seek to end tax that funds renewable energy research

SOLAR: Multiple Midwest states are changing interconnection rules for solar customers, which could likely to cut the time and money required to establish a connection to the grid. (Midwest Energy News)

ALSO:
• Officials unveil a 10-megawatt solar project at a National Guard base in Minnesota, the largest on any National Guard base in the U.S. and one of the largest projects in the state. (Minnesota Public Radio)
• Renewable energy developer Geronimo Energy purchases a 40-acre site near Minneapolis for a community solar garden. (Minneapolis/​St. Paul Business Journal)
• Officials will unveil a 1 MW utility-scale solar project next week near Champaign, Illinois. (Rantoul Press)
• An Indiana Ikea store will soon have the largest retail rooftop solar array in the state. (RTV6)
• Local officials in Traverse City, Michigan question whether the economics are right to justify investing in a utility-scale solar project. (Traverse City Record-Eagle)

***SPONSORED LINK: Stay current on the newest developments in the energy economy by attending the Advancing Renewables in the Midwest Conference April 24-25 in Columbia, Missouri. For registration and details: www.AdvancingRenewables.org.***

RESEARCH: A Republican-led plan in Iowa would eliminate a tax on utilities that raises $5 million per year for renewable energy research at Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. (Associated Press)

WIND:
• An Xcel Energy official says the wind market is maturing due to more efficient turbines that can capture more energy. (Minnesota Public Radio)
• A Michigan lawmaker says the state is unlikely to help resolve local disputes over wind turbine tax revenue. (Huron Daily Tribune)

COAL: EPA administrator Scott Pruitt tells a group of coal miners in Pennsylvania that the ​“regulatory assault” on the industry is over. (Associated Press)

OIL AND GAS: North Dakota oil production exceeded expectations in February, jumping 5 percent to more than one million barrels per day, and production is expected to be ​“very aggressive” this summer. (Forum News Service)

GRID: New supply and lower demand in grid operator MISO’s territory across the Midwest resulted in a capacity auction that had fewer regional disparities seen in the past two years. (RTO Insider)

TRANSPORTATION:
• Columbus, Ohio will host an electric vehicle expo later this month as part of winning the Smart City Challenge. (Columbus Business First)
• Major automakers are geared up to sell more hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, but first the U.S. needs a more robust fueling network. (Associated Press)

PIPELINES: Following the Dakota Access pipeline protests, a North Dakota lawmaker suggests tribes could restore their relationship with the state by helping pay for repairs at a historical site. (Bismarck Tribune)

COMMENTARY: A former Illinois regulator says eliminating the federal ethanol mandate would ​“create jobs, improve the environment, reduce the government deficit, and improve relations with Mexico and our Central American allies.” (Southern Illinoisan)