Judge deals setback to only major wind project planned in Wisconsin

WIND: A judge in Wisconsin deals a setback to the only major wind farm being planned in the state over noise standards. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

SOLAR: Minnesota communities are struggling with the rapid uptick in applications for community solar gardens. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

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FRACKING: In a surprise move, the city of Youngstown, Ohio files a complaint with the state Supreme Court in support of putting an anti-fracking ballot proposal before voters. (Youngstown Vindicator)

NUCLEAR: Exelon will have to decide next month whether to close its struggling Quad Cities nuclear plant. (Chicago Tribune)

EFFICIENCY: A federal grant is helping small Iowa communities navigate the complexities of energy audits and efficiency savings. (Midwest Energy News)

OHIO: PUCO chairman: ​“The utility of the future looks a lot different from the utility of today.” (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

CLIMATE: General Mills plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 28 percent by 2025 across its entire supply chain, investing $100 million in energy efficiency and clean energy. (Associated Press)

SOLAR: DTE Energy starts construction on a 750-kw solar project in southeast Michigan. (The News-Herald)

BIOFUELS: Plans for an $11 million biofuel production facility near Dayton would be the ​“first of its kind” in Ohio. (Dayton Business Journal)

GRID: FERC rejects complaints from two energy companies seeking to change the way PJM does its capacity auctions. (RTO Insider)

NATURAL GAS: Regulatory staff in Ohio recommend fining a natural gas company $400,000 for its role in a house explosion in March. (Columbus Business First)

COAL:
• U.S. coal generation declined more than 14 percent in the first half of 2015 compared to last year, slumping to levels not seen since the early 1980s. (SNL)
• FirstEnergy is preparing to demolish a century-0ld coal plant along the shoreline in Cleveland. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

COMMENTARY:
• Alliant Energy’s plans for a solar research park is good news for solar development in Wisconsin after taking a hit last year. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
• ​“Surely … there must be a better place to bury nuclear waste” in all of Canada than six-tenths of a mile from the Great Lakes. (MLive)
• PUCO should reject FirstEnergy’s ​“bailout” request. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Consumers Energy is ​“making all the right moves” with the community as it prepares to close a major coal plant along the West Michigan lakeshore. (MLive)

CORRECTION: An item in Friday’s digest misidentified the state where a co-op is lobbying to stall the Clean Power Plan. It is in Minnesota, not Wisconsin.