Major Midwest port decarbonizes

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

CLEAN ENERGY

• The Port of Cleveland has started to decarbonize its operations with help from Biden-era grants for about 2 MW of solar, battery storage, and numerous charging ports for cargo-handling equipment. (Canary Media)

UTILITIES

• Minnesota regulators unanimously approve Allete’s sale to a BlackRock subsidiary, saying it’s in the public interest despite objections from consumer and environmental advocates with concerns about higher rates and clean energy commitments. (MPR News)

• The deal signifies a larger trend of private firms investing in public utilities as the industry stands to benefit from surging demand for electricity. (E&E News)

CLIMATE

• North Dakota will stop studying ways the state can address climate change without harming its economy under an EPA-funded program started by the Biden administration. (Bismarck Tribune)

PIPELINES

• Multiple Republican candidates for Iowa governor say they would support legislation that bans the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines as the topic continues to play a prominent role in state politics. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

COAL

• Xcel Energy seeks a 19% rate increase in North Dakota to pay for updated infrastructure and what one regulator criticizes as a move away from coal-fired power. (North Dakota Monitor)

• Indiana environmental activists say the Trump administration’s plan to invest $625 million to revive the U.S. coal industry threatens renewable energy’s role in meeting growing demand while harming communities’ ability to transition from the industry. (Chicago Tribune)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• A growing number of automakers pursue bidirectional EV charging that can provide power back to the grid during periods of high demand, though some experts say pilot programs have failed to advance for more than a decade. (E&E News)

• Michigan’s latest annual spending budget removes $1 million in administration costs to start transitioning the state’s fleet of 14,000 vehicles to EVs. (MLive)

BIOFUELS

• Expanding U.S. production of sustainable aviation fuel could cut climate pollution while providing a lifeline for ethanol producers confronting tariffs and the growth of electric vehicles, according to a new research paper. (E&E News)