Massive Illinois solar project provides more than electricity

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

SOLAR

• A new solar project in Illinois offsets about 70% of Chicago’s municipal operations, provides lesson plans for Loyola University students and researchers, and is the largest installation east of the Mississippi. (Canary Media)

• The Ohio Supreme Court affirms state regulators’ decision to allow a 350 MW solar project to continue after landowners sued to stop the project. (WOSU)

• Michigan officials have identified roughly 1,000 acres of state-owned forestland that’s potentially suitable for solar development to help meet the state’s clean energy goals and generate revenue for the natural resources department. (MLive)

• A sweeping energy bill passed by Ohio lawmakers this week repealing subsidies for two unprofitable coal plants also will redirect subsidies collected for older solar projects to offer low-interest loans for schools’ clean energy projects. (Cleveland.com)

CLEAN ENERGY

• ComEd since 2012 has operated a clean energy job training program that has prepared a diverse pool of participants from in and around Chicago to help the state meet its ambitious climate targets. (Canary Media)

• Advocates for a federal program that helps farmers and rural businesses pay for clean energy projects push Congress to continue the program in the latest round of budget talks. (E&E News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• The Jeff Bezos-backed startup Slate Auto says it will manufacture its $25,000 electric pickup truck in northern Indiana. (Business Insider)

DATA CENTERS

• New research from Harvard says state regulators should create separate terms and conditions and utilities should eliminate confidential agreements with tech giants to avoid ratepayers subsidizing the costs of new data centers. (Wisconsin Watch)

• Wisconsin is among states offering a sales tax exemption on land, site improvements, I.T., and electricity to help attract data center development. (Wisconsin Watch)

CLEAN TECH

• Market demand shifts and federal policy uncertainty has jeopardized billions of dollars in investments in electric vehicles, hydrogen, and other clean technologies in Michigan. (Crain’s)

COAL

• Indiana officials say the state’s coal ash storage ponds didn’t sustain damage from April flooding, though many of them are located in floodplains and remain a risk, experts say. (Indiana Public Broadcasting)

WIND

• U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican representing Iowa, defends the wind energy that’s benefited his home state after President Trump again criticized the industry during a recent speech in Michigan. (KCCI)

PIPELINES

• A dozen Iowa Republican senators are refusing to vote on budget bills until the state Senate allows a vote on legislation to limit the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines. (Des Moines Register)