Midwest states led clean energy charge in 2023

Midwest Energy News is taking a holiday break and will return in the new year. Thank you for reading, and happy holidays!

CLEAN ENERGY: State-level clean energy policies had a strong year in 2023 as Democrats in states like Minnesota and Michigan treated climate action like a political asset. (E&E News)

ALSO: A Minnesota agency overseeing the state’s clean energy transition adds 64 positions to its staff of roughly 90 to help manage new state energy-related programs and capitalize on federal funding opportunities. (Energy News Network)

OIL & GAS: U.S. gas utilities serving more than 35 million customers offer builders and contractors incentives to keep fossil fuels in new buildings, part of a longstanding relationship that could impede electrification. (The Guardian)

CLIMATE: Challenging previous claims of the Midwest as a climate haven, a new report says the region can expect an increase in climate abandonment, particularly from high-flooding areas, over the next 30 years. (Planet Detroit)

WIND: A Cleveland-area company aims to grow the market for its benches, picnic tables and other outdoor furniture crafted from recycled wind turbine blades. (Energy News Network)

BIOGAS: Biogas digesters are receiving a growing share of federal rural clean energy program funding coming into Wisconsin, as critics question the climate benefits of the technology. (Tone Madison)

NUCLEAR: The owner of a southwestern Michigan nuclear plant is contesting its property tax assessment which, if lowered, could cost the state and local governments millions of dollars in tax revenue. (WSJM)

WORKFORCE:

• Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer responds to critics of the state’s clean energy laws by noting that the state will help workers in legacy industries obtain skills for renewable energy jobs. (WLUC)
• State grant funding will help a central Illinois college retrain workers from two nearby shuttered coal plants on low-emission diesel engines. (WCBU)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• U.S. gas-electric hybrid vehicle sales soar as electric vehicle sales grow slower than automakers’ forecasts. (Associated Press)
• Issues with securing vendors, lagging infrastructure and cold-weather performance are all barriers to Minnesota transit agencies adopting electric buses. (MinnPost)

SOLAR:

• The developer of a previously denied 175 MW solar project in Ohio is exploring new land outside Dayton for a potential project. (Yellow Springs News)
• A developer secures an $85 million investment from Bank of America to back construction on a 188 MW Indiana solar project that will include pollinator habitats. (PV Magazine)

CLIMATE: The outgoing mayor of Des Moines, Iowa, is appointed to serve as the city’s climate ambassador after leaving office. (KCCI)

COMMENTARY: A Michigan Democratic state representative says the state’s new clean energy laws will boost grid reliability while lowering bills. (Bridge)