Minnesota regulators reject Xcel’s $150M EV rebate proposal

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Minnesota regulators reject Xcel Energy’s $150 million electric vehicle rebate proposal, siding with the state attorney general’s office that said it would violate state law and increase energy burden on low-income customers. (Star Tribune)

PIPELINES: A federal investigation and proposed $40 million fine against the owner of the Rover pipeline, which spilled about 2 million gallons of drilling fluid in an Ohio wetland during construction, highlights the shortfalls of federal oversight, critics say. (E&E News)

RENEWABLES: An Illinois agency proposes a long-term renewable energy procurement plan that seeks to ensure equity as developers pursue clean energy projects. (Utility Dive)

SOLAR:
• A developer’s proposed 1,000-acre solar project in eastern Iowa draws both support and opposition from nearby residents. (KWQC)
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory researchers test the durability of solar modules in efforts to understand their life span and efficiency. (Inside Climate News)

CARBON CAPTURE:
• The Iowa House passes a bill that would prevent carbon pipeline developers from using eminent domain for projects until early next year in an attempt to encourage voluntary agreements. (Des Moines Register)
• One of Iowa’s largest oak trees appears to be in the path of a proposed carbon capture pipeline to the dismay of the property owner. (Daily Gate City)
• Hundreds of people attending a public meeting in Sioux Falls, South Dakota oppose plans for a multi-state carbon capture pipeline. (Inforum)
• The developer of a carbon capture pipeline reaches an agreement to transport carbon emissions from a Nebraska ethanol plant to a Midwest storage site. (Natural Gas Intelligence)

CYBERSECURITY: A Kansas nuclear plant was the target of Russian hacking that compromised computer networks between 2014 and 2017, according to indictments unsealed by the U.S. Justice Department. (FOX 4)

UTILITIES:
• A longtime political operative for utilities who serves on FirstEnergy’s board and helps oversee the company’s corporate governance and responsibility is one of six members who will not seek re-election. (Energy and Policy Institute)
• A U.S. House committee launches an investigation into reports of high customer shut-off rates during the pandemic by six utilities, including DTE Energy and Exelon. (Utility Dive)

TRANSPORTATION: Pandemic-induced changes to commuting patterns and rising gasoline prices are just a few of many challenges that are forcing transit agencies to be more nimble. (Minnesota Reformer)

CLIMATE: The University Senate at Ohio State University passes a resolution encouraging the school to advance its carbon neutrality goal from 2050 to 2040. (The Lantern)

COMMENTARY: Achieving ongoing reliable, affordable clean energy ​“is going to be impossible without significant expansions of energy storage,” says the head of an advanced energy group that recently released a storage roadmap for Michigan. (Energy News Network)