Minnesota utilities test clean hydrogen projects

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Ford plans to invest $3.7 billion and add 6,200 factor jobs in Michigan, Ohio and Missouri as it prepares to build more electric vehicles. (Associated Press)

ALSO:
• It remains unclear what level of tax incentives Ohio is providing for its $1.5 billion share of the investment into an electric vehicle manufacturing plant. (Ohio Capital Journal)
• Evergy estimates more than 10,000 electric vehicles are now operating in the Kansas City area, and the utility is ​“preparing the grid alongside that transition.” (KCTV)
• Illinois will launch an electric vehicle and home charging station rebate program as the state seeks to have 1 million EVs on the road by 2030. (WBEZ)

HYDROGEN: CenterPoint Energy launches a small hydrogen plant in Minneapolis that’s powered by renewable energy, while Xcel Energy is planning a similar pilot project at a nuclear plant. (Star Tribune)

AIR POLLUTION: The Biden administration sues a DTE Energy subsidiary that produces coke for steelmaking, alleging the company is increasing sulfur dioxide emissions without obtaining permits or installing pollution controls. (MLive)

RENEWABLES: More than 80 new wind and solar projects came online in the first quarter of 2022 across the U.S., helping to boost renewables’ output to 23.5% of U.S. electricity generation. (Inside Climate News)

PIPELINES: The North Dakota Supreme Court rejects a pipeline developer’s request to rehear a case that determined documents involving the Dakota Access pipeline operator and a private security firm are public record. (Dickinson Press)

SOLAR:
• Last year brought a spike in interest to develop solar projects on capped landfills across the U.S. (TIME)
• East Lansing, Michigan, plans to use $220,000 in federal pandemic relief funding to install solar panels at its public works building. (WKAR)
• A 2.8 MW community solar project is completed roughly 55 miles west of Chicago. (Solar Power World)

GRID: The U.S. Department of Energy partners with utilities, grid operators, clean energy developers and state and tribal governments on a new initiative to speed up the grid interconnection process and facilitate clean energy developments. (Utility Dive)

OIL & GAS: A Congress member from Ohio introduces a resolution to designate natural gas as a ​“green” and ​“clean” energy source. (Newark Advocate)

COMMENTARY:
• ​“Contrary to the fearmongering of the fossil fuel industry,” the solution to the anticipated electricity supply crunch in MISO’s territory this summer is more clean energy, not less, says a clean energy advocate. (Natural Resources Defense Council)
• Rural Missouri landowners deserve to be compensated fairly for large-scale transmission projects that are built on their property through eminent domain, an editorial board writes. (Columbia Missourian)