Ohio law labeling gas as ​‘green’ could move to other states

OHIO:
• Ohio’s new law labeling natural gas as ​“green energy” was pushed by a pair of dark money political groups that are urging other states to follow suit. (Washington Post)
• The FBI’s corruption investigation surrounding House Bill 6 overlapped with another corruption investigation in the state related to sports betting legislation. (Cleveland.com)

SOLAR:
• Large solar projects are expected to be the primary source of new renewable generation in Michigan as wind projects draw public backlash. (Bridge Michigan)
• Since 2019, 30 solar projects have been proposed or brought online across Wisconsin that could generate more than 4,000 MW. (HNG News)
• An eastern Ohio county could receive up to $900,000 in annual revenue-sharing payments from a proposed 100 MW solar project. (Herald-Star)
• Northern Illinois city officials table plans for a 7-acre solar project at a technology park over siting concerns. (Bureau County Republican)

ELECTRIFICATION: Some developers say a plan under consideration in Ann Arbor, Michigan to ban gas connections in new buildings would shift too quickly and result in higher construction costs. (MLive)

WIND:
• An Alliant Energy subsidiary is building a facility near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that will recycle decommissioned wind turbine blades. (Des Moines Register)
• Environmental groups and tech companies push back against MidAmerican Energy’s proposed $4 billion wind energy investment, saying the money could be better spent on other technologies. (E&E News, subscription)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A planned $4.4 billion electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Ohio would be AES Ohio’s largest customer. (Ideastream)

CARBON CAPTURE:
• Two carbon pipeline developers have filed a total of nine lawsuits in Iowa seeking favorable judgments allowing land surveyors to access properties for proposed projects. (Sioux City Journal)
• An Indiana ethanol plant and a developer are seeking regulatory approval to capture carbon emissions from the plant and inject them into a nearby well. (S&P Global)
• Opposition builds in central Illinois toward a developer’s plan for an interstate carbon capture pipeline. (Center Square)

NUCLEAR: The Nebraska Public Power District will study the state’s potential to host small modular nuclear reactors. (Omaha World-Herald)

OIL & GAS: Michigan is set to receive $25 million in federal funding to advance cleanup work on more than 400 orphaned oil wells across the state. (Bridge Michigan)

GRID:
• An eastern Iowa city seeks state and federal funding to offset the costs of a nearly $20 million grid resilience project to bury power lines. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
• Both General Motors and Ford will participate in programs allowing electric vehicles to act as ​“virtual power plants” and transfer stored power to the grid during high demand periods. (Michigan Radio)

UTILITIES: Ohio regulators are expected to decide soon whether a major energy aggregator has the capacity to continue operating. (FOX 8)

EMISSIONS: University of Michigan researchers say the Great Lakes region could be a world leader in the voluntary carbon offset market and generate up to $783 billion in revenue by 2050. (MLive)

TRANSPORTATION: A Detroit company plans to produce 5,000 electric bikes this year as demand is expected to grow sharply. (Bridge Detroit)

COMMENTARY:
• The head of a regional economic development organization says a 1,300 MW solar project under development could spur job creation and investments in northwestern Indiana. (Times of Northwest Indiana)
• Electric cooperative and clean energy officials say Iowa lawmakers should avoid knee-capping solar development with legislation that would ban projects on land with above-average corn suitability. (Des Moines Register)