Renewable energy stalls despite permitting reforms

Midwest Energy News will not publish tomorrow for the Juneteenth holiday. We’ll be back Thursday.

RENEWABLES: Supply chain and interconnection delays are stalling large renewable energy projects across the Midwest, despite new efforts in Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan to speed up permitting. (Inside Climate News)

POLITICS: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has claimed he didn’t know the extent of FirstEnergy’s dark money support for his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, though text messages show he personally solicited some of the money. (Cleveland.com)

PIPELINES: A federal appeals court approves a request by Michigan’s attorney general to send a lawsuit aiming to shut down Line 5 back to state court, where experts say her effort has better chances of succeeding. (Bridge)

OVERSIGHT: Minnesota utility regulators recently hosted a large conference that was sponsored by some of the entities they directly and indirectly regulate, which critics say creates the appearance that access can be bought. (Star Tribune)

GRID: A northeastern Ohio county utility considers a Cleveland suburb as a new location for a microgrid that would power homes and businesses during broader grid outages. (Cleveland.com)

BIOFUELS: Opposition to carbon pipelines from farmers, environmentalists and property rights groups is among the hurdles corn farmers face as they seek to access new markets, such as aviation, for biofuels. (Associated Press)

COAL: A federal court orders Ameren Missouri to control excess pollution from a coal plant after the utility continues to neglect previous court orders. (Bloomberg Law, subscription)

POWER PLANTS: North Dakota residents living near a proposed natural gas processing plant say state officials need to upgrade traffic infrastructure before the plant is built. (North Dakota Monitor)

WIND: Nebraska’s two longest-operating wind turbines that were installed in the late 1990s are set to come down as they reach the end of their useful life. (Nebraska Examiner)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: UAW members at an Ohio plant that produces battery cells for General Motors ratify a new contract that provides higher wages and better benefits. (Reuters)

COMMENTARY: A clean energy roadmap recently adopted by Illinois regulators to hit targets in the state’s climate law will ensure adequate supplies are added to maintain reliability, clean energy advocates write. (Natural Resources Defense Council)