Untapped solar potential on warehouses

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

SOLAR

• Underutilized warehouse rooftops offer space to build community solar projects in land-constrained cities, though expansion is limited as only a few states allow for shared solar. (Canary Media)

OIL & GAS

• Illinois struggles to reduce the number of orphaned oil and gas wells dotting the state following years of inadequate recordkeeping and companies’ ability to evade liability that then transfers to communities. (Chicago Tribune)

CLEAN ENERGY

• University of Michigan researchers are testing new devices to convert wave energy to electricity for an island in Lake Michigan, as residents seek more stable power sources for critical facilities. (Interlochen Public Radio)

DATA CENTERS

• Data centers could more than double their share of power demand and account for up to 15% of electricity use by 2030 as forecast growth outpaces any efficiency gains, according to a federal laboratory’s new report. (E&E News)

• Michigan Senate Democrats introduce bills that would cap data centers’ water use and require utility contracts to power facilities with 90% renewable energy, among other requirements. (Bridge)

• A proposal for an up-to-$2 billion Wisconsin data center appears to be dead after a developer stopped communicating with a local economic development official. (Wisconsin Watch)

COAL

• A Wisconsin coal plant previously slated for retirement that’s now receiving $19 million from the Trump administration to modernize operations significantly increased its carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emissions last year. (Wisconsin Examiner)

• Indiana environmental advocates say the Trump administration’s proposal to weaken coal ash storage requirements would put public health at risk and reduce transparency around cleanup plans. (Indianapolis Star)

PIPELINES

• A Dutch court rules in favor of Greenpeace, allowing its anti-SLAPP lawsuit against Energy Transfer to move forward as the two sides continue to fight over liability related to Dakota Access pipeline protests. (Inside Climate News)

STORAGE

• A Kansas county commission rejects a proposal to enact a ban on grid battery energy storage systems and data centers, though leaders could revisit the issue if projects are proposed. (KWCH)

UTILITIES

• Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) wants state regulators to reconsider a recent decision approving a $71 million rate increase for AES. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

NUCLEAR

• Developer Elementl Power buys 700 acres along the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio, with plans to potentially build a 1.5 GW nuclear plant. (WOWK)

• Lifting North Dakota’s ban on storing radioactive waste to allow for temporary storage at future nuclear plants is one way state lawmakers are considering attracting nuclear power development. (North Dakota Monitor)

NEW FROM CANARY

• Installing a heat pump might increase the value of your home — Alison F. Takemura

• California solar surged ahead of gas in the first 5 months of 2026 — Julian Spector

• The Iran war sparked a shift toward clean energy. Will it last? — Kathryn Krawczyk