3 March 2025 • Supported by

GRID

• Illinois legislation aiming to build 3 GW of energy storage and speed up transmission permitting is meant to prepare the grid for an influx of renewable energy and marks the state’s third significant bill in less than a decade to facilitate the clean energy transition. (Canary Media)
• Minnesota regulators reject Amazon’s request for a permit waiver to add 250 backup diesel generators at a proposed data center, saying the tech giant must prove they are needed under state regulations. (Star Tribune)
• First Energy’s pipeline of potential data centers has expanded in the last few months to total roughly 3 GW of new demand by 2029, executives say. (Utility Dive)

COAL

• Ohio lawmakers’ latest attempt to repeal coal plant subsidies passed during the HB 6 corruption scandal has the support of the Republican House speaker, unlike earlier attempts. (Canary Media)

PIPELINES

• In court testimony, the Dakota Access pipeline operator accuses Greenpeace of providing supplies and training in 2016 to protesters who disrupted construction on the project, while nonprofit executives say the group only played a supporting role in the demonstrations. (North Dakota Monitor)
• Greenpeace asks the North Dakota Supreme Court to move the Dakota Access pipeline trial from the county where the protests took place, arguing that a jury wouldn’t be able to render a fair verdict based on several jurors’ negative views on the protests. (North Dakota Monitor)

RENEWABLES

• A new Minnesota law set to take effect this summer could cut the permitting time for connecting wind, solar and transmission projects to the grid by six to nine months, eliminating a key barrier to clean energy development, advocates say. (New York Times)

SOLAR

• A developer withdraws its proposal for a 500 MW Ohio solar project with agrivoltaics after state regulatory staff recommended blocking the plan. (WOSU)
• A Chicago solar developer sees continued strong demand for projects despite the Trump administration’s efforts to scale back clean energy incentives and favor the fossil fuel industry. (Chicago Sun-Times)

WIND

• South Dakota regulators approve plans for a $621 million, 68-turbine wind project located near a previous phase completed in 2021. (South Dakota Searchlight)
• Some residents living near a proposed utility-scale wind project in north-central North Dakota raise concerns over potential nuisances, and effects on animals and property values. (Grand Forks Herald)

UTILITIES

• Ann Arbor, Michigan, officials are expected to vote tonight on whether to move forward with a $2.7 million study on potentially taking over DTE Energy’s grid serving the city, which the Detroit-based utility says would raise rates by 40%. (WEMU)

MATERIALS

• Northern Minnesota environmental advocates long opposed to new copper mining near the Boundary Waters have renewed concerns as the Trump administration looks to boost U.S. copper mining. (Associated Press)

CLIMATE

• A coalition of young conservative activists hope to make inroads with Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration on climate issues. (E&E News)

BIOFUELS

• The Trump administration grants requests from South Dakota and Ohio to delay year-round sales of higher blends of ethanol, while six other Midwest states will move forward next month. (Reuters)