Columbus
Energy News Network
St. Paul, Minnesota’s public schools are tapping geothermal to cut emissions and building costs
Geothermal heating and cooling is emerging as a go-to technology for St. Paul Public Schools as it seeks to renovate aging facilities in line with the district’s climate action plan. Minnesota’s second-largest school district is also one of the city’s largest property owners, with 73 buildings containing more than...
Ohio landowners say solar opposition groups threaten their property rights
A pair of cousins who want to lease land for a contested solar project in central Ohio say a vocal minority is trying to interfere with their property rights. “I have rights as an owner, farmer and investor that shouldn’t be limited by a small group of individuals who are opposed to any solar development,” said Richard Piar. He and Ethan Robertson jointly own two parcels of property in Knox County, which they want to lease to developer Open Road Renewables for the proposed 120 megawatt Frasier Solar project.
Months after devastating floods, Vermont renews efforts to aid climate-friendly rebuilds
Overnight in early July last year, Vermont solar installer Bill Chidsey got a call that a grocery store he worked with in his village of Hardwick was flooded. He arrived to find feet of water in the Buffalo Mountain Market’s utility room, spilling over from the rising Lamoille River in a record-breaking rainstorm.
A Boston grocery store could become a proving ground for a new approach to equitable community solar
A group of energy equity advocates in Boston is launching a community solar cooperative they say could be a scalable model for both reducing carbon emissions and building wealth in disadvantaged communities. The Boston Community Solar Cooperative is in the pre-development stage of an 81 kilowatt solar project on the...
What’s the future of gas? In Minnesota, utilities have to share 10-year visions
No one knows what a gas utility will look like a quarter-century from now, as many states near deadlines for their 2050 climate goals. In Minnesota, though, state regulators will soon expect utilities to at least have a vision for the next decade. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission voted last...
How a Virginia company is helping homeowners navigate energy efficiency – and add up the rewards
In his quest for a net-zero emissions house, Tim Leroux has already achieved gold status. But he’s not content to rest on those energy-efficiency laurels. The Albemarle County homeowner is itching to reach platinum. And he believes a heat pump upgrade will eventually punch that ticket. For guidance, the...
Here’s how North Carolina could cut climate emissions two-thirds by 2030
A new North Carolina climate plan outlines actions that would help curb greenhouse gas pollution by nearly two-thirds by 2030 — surpassing a state goal and meeting scientists’ recommendations for how to avoid the worst impacts of global warming. The state is already on pace to cut emissions...
Maine replaces bill to halt natural gas expansions with plan to study industry’s future role
State legislation to halt expansion of natural gas infrastructure in Maine as soon as next year has been cut back into a package of studies that contemplate the role of gas in the state’s energy future. Environmental advocates hope these studies will prove that continued reliance on gas is...
Parsing legal definitions, power industry pushes back on EPA coal ash enforcement
A legal debate over semantics of the U.S. EPA’s 2015 coal ash rules could decide whether groundwater-soaked coal ash can remain in place next to an Ohio power plant. In oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia last week, power companies argued the rules don’t specifically ban coal ash contact with groundwater, and that as a result the federal agency overstepped its mandate in 2022 when it ordered the closure and cleanup of a coal ash impoundment at the General James M. Gavin Power Plant in Cheshire, Ohio.
Connecticut will tap clean energy technology to find emission-cutting efficiencies on grid
Connecticut regulators have approved the first round of pilot projects in a new program aimed at accelerating innovation across the electric grid. Seven tech companies have received the go-ahead to partner with utilities Eversource or United Illuminating to test the potential of their hardware or software to help decarbonize the state’s electric grid.
Minnesota ‘innovation plans’ call on gas utilities to imagine their clean energy future
Climate and clean energy advocates weighing in on CenterPoint Energy’s ideas to decarbonize its natural gas business in Minnesota applaud the effort but say it falls short of what’s needed to meet the moment. The state’s largest gas utility submitted an “innovation plan” last summer to the Minnesota...
As bikeshare struggles elsewhere, promoters hope Youngstown, Ohio, can make it work
As an economically struggling Midwestern city of approximately 60,000, Youngstown, Ohio, doesn’t exactly fit the prototype for a micro-mobility hotspot. But after a soft launch of four docking stations near Youngstown State University last fall, YoGo Bikeshare is set for a ribbon cutting in downtown Youngstown on March 23, boasting 30 e-bikes and 45 docking stations in various locations in and around downtown, just south of the university.
The Midwest’s grid operator is planning a massive new transmission buildout. Will it be enough?
The Midwest’s regional transmission grid operator this week announced another multi-billion dollar phase of transmission line projects as part of a four-part push to improve reliability and reduce curtailments. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) unveiled plans Monday for what’s known as its “Tranche 2” portfolio, which includes plans...
New Hampshire solar projects face widespread delays trying to connect to power grid
When conveyor belt manufacturer Wire Belt opened its new facility in Bedford, N.H., last fall, the company looked forward to saving money and fighting climate change with a 2,400-panel solar array installed on the roof. Four months later, however, Wire Belt’s solar panels lie dormant as the company waits for...
Ohio utility regulators’ decision disenfranchised apartment renters, consumer advocate says
Ohio’s public advocate for residential ratepayers wants the state’s high court to reverse a decision that blocked it from fully participating in a case it says adversely affected the rights of more than 1,000 people living in apartments. The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel was denied intervenor status in a...
As Massachusetts solar growth lags, stakeholders debate changes to state incentives
Climate advocates, public officials, and the solar industry are asking Massachusetts to update its solar incentive program to reignite slowing growth in the sector while making the system fairer and more effective. The Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program hit its fifth anniversary in late 2023, and the state has...
Minnesota coalition seeks to remove barriers to building power lines along highways
A coalition of labor and environmental groups is putting its support behind perennial Minnesota legislation meant to lift a barrier to building power lines in the rights-of-way of federal highways in the state. NextGen Highways is a national collaboration that promotes co-location of utility infrastructure in existing highway corridors as...
Scientists warn a poorly managed hydrogen rush could make climate change worse
As the federal government rolls out billions of dollars in subsidies to produce hydrogen fuel for use in vehicles, factories and power plants, a growing body of evidence is undercutting its clean credentials. The U.S. Department of Energy recently awarded $7 billion to seven regional hydrogen production hubs, on top...
With federal funds flowing, weatherization industry prepares to fill the gaps
A new weatherization jobs resource hub in Wisconsin is part of advocates’ effort to avoid the boom-and-bust cycle that followed previous increases in federal energy efficiency funding. Green Workforce Connect is a program of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), which recently rolled out the platform in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania,...
Rebooted commission could breathe new life into bills challenging Virginia’s largest utility
Virginia clean energy champions have their fingers crossed that members of a resurrected legislative commission won’t water down four utility-focused bills when they meet in the off-season to reshape the failed measures for next year’s General Assembly. The rebooted Commission on Electric Utility Regulation, created to provide Virginia’s...
Energy News Network
621+
Posts
1M+
Views
The Energy News Network is a nonprofit news site dedicated to keeping influencers, policymakers and citizens informed of the important changes taking place in the transition to a clean energy system.
The leading platform for local news and information.
By using cutting-edge technology that learns users’ preferences to curate tailored content for them, NewsBreak gathers community-focused news and information from over 10,000 sources in a timely, accessible, and easy-to-use way at no cost to users.
NewsBreak does not allow any content that expresses hate or promotes false information. Instead, we strive to give businesses, communities, and users accurate and reliable local news and information. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
For more information, please see our Terms of Use and Community Standards.