Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.
In this edition: Ohio nuclear plants are getting a taxpayer bailout, Wisconsin tribes receive federal energy grants, manure from Wisconsin farms is being converted to biogas, and there are potential new wind and solar farms on the Great Lakes coasts.
Ohio Gov. DeWine signs bill to bail out nuclear plants, slash renewable energy – The Cincinnati Enquirer
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine passed a bill that will add an 85-cent tax to electric bills starting January 2021 to raise enough money to bail out two nuclear power plants owned by FirstEnergy Solutions. The two plants, Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station and Perry Nuclear Power Plant, are located on the shore of Lake Erie.
Wisconsin tribes get $2.6 million in federal grants for energy independence projects – Wisconsin State Journal
The Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy has granted $16 million to 12 federally recognized tribes in order to encourage more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable projects, two of whom reside in Wisconsin. The Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians and the Forest County Potawatomi Community will receive $1 million and $1.6 million respectively.
Dane manure digester purchased by California-based company to sell biogas – Wisconsin State Journal
A California-based energy company purchased an anaerobic digester in Dane County, Wisconsin, to convert manure produced by nearby dairy farms into biogas, seen as a more environmentally friendly alternative to natural gas. The process would help reduce the nutrient runoff polluting local waterways by recovering the nitrogen and phosphorus from the manure.
Regulators order Peoples Gas to repay $7.2 million to customers – Chicago Sun-Times
The Illinois Commerce Commission ordered Peoples Gas to reimburse customers $7.2 million for excessive charges the natural gas company incurred in 2015 for infrastructure repairs, including the replacement of aged pipes.
DTE Energy proposes purchase of 3 new wind parks in Michigan – The Detroit News
DTE Energy is pursuing the purchase of three new wind parks in Michigan. Two of the wind parks are located in Isabella County with the third one out in Delta County, near the coast of Lake Michigan. The wind parks are expected to offset 890,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually.
SWL&P plans solar garden for Superior – Duluth News Tribune
The city of Superior, Minnesota is looking to install a new 250-kilowatt community solar garden with utility company Super Water Light & Power, but the city’s location on the coast of Lake Superior is limiting location options.
Featured Image: Solar panel farm, Photo by Stuart Anthony via flickr.com cc 2.0
