Retirement is in sight for one of the country’s largest coal plants. Ohio’s James M. Gavin plant, the third most gargantuan in the Midwest and sixth nationwide, will likely be closed or converted to run on gas by 2031, Inside Climate News reported. The two coal plants in the region with more generating capacity — the Gibson plant in Indiana and the Monroe plant in Michigan — are set to retire in 2038 and 2032, respectively, after electric utility Duke Energy proposed a couple of weeks ago to delay the Gibson plant’s closure or conversion by three years from its previous target of 2035.
Plans for a nearly $1 billion gas-fired power plant in Wisconsin have also run into a new snag after the utilities behind the 625-megawatt project asked state officials to rescind its air permit. The project has faced opposition from local tribal leaders and legal challenges from Indigenous and environmental groups. The Sierra Club contested the air permit last year, arguing that it violated state environmental laws. The utilities, which are waiting on federal approvals, have said that they will no longer be able to build the gas plant within the timeframe the permit requires and will decide when to restart the review process “based on project planning and permitting.”
Electric vehicles are a divisive subject in Michigan, a new poll of registered voters found. Michigan has invested more than $1 billion in EV manufacturing. But only about 50.3% of voters in the state think it should “compete aggressively” to be a leader in the sector, while 44.9% do not, according to a new poll from the Detroit Regional Chamber. The split is largely partisan, with Democrats more supportive of EVs, and Independents and Republicans less so.
Meanwhile, General Motors announced last week that it will expand its battery cell development work at its Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, to shorten the time it takes for a new concept to become commercially available. The company anticipates seeing more of a return on its investments in EVs in the years to come.
“We believe our EV losses have peaked this year and we’re focused on significantly improving profitability next year,” CEO Mary Barra told investors.
A new pilot plant in Minneapolis is building iron-and-nitrogen magnets for use in technologies like wind turbines and EVs. The magnets, manufactured by company Niron Magnetics, are intended as an alternative to those containing rare earth elements, a staple of powerful magnets worldwide. Rare earths can be difficult to mine and process, and today’s market is dominated by China, prompting some in the U.S. to find ways around using them.
More energy news, in case you missed it:
- The Trump campaign has invested almost $1 million in a Michigan ad claiming that Vice President Kamala Harris wants to “end all gas-powered cars,” though Harris has said she would not try to force people to drive EVs.
- The three seats up for grabs on the Supreme Court of Ohio this fall could shape how the state handles key energy issues, including the siting of renewables and the continuation of drilling under state parks.
- Backers of the 780-mile Grain Belt Express transmission line are asking the Illinois Supreme Court to reverse a lower-court order blocking construction of the part of the line that passes through the state.
- Illinois will transition to a new residential solar billing structure starting next year under a state law enacted in 2021.
- Corn could be the next big crop at solar farms, despite its intolerance to shade, if the panels are positioned right, new research suggests.
Catch more news at Great Lakes Now:
Energy News Roundup: Kwik Trip goes electric as federal funds flow in
Energy News Roundup: Michigan, Michigan, Michigan
Featured image: Even as coal plants around the country have closed in high numbers, coal ash is left behind and there’s nearly a billion tons of the toxic material. By nature, these coal plants are usually near water, and the leftover coal ash can leach into groundwater affecting drinking water for nearby residents. (Photo Credit: Great Lakes Now)
