Energy News Network

NEW: U.S. power companies want the EPA to immediately roll back regulations on toxic coal ash and rescind Biden-era enforcement actions.

More rooftop solar power would bring down costs for all #Wisconsin consumers and reduce reliance on planned gas plants. Advanced Energy United recently submitted an amicus curiae brief to a Wisconsin appeals court, asking the court to clarify that third-party solar ownership is allowed in the Badger State. United Director John Albers talked with Energy News Network about the benefits of these third-party plans, which make solar power more affordable and accessible.

AI companies are investing in ways to fill their huge power demand. Will the arrival of energy efficient DeepSeek scramble their plans? In this week’s newsletter, we dig in:

Wisconsin solar advocates hoped a family’s fight to access third-party solar would pave the way for its legalization in the state — but then the family moved.

“We’ve seen warnings for the last couple years both in PJM and MISO of potential brown-outs,” said association president Mark Denzler. “When there are challenges, the first folks they ask to reduce load are industries. Transmission projects are one place where the state has the ability to work on making sure we have reliability.” Read more (via Energy News Network): https://ow.ly/JYmj50UKnSO

A lack of transmission lines is holding up Illinois’ clean energy transition. Advocates and experts see an innovative way to get them built.

In North Carolina, wood pellet plants are plaguing neighbors with dust and noise as they make fuel for power plants. And when that fuel is shipped to Europe, it’s spreading carbon pollution as well.

The Rural Minnesota Energy Board has worked for nearly 30 years to solidify a stable, predictable permitting environment in southwestern Minnesota. It produces a win-win scenario: Reducing uncertainty for developers and maximizing economic benefits for local communities.? ? Frank Jossi with Energy News Network covers the story. ? https://lnkd.in/et-6c-yd

Lower-income communities are often hit hardest by energy bills and extreme weather events, yet access to net-zero, energy-resilient homes remains a luxury. The City of Milwaukee is flipping this script by building net-zero homes for low-income buyers who could benefit greatly from the energy cost savings and climate resilience. In September, DOE announced a $3.4 million grant that will go toward Milwaukee’s construction of 35 homes on vacant lots in disadvantaged neighborhoods and supporting manufacturing capacity to make prefabricated wall panels for net-zero homes. Milwaukee city leaders are partnering with RMI, Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, and The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning to coordinate and scale this innovative idea into reality. "Bringing back manufacturing while leveling up the home-building capacity of the city feels very congruent with the spirit of Milwaukee," says RMI's Lucas Toffoli. By demonstrating what's possible locally, Milwaukee is setting an example for cities nationwide. Check out the full article from Energy News Network to learn more about how this project is transforming housing, jobs, and hope in the city: https://lnkd.in/e5JF93vn

Solar and wind projects often run into roadblocks in rural areas. For more than 30 years, a collective of local leaders has helped southwest Minnesota avoid the same pitfalls.