Solar panels at the Audubon Center of the North Woods near Sandstone, Minnesota. (Photo by CERTs via Creative Commons)
Minnesota’s new solar law: Looking beyond percentages
Minnesota's new law requires investor-owned utilities to get 1.5 percent of their energy from solar power by 2020. But the law contains other provisions that will help boost the state's adoption of solar energy.
Suppliers follow Wal-Mart’s lead to reduce carbon emissions
Even as the largest private electricity consumer in the United States, Wal-Mart found that 90 percent of its emissions came from its chain of suppliers.
Wind energy forecasting takes new steps forward
On the Great Plains, the gusts ahead of a strong cold front can deliver thunder, lightning, hail and downpours. Also: A surge in electricity from wind farms big enough to make the power grid go haywire if it caught utilities off guard.
Can state harvesting guidelines keep biomass sustainable?
As a Midwest biomass group promotes a goal of drawing 10 percent of the region's heating energy from wood fuels by 2025, more questions are sure to arise about whether that amount of fuel could be harvested sustainably.
Fix for Illinois renewable law faces utility opposition
Support in the Illinois legislature is slowly growing for a proposal that backers say will save ratepayers millions while freeing up state renewable energy funds currently sitting unspent.
Ohio group creates statewide energy efficiency fund
Factors leading to Midwest gasoline price spike not seen as long-term trend • Musk tells climate advocates to turn tables on skeptics • Towns along scenic stretch of Mississippi River seek frac sand mining ban • Michigan lawmakers raise concerns about Ontario nuclear waste site
