Michigan’s EV incentives face growing scrutiny

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A Michigan economic development program that has invested $1 billion in five electric vehicle battery plants faces growing criticism for producing fewer jobs than promised, but backers urge patience. (Bridge)

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ALSO: EV maker Rivian begins opening its rapid-charging network to drivers of all compatible vehicles, including at locations in Illinois and Michigan. (Automotive Dive)

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OIL & GAS: An Ohio panel votes to open hundreds of acres of state parkland for hydraulic fracturing while selecting bids for drilling in a wildlife area. (Columbus Dispatch)

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CARBON CAPTURE: The latest delays for a proposed North Dakota carbon capture project cap a year with few signs of progress for U.S. coal plant owners considering carbon capture retrofits. (Inside Climate News)

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SOLAR: The U.S. solar industry is set to break installation records this year while meeting manufacturing milestones as the Inflation Reduction Act bolsters the industry. (Canary Media)

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NUCLEAR: Some farmers in the agriculture-dominant region of southwestern Michigan are concerned about potential damage to land and water if a shuttered nuclear plant there is restarted. (Investigate Midwest)

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WIND:

• Relatively smaller farms compared to other states and a push toward solar energy has left Wisconsin with less wind energy production than neighboring states, though advocates say the potential is high. (WXPR)
• Iowa farmers with decommissioned wind turbines on their property push for regulations that would require developers to clean up debris after turbines stop producing. (KCRG)

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POLITICS: Labor unions UAW and SEIU announce their support for Michigan legislation that would block utilities from directly or indirectly making campaign contributions to candidates, parties or non-candidate committees. (Michigan Advance)

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CLIMATE: Leaders of Illinois environmental and labor groups seek to find common ground on climate issues like mass transit: “​​We’re going to get more done if we’re aligned.” (Chicago Tribune, subscription)

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GRID:

• Federal regulators reject a proposal that would have given transmission owners in PJM’s territory “undue influence” over transmission planning and expansion in the grid operator’s territory. (Utility Dive)
• Federal regulators order a company to pay $27 million for fraudulently using bogus demand response resources to make offers in MISO’s capacity market. (Utility Dive)

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EFFICIENCY: An Illinois program trains students predominantly in Black and Brown communities for energy efficiency jobs. (Yale Climate Connections)

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BIOGAS:

• The IRS issues final rules for federal biofuel tax credits with updated language that’s more favorable to renewable natural gas projects that refine biogas from landfills and organic waste. (Waste Dive)
• A developer moves forward with plans for a large Northwest Indiana facility that will convert organic waste from the Chicago area into renewable natural gas. (Crain’s Chicago, subscription)

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