Energy News Roundup: Great Lakes Shipping Industry Calls for Decarbonization Funding

In the Great Lakes region, shipping ports are striving to cut carbon emissions to meet global climate targets, yet ships docking there feel neglected by government incentives aimed at environmental improvements. With only one U.S. freighter meeting top EPA marine engine standards, shipping companies face decisions on adopting new fuels and technologies, underscoring the need for targeted federal funding.

Meanwhile, Michigan’s DTE Energy plans a groundbreaking 220-megawatt battery storage facility at a former coal plant site, aimed at bolstering renewable energy goals by 2026, though recent analyses reveal slow job creation relative to $1 billion investments in electric vehicle and battery manufacturing.

Despite growing energy generation and data center demands in the region’s cool climate, some utilities justify new natural gas plants, sparking debate on renewable energy’s potential versus fossil fuels. Biofuel refineries in the Upper Midwest, highlighted in a new report, emit comparable air pollutants to traditional petroleum refineries, including significant formaldehyde emissions.

In broader energy news, Illinois debates carbon pipeline laws, Ohio’s political landscape challenges new emissions rules, and local barriers hinder renewable projects, while Michigan researchers explore wave energy for electricity generation in Lake Michigan.