SOTU: Despite pleas from environmental groups to modify his energy rhetoric, President Obama stuck with “all of the above” in last night’s State of the Union address. In the speech, Obama also re-emphasized that “climate change is a fact.” (The Hill)
EFFICIENCY: How utilities are increasingly turning to school assemblies to help drive energy efficiency at home. (Midwest Energy News)
***SPONSORED LINK: Join the right people to get solar done at the Solar Powering Minnesota Conference on March 7 in St. Paul. Early bird registration ends Friday, so register this week to save! Register and sponsor at growsolar.org.***
ETHANOL: Iowa’s attorney general says the federal government “doesn’t have the authority” to reduce the Renewable Fuel Standard. (Des Moines Register)
COAL: A coal mining company plans a new power plant to supply mines in southern Illinois. It will be powered by natural gas. (McLeansboro Times-Leader)
BIOENERGY: A Wisconsin company is using waste from cheese production to generate electricity, and meetings in North Dakota this week will update farmers on efforts to develop a sugar beet biofuel industry in the state. (St. Croix 360, Associated Press)
FRAC SAND: An online petition seeks to ban frac sand mining in Wisconsin. (Madison Capital Times)
ELECTRIC CARS: A Kentucky man becomes the first to drive a Tesla Model S across the U.S. as the company’s network of chargers nears completion. (San Jose Mercury News)
