Policy support for renewables has been eroding in Ohio for a decade — the most recent example being a project-siting bill signed by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine last month — and is raising doubts about the long-term future of the wind and solar industries there. Renewable developers say the policies don’t bode well for Ohio in the long run. Among large energy consuming states, only California imports a larger share of its electricity. And that trend is poised to continue... S.B. 52 — signed by DeWine last month — could similarly hurt the solar energy’s future in Ohio, or at least parts of the state. The legislation, which passed without a single Democratic vote, gives Ohio counties the power to veto specific projects or make themselves off-limits to renewable energy development altogether. Renewable energy developers must also go to the Ohio Power Siting Board for approval, giving opponents a second chance to kill projects.

Minnesota Power has been ordered to dismantle a wind turbine tower in its Bison 4 wind farm in Oliver County, because it is too close to an occupied residence. The turbine in question is 1100 feet from a farmstead owned by Keith and Deanna Kessler. The company had agreed to have a 1400 foot setback from occupied residences. The company asserted that the farmstead was unoccupied. The Kesslers said the farmstead was occupied part of the time, and that they were paying utility bills and taxes on the property.

The Brunswick Commissioners extended the usual “not-in-my-backyard” thinking to “not-within-27-miles” Monday, voting to oppose construction of wind turbines within 24 nautical miles (about 27 miles) of the county’s shoreline....The unanimous vote at Monday’s commissioners' meeting is a change of direction for the board, which declined to support a similar resolution brought forth by Caswell Beach in 2015. The issue re-emerged recently when, following the lead of Bald Head Island, several other Brunswick beach towns passed resolutions opposing turbines within the 24-nautical-mile range.

Permits for the proposed wind turbine project in Adams and Stanton townships have been denied by the state over concerns of harm to wildlife, including bat and eagle populations, and wetlands.

Augusta votes to limit solar to 200 acres.

Plans for what would have been the largest solar installation in Nevada — a 9,200-acre facility on public land roughly 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas — have been withdrawn by the sponsor, the Bureau of Land Management confirmed Thursday. In an undated letter sent this week to the field manager of BLM’s Las Vegas office, which the agency provided Thursday, the project’s sponsors, Oakland-based Solar Partners VII LLC, said it would withdraw the application “in response to recent communication” with the agency.

he DeWitt County Board approved a controversial motion that is likely to receive pushback from Enel Green Power to cease issuing building permits until proof is shown the wind turbines can be curtailed during severe weather events.

The Butte-Silver Bow Zoning Board on Thursday made the decisive call, voting down a special use permit to build a gigantic 1,600-acre solar array in south Butte 5-0. In their justification, Zoning Board members cited the pure size of the array, saying it would undeniably change the landscape of those who live in the Little Basin Creek area. They said the public’s strong opposition carried weight.

After pressure from Maine lobstermen, Gov. Janet Mills has signed a law that permanently bans the development of offshore wind energy projects in Maine state waters, but it did not come without give-and-take. Under the law, new wind projects are now confined to federal waters.

Officials in one Shiawassee County township have imposed a year-long solar moratorium to prevent any new solar farms from beginning work following a campaign by a local businessman. Hazelton Township officials - along with the township attorney - voted at June’s board meeting to place a moratorium on any developments despite Shiawassee County currently having authority over the township’s zoning and planning.