American Clean Power Week runs through Friday and a planned project for the North Dakota region, to open up more space on the electric grid, is gaining steam thanks to a new federal grant.

This month, the Department of Energy awarded up to $700 million to those helping oversee the North Plains Connector, a proposed transmission line covering parts of North Dakota and Montana.

Officials said the moves are needed to ensure grid reliability and affordable energy for consumers as the nation transitions away from fossil fuels.

Waylon Brown, regional policy manager for the Clean Grid Alliance, said the new line would accept all kinds of energy sources, including wind.

"As industry demand for electricity continues to grow, it's going to be extremely important that we continue to modernize our grid as a whole," Brown explained.

The demand he referred to includes data centers surfacing around the country, noting having enough available energy can attract such development in local communities. Transmission projects do take several years to complete, with permitting and other factors at play. Brown acknowledged clean energy advocates also need to get more community buy-in for renewables as grid space expands.

Kevin Pranis, Minnesota and North Dakota marketing manager for the Laborers' International Union of North America, predicted the project would create several hundred construction jobs. He also said if additional grid space breaks up the logjam of wind farm development, North Dakota communities could see a wave of jobs installing more wind turbines down the road.

"The renewable industry is creating good local jobs," Pranis pointed out. "That's certainly true in Minnesota. We've seen a lot of progress there in terms of both high-quality family supporting jobs and also jobs available to local workers."

Pranis noted unions like his are trying to convince companies in charge of renewable-energy development to not lean on out-of-state installers. In a coal-heavy state such as North Dakota, he argued it is important if more workers at those facilities need career transitions in the future. North Dakota still has several coal plants operating but it also has the fourth-highest share of wind power for any state.

Recent investments in clean energy from the Biden administration are hitting the ground in Wyoming. Engineering company TerraPower, founded by Bill Gates, recently broke ground in Kemmerer on what the company calls a "next-gen" nuclear reactor that it says will create energy more efficiently and safely.

The company aims to have the $4 billion project operational by 2030. TerraPower's project and others are getting federal boosts from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which provide billions of dollars for clean-energy projects through grants, loans and other incentives.

Shannon Heyck-Williams, associate vice president, climate and energy with the National Wildlife Federation, said Wyoming is slated to receive a good chunk of that funding.

"In Wyoming, $3.5 billion in private sector commitments and $4.1 billion in public investments in clean energy, infrastructure and manufacturing have all happened largely due to the passage of these two big pieces of legislation," she explained.

The U.S. Department of Energy is funding part of TerraPower's project to the tune of $2 billion. The laws also provide for projects at community and home scales, including investments in electric vehicles and charging stations, electric school buses and credits for homeowners transitioning to clean energy.

TerraPower estimates the project will generate enough power for up to 400,000, while creating 1,600 construction jobs and 250 careers. That's critical for communities such as Kemmerer.

"Every time a new manufacturing facility is created or retooled, that means new jobs for people, especially important in certain areas of the country that maybe have a declining economy related to fossil fuels or other sorts of older manufacturing," Heyck-Williams said.

The construction site is near a coal-fired electricity plant owned by Pacificorp and slated for retirement in 2036, according to the company's 2023 plans.

Natural gas is an unpredictable source of affordable energy, Ohio experts said, as more communities work to electrify homes and buildings to lower costs in the long-term and invest in renewable sources.

One Dayton nonprofit is even helping low-income residents swap out gas appliances for electric ones.

Aileen Hull, community engagement coordinator for the Dayton Energy Collaborative, said her organization is working through grant funding to expand the number of households eligible for free electrification, home repair and weatherization programs.

"Especially if you have gas-powered appliances, you're creating on-site carbon emissions, and that's not helpful for the health of the home, nor the neighborhood," Hull contended. "It's directly related to people's health."

Ohio was awarded $249 million in federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act, to offer rebates to residents for home energy efficiency projects. The Ohio Department of Development's Office of Energy and Environment is hosting upcoming virtual and in-person public feedback sessions on the program's design and implementation. Information is online at development.ohio.gov.

Nat Ziegler, program manager for the coalition Power A Clean Future Ohio, said the unpredictability in prices, including extreme volatility and highs in 2022, have raised concerns about the sustainability of relying on natural gas. Ziegler added federal tax incentives are expanding options for people who want to electrify their homes and boost energy efficiency.

"There are not only market dynamics that are making electricity much more affordable than natural gas, but there are also particular programs and policies that are coming online soon in Ohio that will continue to accelerate that transition to more affordable electricity," Ziegler explained.

Jon-Paul d'Aversa, senior energy policy adviser for Power A Clean Future Ohio, said expanding the state's renewable energy sources is one way to keep costs down and reduce emissions. He pointed out solar and wind have good track records for supplying cost-effective electricity.

"When you dig into the numbers, you start to see a few interesting things," d'Aversa observed. "One is that the price of electricity is really consistent, so it's something that folks can rely on when you have bills and you're trying to plan."

Local governments can reduce energy costs through "aggregation," or the process of collectively buying electricity from a specific source at a lower price. The coalition has developed a toolkit with resources to help communities get started.

Public hearings are scheduled this month as Minnesota regulators consider a permit for a proposed pipeline to transport carbon emissions from ethanol plants.

Skeptics say an environmental assessment tied to the application has shortcomings.

The maze of underground pipes crossing several Midwestern states would be what's described as the largest carbon capture project in the world.

The company behind it wants permit approval for a 28-mile stretch in northwestern Minnesota. The state just released a Final Environmental Impact Statement before the decision is made.

Peg Furshong, and organizer with the environmental group CURE, said they're not satisfied with language like "impacts will be minimal," and need more details.

"We should not be rushing out the gate, because this is the first-of-its-kind project," said Furshong, "and we want to get it right."

Opponents worry about a pipeline rupture and the project draining water sources.

When asked for comment, the Commerce Department referred to the assessment, which says the project could result in a net benefit in reducing emissions, depending on certain variables.

But it acknowledges public safety risks if there's a rupture. The hearings are scheduled for August 20 and 21.

The Public Utilities Commission will lead those meetings and will decide on Minnesota's permit. Despite predictions of emission reductions, Furshong said she's still skeptical.

"When you figure out how much energy it takes to actually capture carbon," said Furshong, "it takes more energy to convert the gas to a liquid and put it in a pipeline than it does to actually make ethanol."

The applicant, Summit Carbon Solutions, won permit approval in Iowa, but has seen regulatory hurdles in other states. It says the emissions would be stored underground in North Dakota.

Summit has long touted environmental improvements and economic opportunities it feels the project would create.

The company still has to apply for a permit for another stretch of proposed pipeline in Minnesota.




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