Energy

A clean audit of the McLean County Mental Health and Public Safety Fund won't wipe away all the disagreements over how the county spends sales tax money shared by Bloomington and Normal.

After a pause, wind farm development could take a step forward in McLean County, according to County Board Chair Elizabeth Johnston. A battery energy storage system attached to a wind farm is moving ahead in McLean County.

The McLean County Board approved a pair of facilities in the eastern part of the county that will store energy produced when demand is low, and distribute when need is high.

The Ecology Action Center said in its regular greenhouse gas emission inventory report that McLean County reduced emission levels by 10%, and local governments by 15% since 2008. It's equal to more than 200,000 metric tons of emissions.

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican challenger Darren Bailey both appeared at the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable forum at Funk Farms Trust in Shirley.

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association and the Ecology Action Center based in Normal have planned an energy presentation next month to address public concerns about data centers and other factors that may impact the electric grid.

The owner of the home on Fairway Drive said he posted the sign to raise awareness that not everyone opposes the idea of a data center near Bloomington-Normal.

The announcements come as energy providers continue to address rising electricity demand, increased stress on the power grid and concerns about the affordability and reliability of power supplies.

Billions of dollars in wind farm projects all over Illinois are on hold, including two projects in McLean County, two in Peoria County, and one in Tazewell County.

The nonprofit Ecology Action Center projects Bloomington-Normal's utility aggregation program will cost residential customers more money for electricity this year than staying with Ameren.