SOLAR: IKEA announces new rooftop arrays at stores in Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois — the one at Minnesota’s store near the Mall of America would be the largest in the state. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

GREEN ECONOMY: A new report finds 22 states have used Clean Energy Funds, a policy tool to help fight climate change, to invest a combined $2.7 billion in the renewable energy sector

SOLAR: Despite the ongoing industry shakeout, two major new solar  manufacturers in Minnesota are thriving. (Duluth News Tribune)

CLIMATE: Yesterday, the EPA unveiled a new interactive database of carbon dioxide emissions, which the agency hopes “will be a strong driver for greenhouse gas reductions.” (The Hill)

COMMENTARY: Maggie Koerth-Baker offers a dose of realism for electric car haters and optimists alike. (BoingBoing.net)

EPA: President Obama tells EPA employees he will stand by their work amid persistent attacks from Republicans. (The Hill)

HIGHWIRE: Why unproven health fears still persist around transmission line projects.

COAL ASH: Officials say a bluff collapse at a Wisconsin power plant sent less coal ash into Lake Michigan than previously estimated, but none of that waste can be recovered. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

INFOGRAPHIC: Oil production under President Bush vs. President Obama. (The Energy Collective)

WIND: MidAmerican Energy plans to build 176 new wind turbines in Iowa this year, and a research buoy in Lake Michigan finds promising potential for offshore wind. (Des Moines Register, Muskegon Chronicle)

HIGHWIRE: This year’s mild winter feels nice, but it also foretells future climate challenges for the region’s forests.

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This week's energy stories included news about IKEA's rooftop solar plans, the potential of offshore wind, and a new tool from the EPA that helps you find the carbon polluters in your neighborhood.