While the PUC will ultimately rule on net metering, a group of interested parties—including the state’s utilities and the Granite State Hydropower Association—agreed on a settlement that calls for the rate to stay the same for two years.

The settlement also calls for the electric utilities to file a NEM time-of-use rate two years from the approval of what they’re calling NEM 2.1. In response to claims that NEM shifts costs to non-solar ratepayers, the settlement calls for the utilities to impose application fees for net metered projects to reduce the administrative costs borne by non-net-metering customers. Fees suggested range from $200 to $1,000 per project.

The state’s leading clean energy advocacy group, Clean Energy NH, has sent a rallying cry in support of the settlement. Executive director, Sam Evans-Brown told pv magazine USA that he’s hopeful that the commissioners won’t cut the current compensation rate, but he said “we have seen with this commission that they are hostile to certain types of utility programs. This was most evident in their order in the Energy Efficiency docket from 2020, which was overturned unanimously on a bipartisan basis by New Hampshire lawmakers.”

Much evidence has been entered into the record for Docket 22-060, yet Evans-Brown said in the past, the order in the previous docket was not based on any evidence that was entered into the record, so Clean Energy NH is afraid that history may repeat itself.

The history of net metering in New Hampshire goes back to 1998 when NEM, a policy that provides credit to rate payers on utility bills for the amount of solar energy sent to the grid, was first enacted in New Hampshire. At the time it supported both solar generation as well as small-scale hydropower and it provided net credits at the retail rate which was 17 cents per kWh.

In 2017 NH’s NEM was cut to around 14.7 cents per kWh for small (<100 kW) systems and 10 cents per kWh for large projects compared to between 13 and 25 cents per kWh in Maine, and about 16 cents per kWh in Vermont.

Source: Clean Energy NH

While the net metering rate has been low in NH, the cost of electricity is high. New Hampshire currently has the 8^th highest electricity rate in the country, averaging 23.1 cents per kWh.

Furthermore, while solar would ease this cost burden for many ratepayers, the state is not known as a solar energy powerhouse. The state currently gets 1.94% of its electricity from solar, compared to neighboring Massachusetts that gets 23.75% of its electricity from the sun. NH and is ranked 41^st in the nation according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. That rank is expected to drop to 45^th over the next five years.

If the NH PUC chooses to reduce or eliminate net metering in New Hampshire, solar in the state may be affected. pv magazine USA spoke with Dan Weeks, vice president at ReVision Energy, New Hampshire’s largest solar installer. Weeks said that net metering has been “the critical foundation for thousands of families, plus housing authorities, nonprofits, businesses, and towns to go solar and get at least a portion of the value that they provide to the grid back in net metering credits.”

Weeks noted that right now net metering in NH is good through 2040, which is only 15 years away. With 20 years being the “minimum accepted duration for investing in projects,” he said ReVision is hoping the PUC leaves net metering in tact and extends the duration.

“We think that’s a very modest task,” said Weeks. “And the fact that all of the regulated utilities, as well as the consumer advocates, plus industry and environmentalists are in alignment should make it an easy decision for the PUC commissioners. But we’re also reading the signals showing that they could go in a very drastic direction, and that concerns us very much.”

California’s current solar conundrum is an example of what could happen to New Hampshire’s solar market. The updated net metering rule that was implemented in April 2023, called NEM 3.0, cut compensation for exported rooftop solar generation by roughly 80%. Since then interconnection queues show an 80% drop in installation applications. The California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA) reported that nearly 17,000 rooftop solar jobs, about 22% of the workforce, were lost this year as a result. Solar Insure, which backs many installation companies in the state, told pv magazine USA that its data shows 75% of solar installers are now in the “high risk” category following CPUC’s decision to implement NEM 3.0, with SunPower being the most notable bankruptcy among many.

Comments on the potential rate change can be emailed to ClerksOffice@puc.nh.gov. Clean Energy NH advises that comments be sent by August 30, 2024.

Most states with renewables targets are meeting them Nearly all states with a renewable portfolio standard have met or nearly met their current standard. Four states have yet to meet their solar carve-out requirements.

U.S. module manufacturers seek “critical” retroactive tariffs Led by First Solar and Hanwha Q Cells, U.S. solar module manufacturers have filed allegations with the Commerce Department, citing “critical circumstances” and suggesting increased module imports due to their previous lawsuit filings.

12 GW of utility-scale solar deployed in first half of 2024, doubling 2023  The Energy Information Administration reports that 20.2 GW of electricity generation capacity was deployed in the U.S. in the first half of 2024, with solar energy leading and energy storage also seeing significant deployments. Fossil fuel retirements exceeded new fossil constructions more than tenfold.

We must onshore the supply chain With the introduction of the American Tax Dollars for American Solar Manufacturing Act earlier this month, senators are trying to close this work-around and put American manufacturing back on a level playing field. 

U.S. solar car race success for two Canadian teams Solar car teams from Canada outperformed in two categories of the latest Electrek American Solar Challenge.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA), the U.S. connected 20.2 GWac of utility-scale power plants to the grid during the first half of 2024. This capacity includes 12 GW from solar power, which represents 59% of the total additions. Additionally, 4.2 GW of this new capacity was attributed to energy storage.

Florida and Texas led the nation in utility-scale solar development, contributing 38% of the new solar capacity. Notable projects include the 690 MW Gemini Solar facility in Nevada, which integrates solar and storage, and the 653 MW Lumina Solar Project in Texas.

Energy storage was the second most significant technology by capacity with a total deployment of 4.2 GW. California led the charge, contributing 37% of the total energy storage capacity, followed by Texas (21%), Arizona (19%), and Nevada (13%). Together, these states accounted for 90% of the energy storage capacity added, with the 380 MW battery at the Gemini facility being the largest of the period.

Fossil fuel retirements far outpaced new fossil capacity deployments. The EIA noted that 5.1 GW of capacity was retired, with 53% from methane (2.7 GW) and 41% from coal (2 GW). In contrast, only 0.4 GW of new gas capacity was deployed.

The U.S. energy sector’s growth trajectory is expected to continue its upward trend. For the second half of the year, the EIA forecasts an additional 42.6 GW from new capacity deployments, including 25 GW from solar and an additional 10.8 GW of energy storage. Combined with the first-half capacity of 12 and 4 GW, the nation could finish 2024 with 37 GW of new utility-scale solar and 15 GW of new energy storage facilities.

Is 37 GW real or a mirage?

Whether we can actually reach the projected record capacities of solar will be dependent on politics. The nation is currently debating the imposition of new AD/CVD tariffs, which if implemented at the rates suggested by the filers, would lead to the United States paying three times the international price for solar panels. Historically, similar AD/CVD tariffs led to delays and cancellations for about 20% of utility-scale solar capacity in 2022.

Solar industry analyst Roth MKM has suggested that developers are proceeding cautiously, potentially deferring some 2024 projects to 2025 due to these tariff risks. Just last week, U.S. module manufacturers filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce seeking critical retroactive tariffs.

In 2023, the U.S. added just over 18 GW of utility-scale solar, according to the EIA. Including all capacities, from residential to utility-scale, Wood Mackenzie significantly adjusted their capacity estimations upward to just over 40 GWdc of solar power deployed in 2023. At the start of 2024, the EIA projected about 36 GWac of new utility-scale solar capacity. Combined with small-scale solar projections from various groups, it was suggested that nearly 53 GWdc of new solar capacity might be deployed in the United States in 2024. The EIA indicated that if the current pace continues, then 37 GW of utility-scale solar will be deployed in 2024, more than doubling last year’s record capacity.

Two years ago, the Biden Administration and Congress worked together to begin the process of reshoring solar manufacturing.

For the last 20 years, China has been working hard to secure a monopoly over this critical technology. While China has mostly succeeded, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created a set of incentives to get us back in the game. But, one critical piece may undermine our progress – we are letting China-headquartered companies locate final manufacturing in the United States, taking advantage of those same incentives while preserving their supply chain monopoly over the fundamental components.

Fortunately, with the introduction of the American Tax Dollars for American Solar Manufacturing Act earlier this month, senators are trying to close this work-around and put American manufacturing back on a level playing field.

Solar energy was invented in the United States, but right now nearly all of it, and about 99% of the fundamental component (the wafer), is being manufactured elsewhere, specifically, by Chinese-controlled companies. As our government works to invest in clean energy, we’re incentivizing companies to build back their operations in the U.S. so Americans can benefit from good-paying jobs, foster innovation from our world-leading R&D abilities, and establish energy independence in the critical technologies for our future.

Congress created a remarkably far-sighted system to reshore solar, batteries and wind technology. Policymakers not only created supply-side incentives in the advanced manufacturing production incentive that encourage manufacturers to build big factories quickly, but they paired them with demand-side incentives to give developers who use the products a bonus if they buy the products of those factories as they build solar and wind farms.

Unfortunately, the guidance for that bonus issued by the Treasury Department so far has missed the mark and has now become one of the biggest obstacles to jumpstarting the onshoring of American solar manufacturing. As it stands, Chinese companies can continue to leverage their monopoly power over the fundamental components of solar, produced with weak environmental and labor protections as well as massive direct subsidies, and sell to projects claiming the “domestic content bonus.” The clock is ticking to get this right as billions of investment dollars and thousands of jobs in solar manufacturing hang in the balance. In a very real sense, the future of solar energy depends on it.

China has dominated the solar manufacturing sector for a decade, and they’ve done it using a familiar playbook to those of us who’ve watched what the OPEC cartel has done to oil markets. OPEC’s ability to control price was legendary and it wasn’t limited to keeping prices high. Much more importantly, they could crash prices when they wanted to in order to run out competition. From “heavy oil” in Venezuela, to oil sands in Canada, to fracking in the US, OPEC has demonstrated again and again that you can either join them like Venezuela or be run over, with the attendant economic crash that people in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas have seen many times over.

Now, China is doing the same thing in solar – as we are currently seeing the lowest prices in history, far below production cost – to stifle our manufacturing renaissance before it gets a chance to take off. Stymying competition and, thus, innovation is chapter one of the cartel playbook and China has perfected their execution.

Look no further than our friends across the pond: nearly all of the European solar manufacturers have closed operations due to insufficient protections from below market Chinese products. Many are even looking to the United States, but that will quickly change if our policies don’t keep pace.

To build a robust solar supply chain in the United States, our government must prove that we have the backs of our manufacturers. Companies will not invest here if they do not think they will be protected. How are U.S. manufacturers supposed to compete when China is setting prices far below the cost of production?

The fact is, international competition is not for the faint of heart. Our companies can hold their own, but only if the government has their backs and helps build the foundation for successful competition. This means leveraging our strengths; our unmatched innovation apparatus, strong investor base, and our brutally efficient market that forces constant improvement. But this only works if we don’t ignore the fact that China simply doesn’t have a free market economy.

Unlike the U.S., where most of our economy is us selling products and services to each other, their entire economic system requires exports, because their consumer class doesn’t have the ability to support their economy. This means, the U.S. government must work to produce a level playing field for U.S. manufacturers through the three legged stool of production support, demand incentives, and tariffs and other trade remedies. For the first time in several generations, we’re on the path to building the supports our economy needs to thrive in these all-important industries – as long as we don’t lose our will to succeed,

No one action can unwind the years of investment that Chinese-headquartered solar firms have made to control the solar industry, but we must act now with every tool at our disposal. By updating the domestic content bonus, enforcing smart trade policy, and standing up to the Chinese-controlled monopoly trying to protect their dominance by doing the minimum possible in the U.S. we can reshore the domestic solar supply chain, ensure the United States is clean energy independent, and secure a future for solar manufacturing in America that will benefit workers, businesses and the environment.

 Mike Carr is the executive director of the SEMA Coalition. Prior to joining SEMA, Carr served as the principal deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the senior advisor to the director of energy policy and systems analysis at the U.S. Department of Energy from 2012 to 2015.  Prior to serving the President at DOE, Mike served as Senior Counsel to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources from 2004 to June 2012. He holds a law degree, with a Certificate of Specialization in Environmental and Natural Resources Law, from Lewis and Clark College and a Bachelor’s from the University of Colorado – Boulder.

Solar panel manufacturers First Solar, Hanwha Q Cells, Meyer Burger, Mission Solar, REC Silicon, Convalt, and Swift Solar, grouped under the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee (AASMTC), have filed a new complaint by the Wiley Rein law firm with the U.S. Department of Commerce alleging increased solar panel imports from Vietnam and Thailand as a result of the Alliance’s prior antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) legal filings.

The AASMTC, citing “critical circumstances,” has filed for retroactive tariffs on all solar panels imported since their filing in April.

The filing states that, due to the April AD/CVD actions, “several China-based companies operating in Thailand and Vietnam appear to have actively accelerated their U.S. solar exports, likely to evade impending duties.” The filing suggests that solar module imports from Vietnam have increased by 17%, while those from Thailand have grown by nearly 40%. In total, the increase relative to the prior months was about 2.6 GW of module capacity.

At the beginning of 2024, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and other groups suggested that the U.S. might install 53 GWdc of solar in the upcoming year. If realized, this would represent a 32% increase over the 40 GW of solar deployed in 2023.

Roth MKM, a solar industry analyst, provided insights on the complexities of the situation with an industry lawyer:

The data Wiley is using is not accurate, as it includes product subject to Solar I (i.e., the China case, because of circumvention). So, we have to wait to see what the accurate data says. And, even if DOC ultimately goes affirmative, the ITC also has to reach an affirmative finding, and the ITC rarely finds critical circumstances. So, this will cause (is already causing) havoc in the industry, but will likely turn out to be a flash in the pan.

In 2022, the EIA reported that the threat of AD/CVD tariffs had prompted delays or the cancellation of around 20% of utility-scale solar generation capacity. Solar industry analyst Roth MKM has suggested that solar developers are currently slowing project deployments due to the AD/CVD tariff risks associated with solar module procurement, pushing 2024 installations into 2025.

If the Department of Commerce were to implement the tariffs suggested by the group, it would lead to the United States paying three times the international price for solar panels. ACORE (American Council on Renewable Energy) president and Chief Executive Officer Ray Long said a finding of AD/CVD violation “could unintentionally cede U.S. leadership in the solar industry to other countries.”

Last week, the Biden administration maintained a 14.5% tariff on imported solar cells and increased the volume of cells allowed from 5 GW to 12.5 GW to keep up with growth in solar module manufacturing facilities.

All but three of the 29 states plus DC that have a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) are meeting their current targets, according to an analysis by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Vermont’s current RPS target of nearly 60% is the highest of any state, as shown in the featured image above, provided in the analysis. Every bar in the image without a light blue segment at the top means that state has met its current RPS.

The study says that “large shortfalls” in New York and Illinois are “expected to close” as contracted projects come online.

The study counts a state as meeting its RPS if the state’s utilities have retired renewable energy credits (RECs) equal to the amount of the RPS requirement. States award RECs for renewable power generation.

A state may also permit utilities to comply with its RPS by submitting “alternative compliance payments.”

Delaware’s “large shortfall,” the study says, is due to its low cost for alternative compliance payments compared to other states in the region.

Puerto Rico is not included in the analysis but also has a large shortfall in meeting its renewables target. The territory stands at 12% renewables, compared to its current target of 20% by 2022.

Solar carve-outs

Of the 15 states plus DC that have RPS carve-outs that require a certain amount of solar and/or distributed generation, all but four have met or nearly met the goals, as shown in the nearby image.

 Drivers

While the study says that “parsing out the incremental impact of individual drivers” for the growth in renewables generation is “challenging,” it observes that RPS policies have been a “larger driver” of renewables deployment in three regions:

• The Northeast, where almost all renewable capacity additions—mostly onsite and community solar in recent years—are serving RPS demand
• The Mid-Atlantic, thanks to solar carve-out capacity and RPS-certified projects with corporate power purchase agreements, which “potentially sell RECs into compliance markets”
• The West, where added renewables are driven by “aggressive” long-term RPS and clean energy standard (CES) targets throughout the region, and where non-RPS additions are mostly onsite solar.

Regions where RPS standards have been a “smaller driver” are:

• Texas, which achieved its final RPS target in 2008, so that all renewables growth since then is not influenced by the RPS
• The Midwest, where there is “lots of wind development,” some of which is contracted to utilities with RPS needs
• The Southeast, where renewables growth is primarily driven by utility procurement and qualifying facilities under the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA).

In all but two regions, renewable generation well exceeds the combined RPS targets for the states in the region, as shown in this graph from the study:

Ultimate targets

Across the 29 states plus DC with an RPS, 16 have ultimate RPS targets of at least 50% of retail electricity sales, and 4 have a 100% RPS. Sixteen states have adopted a 100% clean energy standard, which can be met by renewables and typically also nuclear and hydroelectric generation as well.

RPS and CES policies will require 900 TWh of new clean electricity by 2050, the study says, “equivalent to roughly 3x the historical rate of RPS buildout.”

Berkeley Lab is hosting a webinar on August 28 to present the study’s complete findings. The study is titled “U.S. State Renewables Portfolio & Clean Electricity Standards: 2024 Status Update.”

Which solar inverter manufacturers are most financially stable?  Sinovoltaics, in its latest financial stability ranking of inverter manufacturers lists Hoymiles, Eaton and others at the top. 

Biden issues new proclamation on solar cell tariffs  Tariffs on solar cells remain, but volume increases from 5 GW to 12.5 GW.

What happens when solar is installed without homeowner’s permission A Connecticut couple and several companies including Sunrun have been sued by the state’s Attorney General for forging signatures, faking a voices, and unlawfully installing solar panels on a home without the owners’ consent.

Ebon Solar to invest nearly $1 billion in U.S. solar cell factory The solar cell manufacturing facility is to be located in New Mexico and expected to bring over 900 jobs to the area.

IRA 2-year anniversary: A look at its successes and failures David Burton, attorney with Norton Rose Fulbright and specialist in energy tax law, looks at tax credit transfer, domestic content, energy communities, prevailing wage and more.

A look at IRA successes and failures David Burton, attorney with Norton Rose Fulbright and specialist in energy tax law, looks at tax credit transfer, domestic content, energy communities, prevailing wage and more.

Jimmy Carter, champion of solar energy At the age of 92, President Carter’s dedication to solar energy came full circle when his family decided to convert 10 acres of their peanut farm into a 1.3 MW solar farm.

Making perovskite solar PV circular from the start Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory researchers used a circular economy framework to determine how to scale, deploy, and design metal halide perovskite solar panels to be easily recyclable in the future.

Heliene to procure U.S.-made solar wafers from NorSun The NorSun wafers will be supplied from the company’s planned 5 GW wafer factory in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

It has been two years since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), and like any complicated and multi-faceted policy, the IRA is a mixed bag of successes and failures. Let’s start with the successes.

The IRA created a tax credit transfer market, and it is thriving.  Our firm has closed almost $5 billion in tax credits transfers across over 40 deals. For our deals, the high price is 97 cents on the dollar and the low is 83 cents on the dollar. Much of the difference in price depends on the quality of the indemnity that backstops the buyer’s purchase of the tax credits. The high end of the range has investment grade indemnitors/guarantors or a tax credit insurance policy, while the low end of the range has an unrated indemnitor that is not backstopped by tax credit insurance.

The Treasury issued final regulations about tax credit transfers, but “the credit” really goes to Senator Joe Manchin (I-WVa) who decided that such things were better handled by the private sector than the IRS. In contrast, the activity around “direct pay” (i.e., a refund from the IRS) for tax-exempt project owners, clean energy component manufacturers, carbon capture and hydrogen projects is anemic. The eligible participants are, generally, avoiding direct pay due to concerns about the time it will take the IRS to process the direct pay requests and potential haircuts.

Tax credit transfers have been a success despite Treasury’s regulations consistently favoring tax policy over stimulating clean energy. Examples of that include the approach to the passive activity loss rules that limit the ability of individuals to buy tax credits that is even stricter than the passive activity loss regulations themselves: the transfer regulations preclude an election to “group” hours for an individual to reach the active threshold, while the passive activity loss regulations actually allow such an election for activities the combination thereof is an “appropriate economic unit.”

Further, Treasury’s regulations prohibit combining a lease pass-through (also known as an inverted lease) investment tax credit election with transferability (or direct pay), even though that election is provided for in the tax code.

The other gaps in the Treasury regulations are (i) that we don’t know whether the IRS is going to audit tax credit buyers or sellers (sellers make more sense, but buyers have the money) and (ii) we don’t know whether transaction costs for tax credit transfers are deductible.

Further, Treasury’s online registration portal is backed up, and Treasury is telling registrants that it can’t process registrations for 2024 until October because it has 2023 registrations it needs to process before the extension the buyers and sellers of tax credits that accrued in 2023 have to file their 2023 tax returns are up in September for partnerships and October for corporations.  The resourceful tax credit transfer industry is finding ways to work around these issues.

A related goal of the IRA was to democratize tax equity. The IRA has made progress in that direction but has not fully succeeded.  Thinly capitalized solar developers may be able to access the tax credit transfer market after paying a tax credit insurer, a tax credit transfer broker, a law firm and for investment credit deals, an appraiser.  While well-capitalized solar developers can probably pull it off with a law firm and for investment credit deals an appraiser.  Thus, the well-capitalized developers likely raise five cents or more on the dollar versus their thinly capitalized competitors.  It may sound small, but over time it compounds and leaves the well-capitalized miles ahead.

The 10% tax credit adder for projects built in “energy communities” appears to have been mostly successful. For the most part, developers are able to determine whether their projects qualify for that adder and are able to monetize the adder in the tax credit transfer market. This is due to Treasury publishing guidance that is relatively clear and based on objective standards. Further, we are seeing projects developed on closed coal sites and in communities with a history of significant fossil fuel employment.

At the moment, the 10% domestic content tax credit adder is a split decision.  The domestic content adder appears to have spurred the construction of a flurry of factories making solar modules and batteries, but most of those factories are not online yet.

Treasury’s original guidance on the domestic content adder was unworkable. To address that safe harbors were promulgated for solar, onshore wind and batteries. The safe harbors for solar and onshore wind seems to be viable. There is some cautious optimism about the safe harbor for storage. Technologies like geothermal heat pumps, fuel cells, renewable natural gas and offshore wind do not currently have a safe harbor and find themselves unsure about how to determine eligibility for the domestic content tax credit adder.

IRA failures

Grab a stiff drink and let’s turn to the IRA’s failures.  First, based on anecdotal evidence, the prevailing wage and apprentice rules are not creating much value for the nation.  Most folks building solar projects are already being paid wages not much different than the Department of Labor’s prevailing wage due to a tight market for skilled labor.  Therefore, the prevailing wage rules are burdening the solar industry with concerns about a foot fault in their record-keeping resulting in large penalties or worse yet a reduction in the tax credits a project is eligible for by 80%, while not stimulating higher wages for skilled tradesman needed to build solar and other clean energy projects.  It has created a cottage industry for consulting and accounting firms to verify the appropriate wages are being paid, but the nation was already facing a shortage of accountants.  Let’s not even discuss the shortage of tax lawyers.

In terms of apprentices, it appears most projects are qualifying for an exemption from the apprentice requirements because apprentices are not available. Therefore, the well-intentioned rules do not appear to be spurring America’s young people to forego video games for learning a trade. Thus, the apprentice rules create a concern for project developers and their contractors about a costly tax credit foot fault while not spurring a renaissance in the trades.  If solar and the other clean energy technologies are needed to save the planet from climate change, should we be burdening projects deploying these technologies with cumbersome requirements that are not resulting in more skilled tradesmen?

Finally, there are the proposed investment tax credit regulations.  Those regulations fail to clearly answer some basic questions the industry has been asking for years like how much of a solar parking canopy qualifies for the investment credit.  Further, Treasury has gone out on a limb requiring all equipment integral to a project to have a common owner and only allowing tax credits for repairs and upgrades if less than 20% of the improved project has its origins in the original equipment.

However, the investment credit regulations appear to have what is something of an unexpected gift. The Department of Energy (DOE) seems to have prevailed upon the Treasury to broadly interpret the rule about the investment credit for interconnection costs.  The apparent motivation for this is to spur improvements to the nation’s anachronistic grid.

The statutory allowance for the investment credit on interconnection costs has a 5 MW capacity threshold. However, the proposed regulations appear to say that threshold is applied at the inverter level for solar and the turbine level for wind. For instance, it appears that a solar project that most industry participants would say has 200 MWs of capacity (i.e., it exceeds the 5 MW threshold) would qualify, so long as no inverter is serving 5 MW or more (e.g., there are 50 inverters each serving 4 MW).  This interpretation appears to have been confirmed by the proposed section 48E regulations (i.e., the tech neutral investment credit).  However, many law firms’ tax opinion committees are by nature conservative and are waiting to bless “will” level opinions under the traditional section 48 until Treasury confirms the favorable interpretation in the final section 48 regulations.

The implementation of the IRA has resulted in a range of policies outcomes. However, as is usually the case, the nimble and creative have faired well, while concerns about whether the nation is doing enough to address existential threat of climate change remain unabated.

David Burton is a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright. He advises clients on a wide range of U.S. tax matters, with an emphasis on project finance and energy transactions. He has extensive experience structuring tax-efficient transactions for wind and other renewables with particular expertise with respect to flip partnerships and sale-leasebacks. Earlier in his career, David was the managing director and senior tax counsel at GE Energy Financial Services (GE EFS) where he oversaw all of the tax aspects for more than US$21 billion in global energy projects. 

Tariffs on solar cells remain, volume increased The Biden administration issued a proclamation stating that the tariff rate quota of 14.25% on solar cells will remain but volume increases from 5 GW to 12.5 GW.

Agrivoltaics for corn Researchers have created a novel model that can help developers asses corn growth in agrivoltaic facilities. They also proposed to use spatiotemporal shadow distribution (SSD) to optimize crop yield and power production.

World’s highways could host 52.3 billion solar panels, say researchers Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, Chinese Academy of Geosciences, and Columbia University have concluded that solar-covered highways could meet more than 60% of the world’s annual energy needs.

ChargePoint introduces Omni Port universal EV charger The connector is compatible with all major electric vehicle brands, including Tesla and non-Tesla vehicles.

U.S. President Joe Biden issued a proclamation to holds tariff on crystalline silicon PV cells that at 14.25% while allowing up to 12.5 GW to be imported, up from 5 GW. These include cells whether or not partially or fully assembled into other products, and is effective as of August 1, 2024.

The solar tariffs date back to 2018 when signed into law by former President Donald Trump. The purpose of section 201 of the 1974 trade act was to limit imports while giving the U.S. time to ramp up a domestic solar supply chain. It wasn’t until four years later after the Biden administration passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 that a domestic solar supply chain began its upward trajectory.

In April the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee coalition, made up of a group of manufacturers led by Qcells, signed a petition that alleged that four Southeast Asian nations are exporting dumped goods from China, making it difficult for domestic manufacturers to compete on cost. The companies said the current “manufacturing renaissance” in the United States is under threat from heavily subsidized Chinese cells and modules that are alleged to be in infraction with antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) law.

The IRA’s tax credits and incentives have encouraged clean energy manufacturing in the United States with many companies announcing solar module manufacturing facilities. Earlier stages in the supply chain, however, like raw polysilicon, ingots, wafers, and solar cell manufacturing  have lagged, creating gaps in the domestic supply chain. The new proclamation is intended to “further facilitate positive adjustment to competition from imports of certain crystalline silicon PV cells,” while U.S.-made solar cell capacity ramps up.

IRA-driven battery projects face delays amid economic headwinds: report A Financial Times report has found numerous IRA-driven projects announced or under construction have been placed on hold or cancelled, including the battery industry, due largely to an EV slowdown.

Solar inverter manufacturer financial stability ranking updated The latest financial stability ranking of inverter manufacturers from Sinovoltaics lists Hoymiles Power Electronics, Eaton, Enphase, Kstar and Delta Electronics as the top five.

Rhode Island passes new consumer protections for solar industry amid rising concerns Governor McKee has signed new legislation protecting consumers from aggressive sales practices by door-to-door solar salespeople. Compliance includes federal background checks, disclosure of savings documentation, and detailed breakdowns of lease versus cash system pricing.

DCE Solar “roof-friendly” solar mount passes key safety certification The Eco-Top rooftop mounting structure is designed for commercial and industrial rooftops.

Near $1 billion solar cell factory announced in New Mexico Ebon Solar will invest $942 million in a solar cell manufacturing facility, bringing over 900 jobs.

Rhode Island has enacted the “Residential Solar Energy Disclosure and Homeowners Bill of Rights Act” to protect homeowners from predatory door-to-door sales tactics in the solar industry.

The law applies to any individual selling a solar system purchase agreement, a lease agreement, or a power purchase agreement (PPA). It covers anyone soliciting a homeowner or selling a solar project for up to four individual housing units simultaneously. Notably, the law does not apply to solar lease deals with payment terms of less than five years, transactions that involve a generator, or commercial systems.

The law requires all parties selling residential solar to register with the state and renew the registration annually. For the solar company, at least one person in charge of residential sales must have their name and address on file with the state. Additionally, all individuals directly selling to homeowners must undergo a national background check, including fingerprinting, which must be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The registration process will be managed by the Rhode Island Division of Taxation.

The Department of Business Regulation is authorized to investigate complaints, impose administrative penalties, revoke registrations, and order violators to cease operations. The department can also impose fines of up to $5,000 per violation for up to four years after the violation has occurred.

The law mandates that specific documents be provided to homeowners. A hard copy or email of the solar agreement must be given to the homeowner. Additionally, the state will issue a standard disclosure form that must include the following information:

• A statement indicating whether operations and maintenance are included in the agreement.
• A written estimate of projected savings over the system’s expected lifespan.
• An estimate of savings beyond the system’s anticipated useful life.
• Data fields used to calculate the savings projections.
• The electricity escalation rate applied in the savings assumptions.
• Information on tax credit eligibility.

Additionally, the new law gives residential customers the right to rescind or cancel the deal for seven days after entering the agreement.

The law goes into effect in March 2025.

The bill was prompted by an increase in consumer complaints regarding aggressive and misleading sales tactics by some solar companies. By implementing these regulations, the state aims to build public trust and encourage the adoption of solar energy while protecting consumers from unscrupulous actors. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha, along with other state officials, has emphasized the importance of these protections in fostering a reliable and transparent solar industry in Rhode Island.

Several other U.S. states have taken action against door-to-door sales companies. Minnesota recently sued four of the nation’s largest solar finance companies. Vision Solar has been sued in multiple states, including Connecticut and Arizona, while Vivint Solar, prior to its acquisition by Sunrun, was sued in New Mexico. Sunrun, along with several other solar door-to-door companies, has also been sued in Connecticut.

(Read: “U.S. government announces resources to protect solar customers“)

From ESS-news.com

Key battery manufacturing projects initiated in response to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are facing setbacks, according to a Financial Times (FT) investigation.

The IRA, signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, proposed a $369 billion injection into the US clean energy economy. The industrial policy focused on reshoring manufacturing for the renewable energy transition, and significant announcements have been made for U.S. manufacturing in batteries and materials, solar manufacturing, hydrogen, and more.

Yet the FT reports, when including semiconductor manufacturing as well, that of the projects worth more than $100m, “a total of $84bn have been delayed for between two months and several years, or paused indefinitely.” The FT notes some delays are public knowledge, while others have not been formally announced, citing interviews with more than 100 companies and state and local authorities to determine project statuses.

In terms of batteries and public announcements, LG Energy Solution’s $2.3 billion battery storage facility in Arizona is on a construction suspension after being quadrupled in March from its first announcement.

Read the complete article at ESS-news.

SunPower goes bankrupt The company, one of the longest running solar companies in the U.S., spun off its manufacturing business in 2020 to focus more squarely on rooftop solar as demand surged. Since then, demand cooled considerably, and, under a high interest rate environment, the strategy proved fatal for the company.

Goldman Sachs invests $440 million in renewable independent power producer  The strategic investment in BrightNight will support the development of utility, commercial, and industrial solar and energy storage projects.

More money is going into solar than all other forms of generation combined, reaching $500 billion in 2024 The International Energy Agency projects that solar will attract more investment than all other electricity generation sources combined. Global energy spending is set to surpass $3 trillion for the first time this year.

Republicans request continuation of IRA post-January Eighteen Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives have urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to preserve the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) if their party takes control of the political reins in January.

Sunrun stock rises on strong cash generation in Q2 earnings The residential solar and energy storage provider increased its battery attachment rates and net subscriber value of its customers.

U.S. government announces resources to protect solar customers  Treasury, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission have partnered on developing consumer advisories and educational resources to help people navigate the solar buying process while avoiding deceptive practices.

O&M executives seeking underperforming solar assets Zack Hobbs and Casey Gilley are seeking to purchase, repower and maximize solar power farms that asset owners don’t have the time or resources to redevelop.

Republicans request continuation of IRA post-January Eighteen Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives have urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to preserve the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) if their party takes control of the political reins in January.

New bidding strategy for PV asset owners operating in spot market Conceived by an international research team, the new bidding strategy applies to the day-after and the intraday markets. It uses a technique that transforms results from probabilistic models into actual scenarios. Their method showed its ability to yield increased revenues and reduced imbalance.

Jera Nex acquires U.S. solar sites from Lightsource bp Jera Nex has purchased two US solar arrays totaling 395 MW from Lightsource bp. The acquisition marks Jera Nex’s first deal since it launched in April. Lightsource bp will continue to manage assets and provide maintenance services at the projects.

U.S. DOE announces $1.45 billion loan for Qcells solar panel factory The Department of Energy announced a conditional commitment to loan Qcells for its Georgia factory producing solar ingots, wafers, cells, and panels.

Eighteen members of the House Republican Conference have written to Speaker Mike Johnson, emphasizing the need to “prioritize business and market certainty” amid calls to repeal or amend the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Signed into law by President Joseph Biden on August 16, 2022, the IRA was approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives the previous week without any Republican support.

Even though no Republicans voted for the bill, investments stemming from the bill have predominantly flowed into Republican Congressional districts, according to their historical voting patterns.

Source: Environmental Entrepreneurs

The letter was delivered on August 6, 2024, just one day before the two-year anniversary of the IRA’s passage through the Senate, which was finalized by a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Kamala Harris.

The letter critiques the bill as flawed, arguing that it will distort energy markets. Yet, it also asserts that “American energy dominance increases national security, and creates American jobs,” indirectly suggesting that the IRA supports ‘American energy dominance’. The Representatives report that many companies have leveraged the energy tax credits to fund significant investments in new U.S. energy infrastructure. Furthermore, they express concerns from industry leaders and constituents alike, who fear the existing energy tax regime may “once again be turned on its head due to Republican repeal efforts.”

Prematurely repealing energy tax credits, particularly those which were used to justify investments that already broke ground, would undermine private investments and stop development that is already ongoing. A full repeal would create a worst-case scenario where we would have spent billions of taxpayer dollars and received next to nothing in return.

The Republican Representatives are:

• Andrew R. Garbarino – New York’s 2nd District
• David G. Valadao – California’s 22nd District
• Lori Chavez-DeRemer – Oregon’s 5th District
• Marcus J. Molinaro – New York’s 19th District
• Erin Houchin – Indiana’s 9th District
• Anthony D’Esposito – New York’s 4th District
• Michael V. Lawler – New York’s 17th District
• Jen A. Kiggans – Virginia’s 2nd District
• Nick LaLota – New York’s 1st District
• Young Kim – California’s 40th District
• John R. Curtis – Utah’s 3rd District
• Don Bacon – Nebraska’s 2nd District
• Thomas H. Kean, Jr. – New Jersey’s 7th District
• David P. Joyce – Ohio’s 14th District
• Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. – Iowa’s 1st District
• Juan Ciscomani – Arizona’s 6th District
• Earl L. “Buddy” Carter – Georgia’s 1st District
• Mark E. Amodei – Nevada’s 2nd District

The letter was spearheaded by Representative Andrew R. Garbarino of New York, who in August 2022 voiced his opposition to the IRA, labeling it as misleading and potentially harmful to the economy:

I voted AGAINST the deceptively named ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ just like I voted against the reckless Build Back Better scheme. Two hundred and thirty economists agree that the so-called Inflation Reduction Act is expected to contribute to skyrocketing inflation and burden the American economy. Aside from completely failing to reduce inflation, this bill fails to address the SALT deduction cap while raising taxes that will impact the middle class.

The debate over the IRA’s naming and its effectiveness is debated. Political pundits suggest that Senator Joe Manchin’s rationale for the name was a politically palatable counter to the criticized “Green New Deal,” not an effective anti-inflation measure. While it is clear that the peak of the nation’s recent inflationary peak aligned with the IRA’s signing, and that inflation has since fallen precipitously since the signing, economic analyses have not demonstrated a causative impact on inflation.

Harris names clean energy advocate Governor Tim Walz as VP pick The Harris-Walz ticket wins on climate, according to clean energy supporters.

Quantum algorithm for photovoltaic maximum power point tracking Researchers have developed a quantum particle swarm optimization algorithm for maximum power point tracking that reportedly generates 3.33% more power in higher temperature tests and 0.89% more power in partial shading tests compared to conventional swarm optimization algorithms.

New discovery paves the way for more efficient perovskite solar cells Researchers from University of Texas have used computational methods to study the formation of polarons in halide perovskites. The findings revealed topological vortices in polaron quasiparticles.

SunPower goes bankrupt The residential solar installer has filed for bankruptcy, among the largest in a series of major bankruptcies in the industry.

Atlanta Motorsports Park goes solar The motorsports club with an F1-style track is installing a solar array that is expected to power about 60% of its operations.

A drone’s eye view helps find the perfect solar site Drone Drafting brings an array of aerial sensors to project planning and engineering.

Kamala Harris announced Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota, as her running mate in the 2024 presidential election–a choice that’s considered by experts as the winning ticket on climate.

Under Waltz’ leadership, Minnesota jumped ahead of the clean energy curve when he signed into law a climate bill that aims for 100% clean energy by 2040.

The Minnesota climate bill establishes a standard for utilities to supply Minnesota customers with electricity generated or procured from clean energy resources. He has also supported many other clean energy initiatives, signing over 40 into law in 2023 alone, including expanding Minnesota’s electric vehicle infrastructure, providing a tax credit for electric vehicle purchases and supporting clean energy job growth. 

Environmental groups including NRDC Action Fund and Sierra Club have spoken up in support of Walz’ nomination. Manish Bapna, president and CEO of the NRDC Action Fund, a national environmental advocacy and political organization, voiced his support:

“Tim Walz has made Minnesota a national climate leader. Under his leadership, the North Star State committed to 100 percent clean energy by 2040 and became the first Midwestern state to adopt California’s tailpipe emissions standards,” said Bapna. “He brings sound judgment and a solid commitment to protecting the environment and public health in a way that advances equity.”

Sierra Club executive director Ben Jealous welcomed Governor Waltz to the ticket:

“Like Vice President Harris, Governor Walz knows that climate change is the existential threat of our time,” said Jealous. “The Harris-Walz ticket is one that understands the fight before us, isn’t afraid to tackle climate change head-on, and will continue to build upon the legacy of the Biden-Harris administration moving forward.”

Walz has served as Governor of Minnesota since 2019 and is a former seven-term Congressman. He is also a retired command sergeant major in the Army National Guard and former public high school teacher who taught for a year in China. 

The evolving art and science of agrivoltaics At Bluewave, integrating solar technology with traditional farming practices isn’t just a concept, it’s the new standard. Jesse Robertson-DuBois, director of sustainable solar development, shares insights on the transformative journey of agrivoltaics within the industry.

Renewables “cheaper and faster” than methane, says nation’s largest utility NextEra’s Q2 2024 quarterly earnings report shows significant growth in the company’s renewable pipeline. However, the group, which is typically exacting, refused to put a hard number on their future demand growth expectations.

Battery fire shuts down California highway A utility-scale battery delivery overturned on a highway after the truck carrying the batteries collided with a car, overcorrected, tipped to the side and dumped its cargo, leading to a fire that lasted more than 24 hours.

Bill aims to cut 45X tax credits for Chinese solar makers While the lucrative tax credits has attracted clean energy manufacturers from around the world to build factories in the U.S., the fact that many of the new manufacturing facilities are from Chinese companies has created a controversy that this new bill aims to solve.

Massive 900 MW solar project designed to preserve agricultural land Brookfield Renewable Partners filed a notice of intent for a 900 MW solar project in Oregon that will be installed in ribbons along the edge of a field to allow for continued agricultural use of the land

Three small changes that can make a big difference to your energy bills  There are a few ways to make efficiency-minded changes at home that reduce energy bills now and in the future.

8 GW of solar-plus-storage at resilience hubs in California could save lives Solar and storage at almost 20,000 community sites across California could help protect its population during power outages, especially during heat and smoke events, a study found.

Battery fire shuts down California highway A utility-scale battery delivery overturned on a highway after the truck carrying the batteries collided with a car, overcorrected, tipped to the side and dumped its cargo, leading to a fire that lasted more than 24 hours.

Senate committee approves bill to improve permitting of energy projects The bipartisan legislation is designed to speed up permitting by setting deadlines and doubling production targets for renewable energy permitting on federal lands while not compromising environmental review or community needs.

Bill aims to cut 45X tax credits for Chinese solar makers While the lucrative tax credits has attracted clean energy manufacturers from around the world to build factories in the U.S., the fact that many of the new manufacturing facilities are from Chinese companies has created a controversy that this new bill aims to solve.

Data center power loads threaten corporate net-zero goals The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that by 2026, data centers will consume more than 800 TWh annually, more than double their consumption in 2022.

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced the American Tax Dollars for American Solar Manufacturing Act, aiming to prevent Chinese solar module manufacturers from claiming subsidies for their American factories.

The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022, offers manufacturing 45 X tax credits for solar components made in America. While the lucrative tax credits have been attracting clean energy manufacturers worldwide to build factories in the U.S., the fact that some of the new manufacturing facilities are from Chinese companies has created a controversy that this new bill aims to solve.

The bill was introduced by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bill Cassidy (D-LA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Rick Scott (D-FL), seeks to protect U.S. solar manufacturing by removing the tax incentives for Chinese companies and from other “foreign entities of interest” would not be able to receive the 45X tax credits.

“By reshoring the solar supply chain, we can bolster solar manufacturing in the U.S. and ensure our country is not dependent on China for a technology that was invented here and accounted for half of our new grid energy additions last year, said Mike Carr, Executive Director of the Solar Energy Manufacturers for America (SEMA) Coalition.

The Defend Solar USA Alliance also supports the new legislation. The Alliance said in a release that while the 45X tax credit has contributed to the largest investments in factory production in nearly 100 years, it’s estimated that Chinese-controlled companies could collect more than $100 billion in federal tax credits. These credits, the Alliance contends, were “designed to support U.S. clean-energy manufacturers”.

“We shouldn’t be in the business of rewarding China at the expense of our domestic solar industry,” said U.S. Army General John Adams (ret.), and Board Member of the Defend Solar USA Alliance. “The bipartisan bill would ensure that Americans’ taxpayer dollars stay right here at home rather than help subsidize a foreign government’s efforts to put domestic manufacturers out of work. By building a successful domestic solar industry, the U.S. can break from its reliance on foreign energy sources, strengthen our supply chain and reduce our vulnerability to geopolitical conflicts.”

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted to advance the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, a bipartisan piece of legislation aimed at improving permitting for energy infrastructure projects.

The solar permitting process has been named as one of the greatest bottlenecks to the deployment of solar projects in the U.S. The process can be challenging due to complex regulations and reliance on manual input methods.

The Permitting Reform Act, developed by Senators Joe Manchin (I-WV) and John Barrasso (R-WY), chair and ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is designed to shorten permitting timelines a 150-day statute of limitations from the date of the final agency action on a project; requiring courts to expedite review of legal challenges. It also sets a 180-day deadline for federal agencies to act on remanded authorizations.

Manchin called the legislation “a commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation that will speed up permitting and provide more certainty for all types of energy and mineral projects without bypassing important protections for our environment and impacted communities.”

The bill sets deadlines and doubles production targets for renewable energy permitting on federal lands, and it streamlines environmental reviews for low-disturbance renewable, electric grid, and storage projects. It also makes several changes to accelerate the permitting processes for fossil fuel projects.

Abigail Ross Hopper, CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association applauded Senate passage of the bill:

Today we are one step closer to overcoming systemic roadblocks to the solar and storage industry and unleashing America’s clean energy sector. Voices on all sides of this issue agree that we need to reform the permitting process so we can rapidly build out transmission capacity and deliver abundant, low-cost renewable energy to the homes and businesses that need it. There are many positive elements in this bill, including fair transmission cost allocation and provisions to simplify clean energy development on public lands.

Find details of the legislation here.

Six states offer grants to help local governments automate solar permitting  Solar trade groups in Washington, Colorado and Minnesota advocated for grant programs to speed permitting for rooftop solar, using software such as SolarAPP+. Three other states also offer grants, with two requiring automated permitting.

Community solar needs to embrace urban rooftops and brownfields RE+ Mid-Atlantic solar conference panel: While developers prefer greenfield projects, state regulators target other project sites.

Reactive power management key to advancing grid stability  A look at the regulatory frameworks and practical applications, underscoring the essential role of reactive power management in maintaining a stable and efficient power grid.

U.S. Bureau of Land Management advances over 6 GW of solar projects  Once complete, the projects would generate enough electricity to power roughly 2 million homes.

U.S. clean energy tax credit market to reach $25 billion in 2024  A mid-year report from tax credit marketplace Crux showed that deal volume is expected to come in higher than previously expected at $20 to $25 billion this year.

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is advancing nine solar projects on public lands that would add over 6 GW of combined electric generation capacity to the grid. Together, the projects would generate enough electricity to power roughly 2 million U.S. homes.

The BLM manages over 245 million acres of public land mainly in 12 western states, including Alaska. To date, the BLM has permitted more than 25 GW of clean energy projects, enough to power about 12 million homes. This includes solar, wind, and geothermal projects as well as gen-tie lines on public lands that are essential for connecting clean energy generation projects on both federal and non-federal lands to the grid.

“As we continue to review clean energy projects, we are committed to collaborating with states, Tribes and stakeholders to ensure that we are building lasting opportunities to create jobs and stimulate the clean energy economy,” said BLM director Tracey Stone-Manning.

The latest round of BLM project advancements include the Esmerelda 7 solar project, among the largest solar projects in the world. Esmerelda 7 is a set of seven proposed utility-scale solar facilities with battery energy storage systems near Tonopah, Nevada. The projects are proposed to be developed on 118,000 acres of BLM managed land.

BLM is now opening a 45-day public comment period on the draft environmental impact statement and resource management plan for Esmerelda 7. The environmental impact statement will provide the foundation for individual environmental analyses of each project, after which the BLM will decide whether to grant rights-of-way for some or all of the projects.

If all Esmerelda 7 projects are approved, the portfolio would add 5.35 GW of electricity, or enough to power about 1.6 million homes.

Along with the BLM-supported Esmerelda 7 is the Libra Solar project, a 700 MW solar and 700 MW battery energy storage project with a 24-mile generation tie-line, planned for development in Mineral and Lyon Counties in Nevada.

The BLM is also opening a 30-day public comment period for the Elisabeth Solar Project near Dateland, Arizona. The project would add 270 MW of solar and 300 MW of battery energy storage.

“With today’s advancement of nine solar energy projects on public lands, we are taking a significant step towards these efforts and President Biden’s ambitious clean energy goals,” said principal deputy assistant secretary for Land and Minerals management, Dr. Steve Feldgus.

As of July 2024, an additional 70 utility-scale clean energy projects are in process by the BLM throughout the Western United States. These projects have the potential to produce almost 32 GW of renewable energy. In addition, BLM has begun the preliminary review of approximately 166 applications for solar and wind development, as well as more than 40 applications for solar and wind energy site testing. 

The Biden-Harris administration has set a goal to achieve a carbon pollution free power sector by 2035.

A panel discussion on community solar at the RE+ Mid-Atlantic solar and energy storage conference in Philadelphia made the point that developers many have to embrace opportunities close to the intended customer, even in difficult terrain.

While state regulators design programs to encourage solar development on rooftops and brownfields of urban New Jersey, developers often prefer to build projects on undeveloped greenfield sites. Leslie Elder, vice president of policy and public affairs at Summit Ridge Energy, a Virginia-based solar developer, said that companies don’t always agree with state priorities, but that’s where the project opportunities are.

New Jersey’s Solar Act of 2012 includes provisions for streamlining and permitting and providing financial incentives for developers to construct utility-scale solar projects “located on a brownfield, on an area of historic fill or on a properly closed sanitary landfill facility.” The idea was to turn urban lots, commercial flat roofs and fallow industrial areas into productive sites for clean energy.

Greenfield sites, such as unused agricultural land or other undeveloped properties, generally are easier to deploy solar on and have required less specialized site preparation procedures than brownfields. However, the New Jersey BPU restricts grid-connected projects of 5 MW or larger on many categories of greenfield-type land. Waivers may be applied for but are often rejected.

“There is a real opposition from the state [New Jersey] for a wide variety of reasons to greenfield development, mostly because of population size and past sparring,” Elder said, adding that New Jersey’s community solar policy focus is on urban development and low-income beneficiaries.

Elder contrasted New Jersey’s approach to community solar with Maryland, which defined “buckets” for different types of projects. For example, there was a greenfield bucket; a brownfield bucket, landfills and “cleanfields” (landfills with no toxicity); and a low- and moderate-income bucket. These sorts of definitions for community solar opportunities enabled developers to bid on projects based on their experience, specialization and preferences.

State siting requirements are just one aspect of the community solar puzzle. More intractable, perhaps, are the labyrinthine subscription and billing policies needed to attract customers and have them see real economic benefits. And, as always, developers committing to building community solar projects need to see the financial rewards for doing so.

Eric Wallace, an attorney at the Virginia-based firm of GreeneHurlocker, PLC, with a focus on energy law and energy regulation, said successful community solar program design hangs on the statutes that set them up on a state-by-state basis.

“There are a lot of different policy tools out there, but finding the right solutions for each state is a challenge,” Wallace said. “In each of these markets there are interconnection proceedings and discussions happening. That’s definitely a key component of community solar in the Mid-Atlantic.”

Justin Felt, director of policy analysis and development at Exelon, which is parent to six utilities, said it would be beneficial to incorporate the utility perspective at the association level rather than making that the opposition view.

“Getting sort of that collaboration I think would be better,” Felt said, echoing comments made by SEIA CEO Abigail Ross Hopper earlier that morning. “Let’s also be honest, politics – purple state versus blue state – is going to be a big impact on this. If you’re in a red state, maybe it’s a little bit different. So, we have to follow our jurisdictions in a lot of ways. You have to appreciate that the broader political and policy landscape is going to be a prime driver as well.”

If state policies are important for developing grid storage capacity, as was discussed in an earlier RE+ panel, they are likely even more so for community solar, which is arguably more complicated a proposition.

Automated permitting for distributed solar and storage is set to expand well beyond California, as five states follow California’s lead in offering grant support to localities to help them switch to automated permitting.

An automated process can issue a permit “instantly” to a distributed solar project that meets all permitting requirements, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Standard permitting can take months, says the New York Solar Energy Industries Association, “resulting in delays and higher costs for homeowners and solar companies.”

The best-known automated permitting software for solar and storage is SolarAPP+, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. NREL provides free support to local governments before and during implementation of SolarAPP+, and a spokesperson said the software will always be free for local governments to use, while solar installers pay user fees.

While the software is free to local governments, grants can help them meet the costs for staff time to transition to automated permitting. Once the transition is completed, automated permitting can save substantial staff time.

NREL reports that SolarAPP+ is now used by 138 local governments in California and 14 local governments in nine other states, including several large cities and counties. The software is also being pilot tested by 56 local governments.

California has been helping local governments make the switch to automated permitting by offering them grant support and technical assistance, in a program launched in 2022.

Five other states are now following California’s lead in offering grants and technical assistance to local governments adopting automated permitting.

In Washington, state legislators early this year allocated $600,000 for a grant program. The state’s solar trade group WASEIA provided written testimony to the Washington House Appropriations Committee and a policy brief supporting the budget provision “to help speed rollout of SolarApp+,” said Bill Will, the association’s senior policy advisor.

Colorado has launched an “Automated Permit Processing for Solar” grant program with $1 million in funding for local governments. The state’s solar trade group COSSA “was the main advocacy organization to push for” a state law that created the grant program, said Mike Kruger, president and CEO of COSSA, as the group worked with bipartisan sponsors and other stakeholders “to lower red tape and speed up solar permitting,”

Minnesota has budgeted $2 million to support a grant program for local governments to adopt SolarAPP+. Passing the legislation “was a multi-year, bipartisan effort,” said Logan O’Grady, executive director of the state’s solar trade group MnSEIA. The group “was proud to collaborate with advocacy partners on this initiative, boosting the residential solar market and enabling Minnesotans to go solar faster and easier,” he said.

Illinois plans to use a portion of its federal Solar for All grant to fund a program to help communities automate permitting, according to Environment America.

Maryland has announced an upcoming SolarAPP+ Implementation Grant Program.

Automation requirements

California and Maryland have also set requirements for local governments to automate solar permitting.

California requires all but the smallest local governments to use either SolarAPP+ or another automated permitting software. Larger cities and counties were required to comply by last September, and medium-sized cities and counties are required to comply by this September.

The California Energy Commission says that “enforcement lies outside of CEC jurisdiction but may be enforced through private claims.”

California last month completed awards of $19 million in grants to 334 cities and counties to make the switch to automated permitting, according to an analysis by Permit Power, a new advocacy organization dedicated to advancing automated permitting.

Maryland’s Brighter Tomorrow Act, enacted in May, requires local governments to adopt automated solar permitting software, according to the law firm Saul Ewing. Montgomery County, Maryland, with a population of 1 million, already uses SolarAPP+.

In New York, the solar trade group NYSEIA recently called for automated permitting in the state.

Advocacy partners

The nonprofit group Solar United Neighbors joined with others in advocating for the automated permitting grant programs in Minnesota and Maryland, said a spokesperson.

Environment America Senior Campaign Director Johanna Neumann said the nonprofit group’s Maryland director identified legislative sponsors for the state’s automated permitting policy, recruited allies, and helped guide the legislative strategy.

Permit Power also contributed to the Maryland effort, Neumann said.

Residential solar company SunPower stock crashes 70% The company’s share price fell below $1 as it announced it is halting some operations and ending its lease and power purchase agreement offerings, among other actions.

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U.S. Senators introduce comprehensive energy permitting reform act Joe Manchin (I-WV) and John Barrasso (R-WY) released the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, promising to accelerate the permitting processes for energy and mineral projects of all types in the U.S.

WoodMac says global solar tracker shipments grew by 28% in 2023 Global tracker shipments reached 92 GWdc last year, according to WoodMackenzies’ latest report. The US accounted for the majority of the global market, with three US-based manufacturers, Nextracker, Array Technologies and GameChange Solar, ranking as the three largest shippers in the world.

Interview: My experience as a battery energy storage homeowner What is it like being a residential solar and energy storage prosumer living in California? Ahmad Faruqui, economist-at-large, shares his perspective with pv magazine USA .

The role of battery storage on the grid was a major focus of the RE+ Mid-Atlantic conference in Philadelphia last week. In addition to numerous storage vendors and consultants on the show floor, a panel of experts assembled to discuss storage strategies for the PJM interconnection area, covering the Mid-Atlantic region.

There was broad agreement that successful storage implementation requires clear and purposeful policies at the state level. At the same time, the levels of storage capacity envisioned as an aspect of the clean energy transition may exceed the experience of policymakers, utilities and developers.

“I think it’s fair to say that in PJM there’s been less storage deployment than in other areas that we’ve seen, such as California, New England and New York,” said panel moderator, Nitzan Goldberger, director of policy and business development at New Leaf Energy, a Massachusetts-based renewable energy developer. “We’re going to try to understand not only why that’s happened – what are the obstacles and challenges to getting storage in the ground in the PJM footprint? – but also what are we doing about it?”

From a utility standpoint, the problem seems to be ambitious targets with no clear roadmap showing how to achieve them. Erik Henlon, senior manager of distribution planning at Baltimore Gas and Electric, one of the utilities under the Exelon umbrella that serves the PJM region, said the conversations with stakeholders is still at the early stages.

“From a distribution planning perspective, we look at how we’re enabling all these new technologies to help meet the Maryland goals of 3,000 MW of storage by 2033,” Henlon said. “I think that we starting on the journey, right? And we’re putting the right foundations in place because for us to be able to utilize this much storage on the system takes a certain level of planning and it takes a certain level of collaboration with different stakeholders.”

If there is a tendency to view storage technology as a solution not only for achieving clean energy targets but also for rectifying what some see as community inequities in legacy generation, this can sometimes obscure the practical steps needed to achieve these results. Tyler Wakefield, associate executive director of the Energy Policy Design Institute, a Baltimore-based non-profit focusing on turning clean energy goals into projects, said specific policies are responsible for a state storage markets, or the absence of them.

In the case of Maryland, Wakefild said the recent passage of the Drive Act mandating utilities support bi-directional charging of EVs and time-of-use tariffs enables customers with behind-the-meter storage to realize energy savings on their bills, promoting EVs and residential storage.

“Unless those time-of-use tariffs are in place, those savings opportunities aren’t really there,” he said. “And then we get into what revenue opportunities are available for private storage assets to take advantage of on the distribution system. And right now, there’s really not much there, and that’s why a lot of the conversation at Maryland is, how do we create a mechanism by which resources can get paid directly for the services they can provide on the grid?”

Specific policies make the difference between storage as a mandate and possible burden on the utility and opportunities for all stakeholders to come out ahead with rate and demand stability. According to Wakefield, other states with healthy storage markets have focused on reducing the distribution system peak. That can save a lot of money for utilities and a lot of money for ratepayers. “But if there’s not a clear mechanism by which storage assets can discharge against that peak, get paid for doing that work, there’s not a revenue generating opportunity that’s meaningful enough to deploy,” he said.

Greg Geller, CEO of Massachusetts-based Stack Energy Consulting, agreed that states that have seen a lot of storage deployed have been willing to allow owners to monetize those services storage enables.

“For instance, in the Northeast, there’s a number of programs, whether it’s Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, that recognize storage can do things to reduce the bulk level capacity requirement,” he said. “Or it can reduce distribution level costs, or it can help with emissions, right? So, each of those states has some kind of mechanism in place that allows storage to say, ‘Hey, if you dispatch during these periods and you provide the service and everyone benefits from it, we’re going to pay for it.’ That really doesn’t exist in the PJM region.”

Geller pointed out that targets are nice but if you just have a wholesale market, developers are going to find investors very reluctant to finance storage projects. He said states have to step up and make sure storage is compensated for the different services it can provide.

BG&E’s Henlon said utilities in the PJM region are essentially at the ground floor when it comes to implementing storage, despite ambitious targets like Maryland. However, success in other states and regions could be applicable to the PJM service area.

“Each state is in a different place, right?” he said. “A lot of us look at what’s happening out West or in the Northeast. It takes some time for different states to catch up. So, I think that’s a key thing when we’re thinking about the opportunities to grow storage in our area.”

The New York Solar Energy Industries Association has called for “high-impact policy interventions” to move the state beyond its distributed solar goal of 10 GW by 2030 to reach 20 GW by 2035. The call comes in a report seeking to influence state policymakers.

Of New York’s current 5.8 GW of solar, 93% is rooftop and community solar, which NYSEIA counts as distributed solar. New York has about 3 GW of rooftop solar and nearly that amount of community solar.

Utility-scale solar is lagging in the state, and has faced “recent setbacks,” says NYSEIA. Those setbacks have created “a significant gap between New York’s pipeline of clean energy projects and what’s needed to comply” with the state’s legislated 70% renewables mandate by 2030, the report says.

Yet New York is “ahead of schedule toward the state’s goal of deploying 10 gigawatts of rooftop and community solar by 2030,” and the state’s distributed solar industry is “well-positioned to help New York close the gap” by deploying an additional 10 GW of solar “while delivering significant benefits.”

The largest projected benefit would be $50 billion in customer savings over 25 years, as 10 GW of additional distributed solar would provide about $1.65 billion in annual electricity bill savings for New Yorkers who install solar panels or subscribe to a community solar project.

Increasing the amount of distributed solar plus storage to help meet New York’s 2030 renewables goal would also result in lower costs than relying “heavily” on large-scale renewables and transmission buildout, saving a projected $28 billion, the report says, citing a 2021 analysis by Vibrant Clean Energy.

To to accelerate distributed solar deployment, NYSEIA calls for new approaches to local permitting and utility interconnection, “targeted” incentives, “smart” electric rate design, and virtual power plant programs. The group’s 11 policy recommendations could, in aggregate, “transform and accelerate New York’s clean energy progress,” the report says. Specific recommendations  include:

• State-level permitting support for community solar projects that face restrictive local laws
• Automated permitting for residential solar plus storage, using software such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s SolarAPP+
• Faster interconnection
• Flexible interconnection, to address hosting capacity constraints and mitigate costly grid upgrades
• Grid investments to support solar plus storage deployment that can supply clean power to new loads
• Improvements to New York’s Value of Distributed Energy Resources electric rate tariff
• Support for virtual power plant programs
• Continued improvements in the state’s community solar programs
• Improvements to the residential solar tax credit and the distributed solar incentive program.

NYSEIA’s report is titled “Raising New York’s Distributed Solar Goal: 20 Gigawatts by 2035.”

U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (I-WV) and John Barrasso (R-WY), chair and ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024. Find the full bill text here.

The Act is designed to shorten timelines, before, during, and after litigation on federal authorizations for energy and mineral projects.

Manchin called the legislation “a commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation that will speed up permitting and provide more certainty for all types of energy and mineral projects without bypassing important protections for our environment and impacted communities.”

The bill establishes 150-day statute of limitations from the date of the final agency action on a project; requires courts to expedite review of legal challenges; and sets a 180-day deadline for federal agencies to act on remanded authorizations.

The bill sets deadlines and doubles production targets for renewable energy permitting on federal lands. It also streamlines environmental reviews for low-disturbance renewable, electric grid, and storage projects. It also makes several changes to accelerate the permitting processes for fossil fuels projects.

The act also reforms existing backstop siting authority for interstate electric transmission lines sets requirements for interregional transmission planning. The provisions are designed to provide two pathways for transmission development that include clear standards for cost allocation among customers that benefit from a project. The legislation creates an interregional planning requirement that ensures regions jointly address needs and a process that allows individual applicants to propose national-interest projects.

Find a section-by-section breakdown of the legislation here.

“We have the technology, workforce, and financial capital to build great things, but we lack a governing process that is designed to succeed. This legislation changes that,” said Jason Grumet, chief executive officer, American Clean Power.

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) welcomed the legislation.

“For years, SEIA has been calling for a fundamental shift in the way we build transmission capacity and has long advocated for reforms that fairly allocate costs. While we’re still reviewing the details, this is a conversation worth having,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and chief executive officer, SEIA.

The Center for Biological Diversity warned that too many important environmental review processes are stripped in the legislation, particularly for the development of new fossil fuels infrastructure. In a letter to Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, the Center warned:

“Weakening our bedrock environmental protection laws doesn’t help renewable energy. It only serves to enrich the fossil fuel industry,” said Camden Weber, climate and energy policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Permitting reform is one of the most insidious euphemisms on Capitol Hill.”

A national study from the University of Texas found that from 2010 to 2021, less than 5% of solar and wind projects required a comprehensive environmental bill under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA).

The Massachusetts House of Representatives has passed H.4876, a bill to address solar and energy storage development challenges in the state. The bill will next go to the state Senate to finalize a compromise bill.

The bill includes provisions to incentivize solar and storage development, streamline siting and permitting processes at both the state and local levels, and address grid interconnection challenges.

“House Bill 4876 will accelerate the build-out of solar and energy storage technology and address permitting and interconnection red tape that has been holding the Massachusetts solar and storage market back,” said Valessa Souter-Kline, northeast regional director, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

The reforms include time limits for authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) to authorize permits. It also creates a pathway for a streamlined permit appeal process.

The bill also creates a statewide procurement of 5 GWh of energy storage.

“Massachusetts’s solar and storage industry has been surpassed by its regional neighbors in recent years, but these reforms are the spark the market needs to reach the Commonwealth’s bold clean energy vision,” said Souter-Kline.

Find the full bill text here.

The $7 billion Solar for All program administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) seeks to support solar, storage and energy efficiency projects that benefit low-income and disadvantages communities. A panel of stakeholders at last week’s RE+ Mid-Atlantic conference in Philadelphia discussed how the program that aims to expand access to solar faces pending deadlines, possible shifting political winds and complications arising from its compliance requirements.

Solar for All is an aspect of the EPA’s $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund made possible by changes in the Clean Air Act authorized under the IRA. In this sense, the allotment is a creation of the Biden Administration and the RE+ panelists were cognizant of a potential change in administration coming next year. Although as signed legislation, the IRA has the force of law, individual provisions and allotments, particularly those originating from rule changes in federal agencies, that could be affected by new priorities.

Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), a key sponsor of the conference, noted in her introductory remarks that she was fresh from the Republican convention in Milwaukee and found a substantial cadre of support for renewable energy there. At the same time, she indicated prudence dictates that the solar industry should “regime proof” the money Solar for All makes available.

In her role as moderator of the Solar for All panel discussion, Hopper identified the importance of the looming September 30 deadline for the 60 state, tribal and non-profit entities selected by the EPA to contract with developers for specific projects.

“You might pick up that September 30th is six weeks before Election Day,” Hopper said, stressing the deadline was critically important for the durability of the program. “Making sure those funds are obligated will ensure that they continue regardless of what happens at Election Day.”

Maryrose Myrtetus, executive director of Philadelphia Green Capital Corp., which partners with the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority for the $156 million grant for the state, said the key goal now was to get the money under contract and obligated to make sure that the funding is set aside and secured for the work.

“We’re all working with the EPA right now to get contracts in place by that deadline,” Myrtetus said, adding means vetting installers to make sure they are technically competent, have the right background, are properly insured and provide for consumer protections.

“Some standards that we have include ensuring that consumers can save money starting in year one when they go solar, limiting the escalator on a lease price or [point of total assumption] price, insurance requirements for third party owners and on,” she said.

This means Philadelphia Green Capital will be running an aggressive request for proposal process in the fall to meet the deadline.

Easier said than done. Solar for All’s mandate to serve low- and moderate-income communities as well as neighborhoods disadvantaged by legacy fossil-fuel generation due to pollution and other factors has placed an emphasis on community and distributed solar and storage projects. Such projects are often more complicated than single-family and commercial installations in terms of local permitting, siting, interconnection and managing off-takers. It is not surprising that the panel featured Solar for All grantees with community and multi-family dwelling solar expertise.

Meghan Jennings, distributed energy resources specialist at Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, said her non-profit utility is partnering with Groundswell to provide the sort of experience it needs to not just to develop effective community solar projects but to build in grid resiliency, outage services and other functions to support ratepayers.

Chris Walker, vice president of policy and programs for GRID Alternatives, a multi-state non-profit administering nearly $250 million in program funds, says his organizations’ history developing solar for low-income homeowners in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and other groups will serve as foundational experience for moving forward under Solar for All.

“We thought the affordable housing sector was an important partnership type to pursue, given that there’s also an intersecting housing crisis together with a climate crisis and affordability crisis in the need to really give folks some relief in terms of how much their incomes are paying for their utility costs,” Walker said.

Intensions are good and experience matters, however there are certain unavoidable aspects to using funds under Solar for All. Perhaps more important than acquiring experience in the low-income and community solar markets is finding ways to navigate the labyrinthine requirements for using federal money.

Kristal Virgil, senior vice president at Groundswell Inc., selected as a multi-state non-profit to administer $156 million in EPA grants in the Southeast, said the federal source of the funding triggers a number of compliance issues, including the Davis-Bacon Act that mandates how contractors are paid and compensated, and the Build America/Buy America Act (BABA) that requires U.S.-source products (with a few exceptions, such as electronics) and construction materials used for infrastructure projects funded by the IRA.

“We’re currently in the process of working on a position description now for general counsel to be added to Groundswell’s team because there are several compliance responsibilities that we’re going to need to take on,” Virgil said. “There’s a lot of complexity that we’re currently navigating through and looking to partner with experts. We’re going to need legal and accounting and a robust compliance manager.”

This complexity underscores the reality that Solar for All is not just a $7 billion resource ready to be tapped for solar. It can only be accessed according to very specific procedures. The fact is, there are extremely few contractors and suppliers that are Davis-Bacon and BABA-compliant. This threatens to create monopolies or simply immovable blocks to Solar for All projects.

All in all, the compliance issues facing those entities selected to administer funds under Solar for All appear more pressing than the technical problems attending solar development for low-income households. And the clock is ticking.

Elastocalorics could replace heat pumps, air conditioning systems Elastocalorics have the potential to replace current air conditioning and heating systems, offering significant energy savings when paired with technologies such as photovoltaics.

First Solar probes potential infringement of TOPCon patents First Solar says it is evaluating potential infringement of its patents for its TOPCon tech, secured through the acquisition of TetraSun in 2013. The U.S. thin-film solar module manufacturer has not named the companies involved or given a timeline for the investigation.

People on the move: Swift Current Energy, Lightsource bp, WTS Energy, and more Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.

50 states of solar policy moves, Q2 2024 Q2 2024 saw 44 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico take a total of 182 distributed solar policy actions.

Grid operator PJM to start talks on regional transmission The nation’s largest grid operator told renewables trade groups that it will launch a transmission planning process ordered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Utah developer rPlus secures $1B in financing for 400 MW/1600 MWh solar-plus-storage project  The Green River Energy Center will supply power for PacifiCorp.

Peak Energy secures $55 million Series A funding to manufacture sodium-ion batteries The company plans to deliver its first systems in 2025 and open a full-scale production facility in 2027.

U.S. residential solar down 20% in 2024 A webinar hosted by Roth Capital Partners looked at the health of the residential solar market and forecasts for next year.

PJM Interconnection, which provides transmission from Chicago to New Jersey, said it will launch a stakeholder engagement process in August to “help inform inputs” into scenario analyses for long-term regional transmission planning.

PJM and other transmission providers are required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC’s) Order No. 1920 “to plan for the transmission we know we will need in the future,” FERC has explained. Scenario analyses are part of the planning process.

PJM announced the stakeholder engagement process in its response to a letter from three renewables-focused trade groups and other entities asking PJM to “shift its current long-term regional transmission planning proposal to focus on Order No. 1920 directives.”

One of the trade groups, American Council on Renewable Energy, said last year that 167 GW of large-scale solar, wind and storage projects awaited interconnection studies by PJM. The group said that a lack of transmission capacity due to “insufficient” transmission planning is a “root cause of the unprecedented backlog” of interconnection requests across grid operators nationwide. Trade groups Americans for a Clean Energy Grid and Advanced Energy United also signed the letter.

In the works

PJM issued a regional transmission expansion plan last year that “identified” 93 transmission projects at a cost of $180 million to support generation seeking interconnection, and 48 new baseline projects at an estimated cost of $6.6 billion to maintain grid reliability, said a FERC staff report in March, while PJM “evaluated” 227 supplemental projects put forward by transmission owners that would cost $2.4 billion.

A major “national interest” transmission corridor in the PJM region has been proposed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that would help PJM “maintain and improve reliability, lower consumer costs, and meet future generation and demand growth,” DOE said.

Nationwide, a DOE transmission needs study found that 54,500 GW-miles of within-region transmission must be added for a clean grid under “the most likely power sector future.”

“Ultimate directives”

The trade groups expressed a concern in their letter that “PJM’s recent rehearing request to FERC suggests that PJM may seek to avoid implementing some important components of Order No. 1920.”

Responding to that concern, PJM said its rehearing request sought “flexibility” to implement the FERC order’s requirements “in a less prescriptive way such that PJM can tailor its approach to reflect its unique circumstances and regional needs.” PJM said that FERC will rule on “the numerous rehearing requests filed,” and said it “will comply in full with [the] Commission’s ultimate directives.”

States’ role

FERC said that its order “expands states’ pivotal role throughout the process of planning, selecting, and determining how to pay for transmission facilities.”

The governors of four states served by PJM—Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey—said in a letter to PJM last month that transmission planning is important in “developing large-scale low-and-zero emission energy resources.”

The governors said they “applaud” the grid operator’s steps to prepare for scenario discussions “that include each of our states,” and look forward to extensive engagement with PJM management and stakeholders “in shaping regional transmission planning and cost allocation approaches.”

All 13 states served by PJM had called for the grid operator to make faster progress on interconnection of renewable generation projects in 2022, in comments to FERC from the Organization of PJM States, Inc. (OPSI).

State do not have representation in PJM’s governance structure, but PJM says in a website document that it “works closely with state regulatory commissions to identify and respond to local matters,” explaining that OPSI, made up of the state commissions in PJM’s region, acts as a “liaison group” to PJM and its members.

Sixty-nine state legislators from 10 states served by PJM called this week for the grid operator to “work without delay” to implement FERC Order No. 1920, saying that “effective implementation” of the order is “critical to our responsibility to ensure that our constituents have access to reliable, affordable and clean electricity,” in a letter organized by the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators.

The N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) released its 50 States of Solar: Q2 2024 report that looks at state regulatory and legislative discussions that affect the distributed solar market in various states.

The report finds that many states are taking a close look at solar policies due to the influx of funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) going to state agencies and clean energy projects. Q2 2024 saw 44 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico take a total of 182 distributed solar policy actions.

In addition to states are examining the interplay of IRA funding and solar programs, other trends are seeing states initiate formal studies to inform net metering successor efforts, and states are modifying existing community solar programs.

The greatest number of actions address net metering policies (64), and residential fixed charge or minimum bill increases (48), and community solar policies (42). Most of these actions were taken in California, Arizona, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Virginia.

Top five distributed generation solar policy actions

In Q2 2024, six states issued decisions, passed legislation, enhance programs or initiated studies that pertain to solar policy:

California—Regulators at the Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued two major decisions on community solar and income-based fixed charges. The CPUC approved income-tiered residential fixed charges for the state’s investor-owned utilities, which range from $6.00 to $24.15. The CPUC also approved a new Community Renewable Energy Program and modifications to existing Green Tariff programs. The new community energy program will use existing procurement mechanisms like the Renewable Energy Market Adjustment Tariff and PURPA Standard Offer Contract as the foundation of the program.

Alaska— Alaska lawmakers passed legislation requiring the Commission-regulated utilities to offer community energy programs. The Regulatory Commission of Alaska is to develop several program specifications, including bill credit rates that consider the full economic value provided by community energy facilities. The Commission is also authorized to adopt a separate rate for capacity provided by energy storage as part of a community energy facility.

Colorado—Legislators in Colorado approved changes to the states’ community solar garden program. The revised program will begin in 2026 and focus on inclusive community solar development. It requires that at least 51% of a facility’s subscriptions be reserved for income-qualified customers and allows for the donation of excess credits to income-qualified customers. For income-qualified customers, the subscription charge is limited to 75% of the value of the bill credits, while this decreases to 70% if the project is receiving IRA funding for energy communities and 50% if IRA funding is being used to provide bill savings.

Connecticut and Washington—Lawmakers in these states initiated net metering studies. Connecticut’s study will consider whether the Renewable Energy Solutions Program should be extended and possible successors. Washington’s study will examine the value of distributed solar and storage and options that may be used after the net metering cap is reached.

Kansas—The Kansas legislature enacted legislation in April that increases the aggregate cap for net metering, as well as the individual system size limit. The aggregate cap will increase by 1% (of the utility’s highest annual peak demand since 2014) per year until reaching 5% in July 2027. The bill increases the system size limit to 150 kW for all customers and also provides guidance for net metering crediting under time-of-use rates.

“States are beginning — or rather, re-beginning — to study net metering programs, outside of the valuation of distributed solar,” said Rebekah de la Mora, senior policy analyst at NCCETC. “These investigations focus on program redesigns and successors, looking at the policies, economics, results, and future projections of net metering programs. Some of these investigations are already baked into law, like in Puerto Rico, while others were proposed by newly-passed bills, such as those in Delaware and Washington.”

One other state that made a big move as a result of federal funding is Mississippi, where the Public Service Commission has suspended multiple solar and storage incentives/programs in the state due to Solar for All funding.

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is releasing two new industry standards to help protect solar energy customers from deceptive and unethical practices and is seeking public comment on the standards.

The two standards, 401 and 201 ensure transparency for customers while also enhancing the safety and quality of installations.

• Standard 401 will outline training requirements for solar salespeople, helping to establish ethical sales practices and ensure all solar customers have a thorough understanding of their investment before committing. Companies and salespeople trained under this standard will provide customers with comprehensive and clear disclosure of costs, key contract terms and technology information. Once the standard is published, a certified third-party will evaluate whether a company or individual has met the requirements.
• Standard 201, creates a baseline for how residential and small commercial solar and storage systems are installed with the aim of enhancing the safety and quality of residential solar and storage installations, helping to minimize risks to homes and businesses and enhance grid reliability. Companies will receive a third-party audit of their written practices and field installations, helping to ensure safe installations and create a better experience for solar customers throughout the life of their system.

“These groundbreaking standards reflect the solar and storage industry’s commitment to ensuring every customer has a great experience going solar,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. “We’ve heard customers loud and clear about what they want to see from the solar industry. Going solar with a SEIA-certified installer will give customers the confidence they need to make the best decision for their family.”

Over five million American homes have a solar system installed, and at least five million more households will choose solar by 2030, according to SEIA. While the majority of homeowners are happy with their solar installations, bad experiences do happen and these standards aim to eliminate them.

SEIA is an American National Standards Institute-accredited standards developer, and is currently developing 11 industry-wide standards, including standards on supply chain traceability and decommissioning. Learn more about the standards and SEIA’s consumer protection work.

SEIA standard 401 and 201 are now open for a 45-day public comment. Written comments received during the open public comment period will only be accepted through the Standards Public Review Comment Form.

Also read With great (solar) power comes great responsibility.

Global solar installations to nearly quadruple by 2033 Wood Mackenzie forecasts 4.7 TW of solar capacity to be built between 2024 and 2033, with China accounting for about 50% of the growth.

U.S. manufacturer Toledo Solar closes business The Ohio based thin-film solar module producer was sued last year by First Solar, which alleged that Toledo Solar sold Malaysian-made First Solar modules under the Toledo name. It has announced it will cease operations.

Solar tariffs could “unintentionally cede U.S. leadership in the solar industry”  A report from Clean Energy Associates (CEA) and the American Council on Renewable Energy shows how antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) tariffs create cost issues not just for imported solar panels, but for U.S.-made solar panels as well. 

Solar panel cleaning with electromagnetic waves Three companies, including Massachusetts startup Sol Clarity, are experimenting with electrodynamic screen systems to clean solar panels using minimal electricity and no water.

Solar supply chain, technology trends, and policy update A report from Clean Energy Associates (CEA) provides the latest on global and regional solar supply chains, technological trends, and market impacts from policy.

Clean Energy Associates (CEA) issued its quarterly report on solar supply chain analysis, technological trends, and regional policy analysis. 

The firm projects that after a more than 60% increase in global solar installations in 2023, growth is expected to sharply decline in 2024. Global demand is expected to be between 401 GW and 511 GW. 

Despite the expected slowdown in installations, supply is expected to continue to grow. CEA sees significant new capacity across polysilicon, cell, and module coming online in 2024. Polysilicon manufacturing is expected to add over 600 GW worldwide, while cell and module sectors will bring more than 300 GW each, said CEA. 

Multiple trade policies are expected to keep prices high in the U.S. The removal of the bifacial exemption to section 201 tariffs, uncertainty created by the launch of a new AD/CVD investigation, and ongoing enforcement of the UFLPA are keeping prices high. CEA said these forces continue to bolster the economic case for investing in U.S. solar manufacturing. 

The risk of AD/CVD is significant. CEA said through the first five months of 2024, about 75% of modules and 50% of cells were imported from the four AD/CVD affected countries of Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

“The risk-free supply is limited and fragmented and not enough to meet U.S. cell demand,” said CEA. 

As for technological trends, CEA expects that TOPCon solar modules will now account for around 75% of global distribution in 2024. The firm expects over 400 GW of TOPCon module shipments this year. 

While TOPCon offers efficiency upgrades over silicon without requiring a complete overhaul to manufacturing facilities, it is not without potential risks, warns CEA. Performance degradation risks are “too early to conclude,” it said.  

CEA suggests that proper manufacturing processes and encapsulation could improve reliability. It recommends that buyers avoid products without quality assurance. 

The report also warned of a rising trend of hail damage risk in solar modules. As the industry has shifted to larger, heavier modules, suppliers have been installing thinner and thinner glass. A typical module in 2015 had 3.2 mm glass on its frame and a backsheet and weighed about 26 kg. In 2023, conventional modules are protected by 2.0 mm of glass and have a glass backsheet, while weighing about 38 kg. This shift to thinner glass on larger modules has made them more exposted to the risk of damage from hail impact. 

Based on data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, hail is the cause of 53% of insurance claims for U.S. solar assets. This is followed by wind (32%), and fire (8%). 

Hail insurance now exists in the same category as severe storms, and insurers have increased their concerns about hail risks. Insurance is used to cover the module replacement cost in a hail event. CEA said new policies have set high deductibles and coverage limits in hail-prone regions, and rates may continue to change as risk is re-assessed. 

“Some suppliers have upgraded hail resistance and tested it to a more severe level; however, such modules are usually based on special designs and/or materials that are not mainstream due to cost or limited demand,” said CEA. 

Global energy storage fleet to surpass 1 TW/3 TWh by 2033 According to the latest forecast from Wood Mackenzie, the global energy storage market (excluding pumped hydro) is on track to reach 159 GW/358 GWh by the of 2024 and grow by more than 600% by 2033, with nearly 1 TW of new capacity expected to come online.

Solar for small-scale brewing  Researchers in Spain have investigated the potential of using photovoltaic (PV) or photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) systems in microbreweries and have found that PVT systems can cover more energy demand but have a longer payback time.

U.S. manufacturer Toledo Solar closes business The Ohio based thin-film solar module producer was sued last year by First Solar, alleged that Toledo Solar sold Malaysian-made First Solar modules under the Toledo name.

Transfer switch for home solar power integration Nature’s Generator now offers a 50-amp, 12-circuit switch to manually power up selected circuits from backup system.

Solar tariffs could “unintentionally cede U.S. leadership in the solar industry” A report from Clean Energy Associates (CEA) and the American Council on Renewable Energy shows how antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) tariffs create cost issues not just for imported solar panels, but for U.S.-made solar panels as well.

The Hydrogen Stream: Hydrogen power plants feasible but inefficient, says CATF The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) says in a new report that dedicated clean hydrogen production and use is often a costly, inefficient decarbonization strategy for the power sector, while American Airlines says it has signed a deal with ZeroAvia for 100 hydrogen-electric engines.

The Louisiana Public Service Commission has issued a rule giving large commercial and industrial customers in the state a new way to access up to 500 MW of renewable power, stating that customers need renewable power “in order to remain competitive.”

Louisiana currently has 600 MW of solar power, providing less than 1% of the state’s electricity, according to the national solar trade group Solar Energy Industries Association.

The member companies of the Gulf States Renewable Energy Industries Association “are greatly encouraged by this consumer-driven demand for renewable energy expansion,” said Monika Gerhart, the group’s executive director. GSREIA and many other parties intervened, or participated, in the four-year regulatory proceeding that led to the rule.

Under the rule, a large electricity customer may notify the utility that provides its electric service of its intent to seek a “sleeved” power purchase agreement (PPA). A sleeved PPA, the rule says, is an agreement for the capacity, energy and renewable attributes of a renewable generator that is negotiated between the customer and the generator’s owner, and then executed by those parties and the customer’s utility.

The rule provides an additional option for procuring renewable energy beyond the standard PPA option. For example, McDonalds has two PPAs with Lightsource bp to purchase solar power from Louisiana projects, one for the entire output of a 180 MW project and another, alongside eBay, to purchase part of the output of a 345 MW project.

After a customer notifies a Louisiana utility of its intent to seek a sleeved PPA, the utility must within 60 days design a rate schedule and propose it to state regulators. Regulators then have 90 days to approve or deny the rate schedule.

The utility must state in the rate schedule the customer charges and credits for a sleeved PPA and how they will be determined. Typically included will be a credit for the accredited capacity provided by the renewable generator.

For each utility, the rule limits the maximum amount of renewable capacity eligible for sleeved PPAs to 5% of the utility’s peak summer demand. Entergy Louisiana, the state’s largest utility, recently had a peak summer demand of almost 10,000 MW, so for that utility alone, 500 MW of renewable capacity (5% of 10,000 MW) would be eligible for sleeved PPAs.

The Louisiana rule is available on pages 29-37 of this document.

The U.S. has ended its two-year pause of solar antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) tariffs. The tariffs apply to solar components shipped from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia that are found to be harboring tariff-dodging goods originating from China.

The four Southeast Asian nations are responsible for almost 80% of the U.S. supply of solar components. AD/CVD tariffs historically have ranged from 50% to 250% of the cost of shipped goods. This tariff risk creates a great deal of uncertainty for buyers and suppliers. Clean Energy Associates (CEA) and the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) released a report assessing these risks.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said the threat of AD/CVD tariffs in 2022 had prompted delays or the cancellation of around 20% of utility-scale solar generation capacity.

Now, following petition from U.S. manufacturers claiming dumped products are harming their business, the U.S. International Trade Commission has decided to take up a new round of AD/CVD investigations on component suppliers from the four Southeast Asian nations.

The Department of Commerce of is expected to issue its CVD preliminary determination on September 23 and its AD preliminary determination on November 20, said law firm Foley and Lardner. For either determination, Commerce will establish the tariff rate based upon the records of subsidization and dumping before it. A final determination is expected to be made on April 4, 2025 for the Department of Commerce and May 19, 2025 for the International Trade Commission.

ACORE president and chief executive officer Ray Long said a finding of AD/CVD violation “could unintentionally cede U.S. leadership in the solar industry to other countries.”

Domestic manufacturers of solar components have petitioned in support of the tariffs, but CEA warns that enforcement could negatively impact their businesses, too. This is because there is a significant gap in the U.S. solar supply chain. While huge amounts of module assembly facilities have come online, the cells that are manufactured and integrated into a solar module are still heavily reliant on imports, with very little production capacity domestically.

CEA said module manufacturing capacity in the U.S. may grow from 31 GW in 2024 to about 60 GW by 2026. Cell capacity may take more time, it said, growing from about 1 GW in 2024 to 11 GW in 2027. The firm expects most cell factories to finish expansion by 2027 as the Inflation Reduction Act 45X manufacturing incentives run out shortly thereafter in 2030.

CEA modeled that solar AD/CVD tariffs would raise domestic module costs by 10 cents per watt and imported module costs by 15 cents per watt, significantly affecting project economics. For reference, a buyer told OPIS that current U.S. Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) TOPCon solar module prices have risen to the low-to-mid $0.30/W range. This pricing includes the 201 bifacial tariffs but excludes the new antidumping/countervailing duties.

“These higher prices implemented on top of other headwinds, including domestic factors and trade restrictions already in place and impacting the industry’s trajectory, could seriously hinder America’s progress on solar deployment,” said ACORE.

ACORE noted that the U.S. solar industry is in good health. Private businesses have announced at least 105,454 new jobs and over $123 billion in capital investment in clean energy broadly since the passage of the IRA, and solar is expected to represent about 59% of all grid capacity additions through 2028. but to meet goals of a 50-52% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the U.S. solar industry must increase from 177 GW of installed capacity to over 500 GW. Worsened project economics could threaten hitting this fast-approaching target.

The report argues that the U.S. needs more time to build solar cell capacity to meet demand. It also recognizes that the U.S. may be reliant on cell imports for some time.

It is more difficult to establish a solar cell factory for numerous reasons, said CEA. Cell capacity can take twice the construction, training, and ramp time of module capacity. Uncertain domestic content rules make the value of U.S. cells highly variable until the final statutes are published. And cell capital expenditure costs can be two to three times the cost of a module factory, making it difficult for new suppliers to raise funding.

CEA forecast that the U.S. will need to import up to 41 GW worth of cells and/or modules to meet projected U.S. installations until Section 201 tariffs are phased-out in February 2026.

Enforcement of AD/CVD may threaten the supply of cells in the meantime. The report said duties could create a situation where cell buyers and suppliers are unwilling to risk duty, and cell transactions stop.

The report warns that an AD/CVD finding may in turn put U.S. manufacturing jobs at risk. Duties could leave nearly 34 GW of U.S. solar module capacity without competitively priced cell inputs, jeopardizing almost 9,000 U.S. factory jobs.

Battery storage deployment in Canada kicks into gear  The deployment of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Canada is picking up the pace, with the announcement of a 705 MWh battery storage system delivery to Nova Scotia by Canadian Solar’s e-Storage and various other projects in provinces across the country. However, this surge cannot come quickly enough says Energy Storage Canada.

Vineyard installs solar to keep distillery warehouse cool  The 55kW system is expected to produce more than .06 MWh a year and will help keep the vineyard’s distillery storage warehouse at the optimal temperature of 50 to 60 F throughout the year.

California approves 525 MWac of solar and 320 MW of geothermal Southern California Edison received approval from the State of California to proceed with power purchase agreements for three solar power projects and two geothermal projects from startup Fervo Energy.

How grid operators and renewable energy producers can use batteries to develop a flexible energy system As the urgency of mitigating the impacts of climate change intensifies with each passing year, it is the collective responsibility of grid operators and renewable energy producers to spearhead the transition to a renewable energy system.

Global solar installations to nearly quadruple by 2033 Wood Mackenzie forecasts 4.7 TW of solar capacity to be built between 2024 and 2033, with China accounting for about 50% of the growth.

TrendForce says 210 mm module shipments surpassed 260 GW in Q1 Market intelligence platform TrendForce says 210 mm n-type technology is “set to spearhead a new industrial revolution.” It expects 210mm modules to account for 78.29% of the large-format module market this year, increasing to 82.51% by 2027.

Aggreko Energy acquires C&I solar developer With the acquisition of Infiniti Energy, Aggreko expands its commercial and industrial development portfolio.

Enphase begins shipping U.S.-made microinverters for commercial applications The IQ8P-3P commercial microinverters support up to 480 W of peak output power for three-phase commercial installations, and they’re compatible with a wide range of solar modules up to 640 W.

The State of California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved five clean energy project power purchase agreements submitted by Southern California Edison. Three of the projects are solar power plants with a total generating capacity of 525 MWac, while the other two are geothermal projects. According to Fervo Energy, these geothermal projects represent the largest geothermal power purchase agreements in the world.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Form EIA-860M, at least one of the Atlas facilities will be coupled with energy storage.

According to the filing with the CPUC, each of the three solar power projects is expected to have an AC capacity factor of just over 36%. In comparison, the Fervo Energy geothermal facilities offer a capacity factor of just over 82%.

In their filing, the CPUC cites the state’s “mid-term reliability” capacity requirements of 3.8 GW by 2036, noting that both the geothermal and the solar-plus-storage projects meet those needs.

California aims to reduce emissions to 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMT CO2e) by 2035. The state projects 800 MW of geothermal capacity by 2026, 1.1 GW in 2027, and 2 GW by 2033.

The Atlas Solar V, VI, and X power plants are owned by solar developer 174 Power Global LLC, a subsidiary of the South Korean company Hanwha. Hanwha also owns Qcells, the largest silicon solar module manufacturer in the United States.

Located in Salome, Arizona, the solar facilities will transmit their electricity via the Atlas Solar Tie Line Project, a 500kV transmission line. This line will interconnect the proposed Atlas facilities with the Ten West Link 500 kV transmission line, eventually facilitating the use of the electricity in Blythe, California.

The facilities are situated in an active solar development region managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Arizona State Land Department.

The two geothermal facilities are located at the same site in southwest Utah. The first phase, 70 MW, is expected to come online in 2026, with the second phase scheduled for 2028.

Publicly available documents from western electric utilities hint that Fervo’s power purchase agreements may range between $0.08 and $0.10 per kWh. The company recently announced that drilling times in February were 70% faster and 50% cheaper than in 2022.

Tesla battery deployment jumped way up while Megapack is down Tesla revealed a significant increase in energy storage deployment, officially reporting revenue for 9.4 GWh of deployed storage products.

Experts consider speedy utility-scale interconnection in Texas going nationwide Some experts shared data to back up their praise for the “connect and manage” approach used by Texas grid operator ERCOT, while others speaking on an industry panel explained their reservations.

Public input sought for large-scale solar project in Arizona  According to the application submitted by developer EDF Renewables, the proposed Socorro project will sit on 3,066 acres on nearly 6,000-acres of public land and it would produce up to 350 MW of solar energy along with battery energy storage.

Yotta Energy launches ‘panel-level storage’ package for C&I solar U.S. storage and inverter specialist Yotta Energy says its new package has several advantages compared to conventional C&I solar storage solutions.

Lithium-ion battery fire safety starts with the manufacturer Fluence America’s president says stakeholder and first responder engagement is necessary to keep failures from becoming newsworthy events.

Lithium-ion battery fire safety starts with the manufacturer Fluence America’s president says stakeholder and first responder engagement is necessary to keep failures from becoming newsworthy events.

How to speed interconnection studies Automation of interconnection study processes is already underway and has room to grow, said executives from Pearl Street Technologies and Nira Energy on an industry panel. Other panelists discussed developing the engineering workforce.

Tesla battery deployment up 157%; Megapack pricing down 44% In its latest quarterly press release, traditionally focused on vehicle production, Tesla revealed a significant increase in energy storage deployment, officially reporting revenue for 9.4 GWh of deployed storage products.

Michigan legislation bars homeowners associations from banning solar House bill 5028 currently sits on Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s desk for signature, and once signed will grant condominium owners the freedom to generate solar energy on their rooftops.

All solar cell efficiencies at a glance – updated The research group led by Professor Martin Green has published Version 64 of the solar cell efficiency tables. There are 19 new results reported in the new version.

The importance of measuring albedo at solar sites As bifacial modules proliferate, estimations of albedo are becoming more important and with developers not prepared to install weather stations to assess solar resource, a popular option has become third-party, on-site measurements over periods as short as a day. Is this an acceptable compromise between costly on-site measuring and less accurate satellite data? Everoze’s Stefan Mau discusses the potential benefits and limitations of this approach.

Rhode Island passes energy storage act The act sets a storage procurement goal for the state requires utilities to create an interconnection tariff that values the flexibility benefits of energy storage.

The Homeowners’ Energy Policy Act (House bill 5208) was introduced in September 2023 by Michigan Representative Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton Township) in support of solar generation on condominium rooftops in the state. The bill passed in the House and Senate and now awaits the Governor’s signature.

Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer has a strong track record of support for clean energy. In 2022 she announced the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan, which proposes that the state gets to 60% renewable energy resources and build infrastructure to accommodate millions of electric vehicles by 2030. The plan has been under development since 2020 when the Governor committed Michigan to achieving economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050. This included interim reductions of 28% by 2025, 52% by 2030, and maintaining net negative greenhouse gas emissions after 2050.

1.4 GW of solar installed as of Q1 2024 and is ranked 26^th in the nation for solar installed, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, which projects that the state will install another 3.7 GW in the next five years.

When signed, the bill will enable an estimated 1.4 million Michigan condo owners to install solar.

The bill is supported by the trade organization Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council (EIBC), and senior director of Policy Grace Michienzi testified in favor of it before the Michigan Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services earlier this year.

“We can respect desired neighborhood characteristics without creating de facto bans on energy-saving consumer products. House Bill 5028 helps ensure Michiganders are able to take advantage of energy technologies while also supporting and growing thousands of clean energy jobs in the state,” Michienzi said in a statement on June 20. “With this bill now headed to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk for signature, our state will join our neighbors in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio in establishing similar pro-consumer measures.”

Michigan is not alone in moving forward legislation barring homeowners associations from banning solar. In January the Nebraska Judiciary Committee heard testimony for a proposal that would prohibit homeowners associations (HOA) from restricting the installation of solar panels on homeowner property. 

The bill, LB1119, was introduced by Lincoln Senator George Dungan. The Sierra Club testified in support of the Nebraska bill. It said solar energy has become more popular, affordable and durable in recent years, and tax credits have made installation lucrative for homeowners. Sierra Club said there is no evidence that homes with solar panels lower the value of neighboring properties.   

“Solar panels on a roof are not an eyesore but an adaptation to a new technology, which is helping our planet reduce the use of fossil fuels and should be encouraged rather than opposed by local and state governments,” said Al Davis, Sierra Club, Nebraska chapter, in a testimony for the bill. 

The Nebraska bill’s author, George Dungan, said homeowners should, within reason, be able to do what they wish with their property.

Rhode Island has passed the Energy Storage Systems Act, creating energy storage procurement goals and requiring electric utilities to create a tariff to value the services provided by energy storage.

Signed by Governor McKee, the act sets goals of 90 MW of energy storage installed by Dec. 31, 2026; 195 MW by the end of 2028; and 600 MW by the end of 2033. Rhode Island becomes the 11th state to set a policy target for energy storage development.

The Act describes an energy storage system connected to the electric power system as potentially being able to “alleviate time and location-based constraints on the distribution and bulk power systems, including physical, economic, and environmental constraints, and result in lower costs to the general body of ratepayers if located in the right place and operated at the right time.” 

The act creates a requirement that electric utilities serving at least 100,000 customers must create an interconnection tariff, placing a market value on energy storage that recognizes the flexibility and dispatchability of storage.

The Act states that to secure a long-term, stable, and affordable supply of energy storage, “it is essential that Rhode Island begin procuring and deploying energy storage systems as an alternative to costly and redundant utility distribution infrastructure”.

The state’s public utility commission will be required to begin developing the tariff framework by September. The process will include stakeholder engagement. A model tariff framework must be submitted by May 1, 2025.

The Act requires that when evaluating the value of storage, the commission must consider time and location-based constraints on the distribution and bulk power systems, including physical, economic and environmental constraints that increase costs to the general body of ratepayers.

If energy storage is found to meet distribution system or bulk power system needs, or provide net value to the body of ratepayers, utilities will be ordered to procure energy storage via a competitive solicitation process.

The act also directs the Rhode Island infrastructure bank to develop programs to distribute funds to meet the energy storage systems capacity goals. The Infrastructure Bank program will provide for grants, no-interest loans, and low-interest loans to support the co-location of energy storage systems with distributed energy resources or energy storage systems that would allow for the interconnection of distributed energy resources without distribution system upgrade costs. These funds will be made available to local distribution companies that serve less than one hundred thousand customers.

“Moving to renewable electricity means we are going to need the structures — both physical and regulatory — to store energy. This bill sets concrete goals and action plans to build a resilient grid that can accommodate the green energy transition that is happening now,” said Rhode Island Senator Dawn Euer.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public input to inform development of an environmental assessment for the proposed Socorro Solar Energy project in southeastern La Paz County.

According to the application submitted by developer EDF Renewables in October 2021, the proposed Socorro project is designed to produce up to 350 MW of solar energy along with battery energy storage.

The BLM, Arizona State Office, completed the solar variance review process and determined that it is appropriate to continue processing the Socorro Solar Project application. At this time, BLM AZ is requesting concurrence on the State Director’s Socorro Solar Project Variance Determination.

Concurrence will not approve the proposed project, but allows the BLM to continue processing the application and initiate its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, including this public scoping and the preparation of an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement

July 1 marked the start of a 38-day public scoping period for an environmental assessment to analyze and disclose potential impacts. The BLM is seeking input relevant to the development of alternatives, environmental analyses and resource protection measures.

The project is expected to take up 3,066 acres of the nearly 6,000-acre site located within a Renewable Energy Development Area (REDA) as designated by the Arizona Restoration Design Energy Project Record of Decision issued by BLM in January 2013.

The clean electricity is expected to be delivered to the grid through the Ten West Link 500 kV bulk transmission line anticipated to be approximately 1.3 mile, which would cross the Central Arizona Project (CAP) and Interstate 10 to the south of the CAP. The application includes 30-foot wide access road for which the BLM is seeking a right-of-way for 40 years.

Project information, including maps, will be available on the project website within the BLM’s National NEPA Register.

Environmental assessments evaluate potential impacts of the project and addresses Native American religious concerns; threatened, endangered, and sensitive species; socioeconomic effects, environmental justice and other issues. The environmental assessment also looks at potential mitigation measures that can lessen environmental impacts.

In April the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released final rules governing the leasing and rental of renewable energy projects sited on public lands. The rules were developed with consultation from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Earlier in the year, the BLM released a draft analysis of the Utility-Scale Solar Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) that identifies 22 million acres across 11 states that are best suited for solar development. The document calls for solar development to be focused on areas with fewer sensitive resources, less conflict with other uses of public lands, and close proximity to transmission lines, having identified 200,000 acres of land near existing transmission infrastructure.

A recent study by the Energy Markets and Policy (EMP) department at the Berkeley National Laboratory, in collaboration with the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, found that engaging the public is important when siting large-scale solar energy projects.

“The public’s input during scoping will help inform the BLM’s development of a range of alternatives that will be analyzed,” said William Mack, Colorado River District Manager. “We invite our federal, state, tribal, as well as local partners, stakeholders, and the public to participate in scoping.”

The United States has set a goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2035. To do so, a vast amount of land needs to be used for solar energy production. The National Renewable Energy Lab estimates that if the United States were to meet all of its electricity needs with solar alone, around 10 million acres, or 0.4% of the area of the country, would be needed.

Comments must be submitted in writing by close of business on August 7, 2024. Written comments are encouraged and may be submitted by mail or email at BLM_AZ_CRD_SOLAR@blm.gov or within the project website in BLM’s National NEPA Register. If submitting by mail, send to: BLM Arizona State Office at 1 North Central Avenue, Suite 800, Phoenix, AZ 85004, and please note “Attention: Derek Eysenbach/Socorro Solar Project.”

If approved, the Socorro project is scheduled to begin construction in 2025.