Bob Solger

The #Minnesota #Legislature remains in session and among the bills being considered are those that address permitting reform for #cleanenergy projects and the use of software to speed up the approval process for residential #solar systems.

2

Wyoming's highest court rejected a scheme to reduce compensation to small solar net-metering customers. But lawmakers may again try to reform the law, citing contested notions of unfair subsidies. ☀ ⚡ Climate and energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer has more. 👇 #solarenergy #rooftopsolar #solarpower #utilityindustry #utilities #renewables #renewableenergy #wyoming #smallbusinesses #netmetering #energy

2

We are getting many questions from industry who are confused about the Order No. 901 standards revisions. We don't have all the answers, but want to be helpful in sharing what we can glean from North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)'s posted materials and announcements. Important Data Points: 🔹 NERC's Milestone 2 projects for Order 901 are related to the creation of NERC PRC-028 (IBR disturbance monitoring), PRC-029 (IBR ride-through performance), and PRC-030 (IBR post-event performance validation). 🔹 All three standards have not received passing ballots up to this point. Latest ballots: 47% for PRC-028, unknown for PRC-029 in July (not yet posted) but got 25% in April, and 31% for PRC-030. ❗❗ NERC states in today's 901 summary update (see below) that the upcoming July 22-August 12 ballot "will be the last opportunity for NERC to ballot these projects through traditional mechanisms." This is the last chance for industry to vote and provide feedback through the normal ballot process. ⚠ The NERC Board "may take requisite action" in August, meaning that the proposed standards may proceed to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission after this last ballot - i.e., potentially failed balloted projects may be moved forward... (right?) Questions we're hearing include: ♦ Industry experts on the NERC Drafting Teams are working hard to try to compile a wide range of comments and feedback. Can industry get more time to align on these important standards? Or are we going to settle with a v1 draft that would need further revisions immediately? ♦ Can we consider adopting IEEE 2800-2022 at the NERC level to bring uniformity on some of these topics? Maybe we wouldn't need multiple standards and could unify workloads and speed up the process? 📣 We encourage all industry stakeholders to have a voice in this process - it's important for all sides to be at the table and part of this pivotal rulemaking. Milestone 2 Summary: https://lnkd.in/d_nKkZj2 PRC-029 Recent Ballot Comments: https://lnkd.in/d6CgR3bi

56

3 Comments

A bipartisan permitting reform bill was released on Monday. The proposed legislation supports FERC's authority to approve transmission lines and paves the way to require interregional transmission planning. If passed, the law would also require planners to consider advanced conductors and reconductoring in order to maximize current transmission capabilities. Read more about the new bill and the industry response in the article below. ⬇️ #FERC #Transmission #USEnergy #KinectSolar

5

Commercial solar incentives significantly reduce upfront costs and accelerate ROI for businesses investing in solar energy. Federal tax incentives include the Investment Tax Credit and accelerated depreciation through MACRS and bonus depreciation. State and local incentives offer additional benefits such as Solar Renewable Energy Credits, property tax exemptions, and grant programs. Combining these incentives can dramatically decrease payback periods and increase long-term savings for businesses. https://lnkd.in/gJdeDJ7n

11

1 Comment

Birch Creek Energy Places Order for 547 MW of First Solar Modules First Solar, Inc. has entered into a deal with Birch Creek Energy (“Birch Creek”) to provide 547 MW of advanced Series 6 Plus Bifacial thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules. The renewable energy company based in St. Louis intends to utilize these modules in various projects within its development pipeline across the United States. Exiting 2023 with an annual US nameplate capacity of 6 GW, First Solar emerges as the largest solar manufacturer in the Western Hemisphere. Its investments in US manufacturing are poised to significantly contribute to job creation. A recent study commissioned by First Solar indicates that its current […] Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gfs92cv8 #solarenergy #alternativeenergy #solarpv #pvsolar #photovoltaic #cleanenergy #cleantech #climatechange #middleeast #africa #india #asiapacific #asia #america #birchcreekenergy #firstsolar #renewableenergy #renewableenergy #solarenergy #unitedstates

7

We balance Tribal Objectives with Technological Advancements and Environmental Responsibility. Read more 👉 https://lttr.ai/AXqM5 #NativeAmericanSolar #RenewableEnergy #SolarPower #IndigenousEnergy #TribalEnergy #SolarTechnology

1

RENEW Wisconsin Summit, February 6, Madison, Wisconsin: https://buff.ly/4ahvaMg @RENEW_Wisconsin #reneweableenergy #cleanenergy #energytransition #energy #energystorage #energypolicy #solar #batteries #agrivoltaics #decarbonization #utilities #sustainability #Madison #Wisconsin

1

We recently completed a report for the Solar United Neighbors on the Benefits of Residential Solar in Colorado. The purpose of this report is to aid decision makers in evaluating the positive impact of residential net metered solar in the State of Colorado. The basis of this analysis is to study the direct, indirect, and induced impacts of small scale residential solar on the state’s total economic output, job creation, wages, environment, and public health. https://lnkd.in/gGKvyKiV

5

A new analysis examines the 'Regulatory Gap' between utilities and their regulators, which is cause for them to focus on taking the easy route and building local transmission when it would be much more valuable to build large interstate transmission lines. 🛣️ ⚡ This 'Regulatory Gap' exists in Missouri and is partially driven by PISA legislation, which requires grid investment and allows certain recovery of it. Sadly, these grid improvements still aren't addressing reliability and aging infrastructure issues in the lower income or minority neighborhoods, and a large chunk of investment is being put into more affluent neighborhoods. https://lnkd.in/gQiMgztj

1

The Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA) has a big job in front of it: deploying $62 million in grant funding to support solar energy projects across 35 tribes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The funding stems from the Biden administration’s Solar For All initiative, a $7 billion program aimed at expanding solar access in underserved communities. Tribal Business News has the story. #CleanEnergy #TribalEconomy #IndianCountry

12

Starting your 2025 sales plan for major overhead and underground HV and EHV transmission projects? Look here, but remember routing and permitting lead times for some of these projects have been over 10 years. We need better policy and technical solutions to expedite the build out. Federal policies break down quickly on a state by state and local basis. We engineers should offer solutions built around technologies like underground, super conductors, advanced (composite core) conductors , DLR, rigorous FERC 881 compliance and compact designs (like BOLD). More capacity from existing rights-of-way is a megatrend and the solution for our immediate transmission needs. Do you agree? Thanks. Mike #pdi2 #innovation #transmission

23

2 Comments

U.S. solar import tariff alert! If you’re a solar developer in the U.S., you’ve probably been using bifacial modules due to their import tariff exemption. Well, that era is probably ending soon. Reuters is reporting that the Biden administration will likely revoke the bifacial exemption that has been in place for two years. If enacted, this policy change is expected to affect nearly 90% of PV module imports in the U.S., which are bifacial. The exemption’s removal could protect the $2.5 billion expansion of Hanwha Qcells’ U.S. solar manufacturing against cheaper bifacial Asian-made products. The decision aligns with the Inflation Reduction Act, which has incentivized the construction of over 40 solar equipment factories planned in the US since 2022. Read More:  https://lnkd.in/g7ZNNxSk #solar #solarpower #trade #tariff #sinovoltaics #innovativeinsider #QualityAssurance #QA

1

Numerous renewable energy investment opportunities available in Efficient Markets, via RenovaNexa and Government Resources. Sealed bid listings currently hosted by RenovaNexa: Solarstone Limited - Eastern Colorado Energy Center - 30 MW Solar PV + 60 MW / 180 MWh BESS - Location: Kit Carson County, Colorado - Bidding Closes: September 30, 2024, 4:00 PM (CT) Clean Royalties Generation, LLC - ISO New England - Community Solar Portfolio (3 MW) - Locations: Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Washington, Windham, and Windsor Counties, Vermont - Bidding Closes: October 31, 2024, 4:00 PM (CT) Black Mountain Energy Storage II, LLC - ERCOT - Battery Storage Portfolio; 750 MW x 2h Capacity - Locations: Bell, Calhoun, Harris, Lampasas, and Martin Counties, Texas - Bidding Closes: October 31, 2024, 4:00 PM (CT) Government Resources is facilitating a geothermal energy lease sale for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), featuring 66 parcels covering 200,000+ acres in Nevada. This offering ends October 8. Interested in learning more? DM me or visit www.efficientmarkets.com for details. #Sustainability #CleanEnergy #RenewableEnergy #SolarEnergy #BatteryStorage #GeothermalEnergy #InvestmentOpportunities #EnergyTransition #CleanTech #GreenEnergy

36

The EPA announcement on power plant regulations raises significant concerns about our nation's energy landscape. The rule outlined is unlawful, unrealistic, and unachievable. As electricity demand grows and supply fails to keep up, bad public policy is making the problem worse. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/47rhc8s #ReliablePower

154

22 Comments

‘Renewable energy growth is truly a 50-state story now’: New report shows big jump in solar, wind, EVs "Johanna Neumann was watching Monday Night Football with her husband when a commercial earlier this week caught her eye. The 30-second ad featured actor and comedian Will Ferrell at what looks like a gas station but equipped with electric vehicle chargers instead of gas pumps. He’s gleefully dancing, twirling the charger and using it as a microphone when another EV driver honks the car horn and tells him to hurry up. The commercial actually was for PayPal and had nothing to do with the number of registered EVs jumping to 3.3 million in 2023 — a 25-fold increase from 2014, according to a report released Wednesday from Environment America, a national network of 30 state environmental groups. Neumann, who leads the group’s renewable energy campaign, said she loved the commercial because, “It was a totally normal experience. “We’re at this moment where … they’ve gone from being a novelty to something that is normal in our landscape and will only become more normal as more and more people adopt EVs and see them on the road.” The United States produced more than three times as much electricity from wind, solar and geothermal sources in 2023 than it did in 2014, according to the report, “Renewables on the Rise,” which Environment America has released annually since 2017." Continue reading in the article below. #mygovus #BuildingBetterCommunities #governmentsoftwaresolutions

1

Facts and clear explanations here. Though high points for wind+solar generation make headlines, low points make problems! Five years of Texas data.

66

26 Comments