California’s largest CCA project ever, a city run entirely on solar: pvMB 5/1/19

Welcome one and all to the first pvMB of May and also a hump day MB, exciting stuff. Today we’ll be looking at ACORE’s fight for an energy storage tax credit, Michiganers against DTE’s proposed solar fee, AEP’s request for proposals and all the solar news you need to be caught up on.

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sPower, MCE complete California’s largest CCA solar project – Commercial operation has been reached on Antelope Expansion 2, meaning that now that the project and all 130 glorious MW of capacity it boasts are now the largest in California operated by a community choice aggregator (CCA). The energy generated will be sold to MCE, per the project’s purchase agreement. The power from the project will satisfy the electrical needs of 26,000 homes and will eliminate 217,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. Source: Yahoo Finance

 

ACORE, enviro groups push for energy storage tax credit – In letters to the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee, a coalition of leading environmental groups, including ACORE, Sierra Club and the Union of Concerned Scientists urge legislators to include energy storage in any “extenders package” proposed this year, with a focus on the Section 48 and Section 25D 30% investment tax credits. The full letter can be read here. Source: ACORE

 

Minnetonka to be run entirely on solar energy by year’s end – “By the end of 2019, the City of Minnetonka will run entirely on solar energy. It will be one of the few cities in the state, and in the country, to be 100% powered by the sun, according to the city’s energy consultant. All city facilities and infrastructure—including street lights, city buildings and sewer and water systems—will run off solar power. Fifty percent of Minnetonka’s facilities and infrastructure already operate on solar energy. The city, a customer of solar garden provider Xcel Energy, began using the renewable energy source in 2017. Earlier this year, the city council approved subscriptions to even more gardens, bumping up to full usage.” Source: Hometown Source

 

AEP Energy Partners seeks renewable contracts – AEP Energy Partners has announced that the company is seeking purchase contracts for 15-year solar and 12-year wind agreements. The company will be looking for projects which begin operation between 2020 and 2023. “Notice of intent to bid must be received by AEPEP by May 7, 2019. Proposal packages are due no later than 5 p.m. ET, Thursday, May 23, 2019, and should be submitted by e-mail to beduckworth@aepes.com. Complete details about the Requests for Proposals are available at http://aep.com/rfp or by calling Ben Duckworth at (614) 583-7453.” Source: AEP Energy Partners

 

Michigan residents urge regulators to keep solar energy affordable – The wonderful world of the wildly unpopular has a new inhabitant: DTE Energy’s proposed $12 to $16 per month fee on rooftop solar customers generating their own energy. The Michigan League of Conservation Voters has announced that more than 2,200 state residents have submitted public comments to the Michigan Public Service Commission denouncing the fee. In addition the the fee, the proposition would also devalue at-home generated PV from 13 cents per kWh to a mere 4 cents per kWh. Source: Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications

 

And how about this neat solar production graphic by state growth:

 

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