Stiff competition predicted for USDA $9.7 billion focused on renewables
Modeling shows that five of the nation’s 63 rural generation and transmission cooperative utilities alone could cost-effectively install 19 GW of solar and 7 GW of storage with support from a USDA program.
Bonneville Power plans transmission upgrades to connect 6 GW of solar, wind
The transmission utility serving Washington and Oregon plans six transmission projects to carry power from 6 GW of new solar and wind projects to urban load centers. Seventy GW of solar and wind projects are waiting in the utility’s interconnection queue.
Interfaith group uses moral suasion to advance solar power for Philadelphia
A Philadelphia interfaith group seeks to persuade the utility serving the region to contract for more solar and wind power. Pennsylvania’s renewable generation ranks 45th out of 50 states, said the group’s executive director.
Solar-plus-storage evaluated for resilience at seven Florida community health centers
Solar-plus-storage systems at any of the nation’s 14,000 community health centers can keep them running through power outages, and preserve medications requiring refrigeration. A Florida study evaluated the systems’ health care value and the financial return.
DOE awards $90 million for adoption of latest building energy efficiency codes
The grants will result in more energy-efficient buildings, a key element of a least-cost strategy for 100% renewables.
A new public utility for Maine would speed clean energy, say advocates
A Maine referendum would create a new publicly owned utility that could purchase and operate the assets of the state’s two investor-owned utilities. Advocates say that would speed Maine’s path to 80% renewables by 2030.
RFP alert: EPA launches $7 billion low-income rooftop and community solar program
Up to 60 grants will be awarded to states and other eligible entities, ranging from $25 million to as much as $400 million.
199,000 job-years await PJM approval of 167 GW of solar, storage and wind
Trade group ACORE recommended long-distance, high-voltage transmission within the PJM grid region along with other, faster measures to help the grid operator approve 167 GW of pending solar, storage and wind projects.
How your state can fix interconnection of distributed solar and storage
IREC and Vote Solar have recommended individualized state-by-state fixes to remove barriers to interconnection of distributed solar and storage, in a set of 50 state report cards.
Puget Sound Energy to reach 63% clean energy by 2025
While approving the utility’s plan that would add 300 MW of utility-scale solar and 50 MW of storage by 2025, state regulators ordered the utility to increase the transparency of its resource planning and to advance equity for its customers.
