Lawsuit challenges TVA’s anti-solar “never-ending contracts” with its utility customers
The utilities that buy power from TVA, and the 10 million people they serve, will be limited in accessing low-cost solar power unless a federal court invalidates what a lawsuit calls TVA’s “never-ending contracts.” Three citizens’ groups brought the lawsuit, claiming TVA violated a federal environmental law.
DC citizen wins increase in rooftop solar limit to 200% of past usage
States like California whose laws say residential rooftop solar must be “intended primarily” for self-consumption could join Washington, D.C. in increasing their limit, says D.C. resident David Roodman. Generation in excess of consumption will be compensated at the wholesale rate in Washington.
FERC advises Congress how transmission may be added along transportation corridors
If Congress wants to increase transmission of renewable power from high-resource areas to high-population areas, a report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission provides a roadmap. Co-locating transmission with highways is the greatest challenge.
SolarAPP residential solar permitting app to launch this fall
The web-based app is designed to automate local government processing of solar permit applications, and has earned praise from local government officials in California who have tested it.
Advocates challenge Florida utilities’ gas-heavy 10-year plans
“Considering how off-track current plans are from where the science tells us we need to be to address the climate crisis, these plans are not in the best interest of Floridians,” says the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. Stranded gas assets could raise customer bills, the group notes.
The West and Midwest favor solar-plus-storage; the East favors gas
Proposed solar-plus-storage projects far surpass proposed gas units in the West and Midwest.
Solar-plus-storage has a 99.8% capacity value in California
“The energy from solar can consistently charge a 4-hour storage device having the same installed capacity” prior to the hours of peak demand, says a new study. In Arizona and New Mexico the capacity value is 99%.
IREC, SEIA, ESA, EPRI team up to speed distributed storage interconnection
“Getting interconnection of storage right is absolutely fundamental to avoid potential barriers for rapidly rising energy storage deployments,” said Jason Burwen, of project partner Energy Storage Association.
Discriminatory rooftop solar charges may violate antitrust law
The U.S. Department of Justice has argued that in Arizona, a utility’s discriminatory charges for rooftop solar owners can be “unlawful.” The Center for Biological Diversity also supported the four rooftop solar owners whose lawsuit has progressed, arguing the legal significance of Arizona’s renewables goals.
How to replace 187 GW of coal with renewables, and save customers money
Several financing options could ease the replacement of uneconomic coal plants with renewables and storage, with some of the savings used to help coal workers transition to new jobs, says a report from climate advocates.
