Policy

Also on the rise: Nova Scotia government protects solar owners by stopping proposed net-metering fee. Maxeon 40-year warranty is cool, but you can’t get it in US. Solar-powered EV Airstream parks itself by remote control. Two large-scale solar and battery storage projects coordinate time-based delivery.

The amendment would allow existing net metering customers to keep their current rates for 20 years, but would slash future rates and add in base facilities charges, electric grid access fees, monthly minimum bills, or other fixed charges.

Today’s proclamation upholds the exclusion for bifacial panels and increases the annual tariff rate quota to 5GW for cells.

In a welcome ruling, the Nova Scotia government announced that it will protect solar homeowners and small businesses in the solar industry by stopping the fixed monthly charge proposed by Nova Scotia Power.

The proposal, which came under fire from industry leaders, environmentalists, and working Californians, was called a rooftop solar-killing measure. Meanwhile, a new state board granted PG&E a provision to raise electric rates to recover its losses from the wildfires for which it was found liable.

Also on the rise: CommonBond to finance solar. Aurora Solar updates sales software. SolarApp+ found to cut project times by about 12 days. SunCommon offers zero up-front financing to VT Organic Valley farmers. PJM proposes to pause solar project review to get out from under backlog. Kansas Senator Mike Thompson supporting bills that may slow solar in his state.

Kansas state Sen. Mike Thompson (R) is supporting new bills that may slow the rate of renewable energy growth in the state.

With a backlog of over 1,200 energy projects, the nation’s largest electrical grid operator is proposing a review process that it claims will better prioritize construction-ready projects, and streamline and speed up interconnection as a whole.

“Relatively minor” changes are needed in distribution planning and operations before owners of distributed solar and distributed storage may earn money from participating in wholesale markets through an aggregator, says a report from the Energy Systems Integration Group.

Also on the rise: Solid-state battery start-up Sparks opened a pilot plant for its patented lithium battery technology based on zero cobalt cathodes. Hyperion will invest in a new facility in Ohio to manufacture its hydrogen fuel cell. Pennsylvania may have to sell RECs and use the cash to cap abandoned oil and gas wells. Sol Systems acquires 540MW Illinois solar portfolio. Greenskies moves agrivoltaics forward in Connecticut. FranklinWH chief sales officer shares views on distributed storage.