Policy

A Vibrant Clean Energy study commissioned by Vote Solar found that GW-scale investments in distributed solar and storage would yield the lower cost between two approaches studied for Michigan to achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050.

House Bill 741 was passed by the Florida Legislature. The rate paid by utilities to rooftop solar owners for excess electricity sent back to the grid is set to be phased down to a fraction of its original rate. It also opens the door for unlimited fixed fees to be levied on solar customers.

Also on the rise: Powin Energy signed a supply agreement with Borrego for 800MWh of Powin’s Stack750 storage solution. Rigid trackers may be best for large-format modules. Koch subsidiary DEPCOM expands portfolio to 650MWh. Over the next two years utility-scale solar and battery energy storage will combine for 60% of the capacity added to the grid. NASA’s 1.5 billion-mile Psyche asteroid mission will be solar-powered. IREC and partners announce on-line training courses for residential plan review and permitting.

A new bill in Iowa seeks to credit these waitlisted customers, but does not extend the tax credit that has spurred $5 million a year in private investment in the state.

Also on the rise: New York town plans floating-solar demonstration project. SB energy procures 1.5GW of First Solar modules. Solar Jobs Census seeks participants. Verizon Communications issues fourth green bond. Solarizing houses of worship in communities of color nationwide. Arizona Senate controls the fate of Phoenix anti-solar rate.

Two bills moving their way through the House and Senate of Florida threaten to slash the value of Net Energy Metering. The bills are being described as a knockout punch to the industry and have strong bipartisan opposition.

Ending anti-solar rates in the Phoenix area depends on maintaining an Arizona law favoring competition in the electricity sector. The Arizona House has voted to end such competition, and the Arizona Senate could do the same.

DOE’s Better Climate Challenge calls on organizations to share details on how they are reducing carbon emissions, thus creating a pathway for others to follow.

Also on the rise: Massachusetts issues request for proposals to develop a plan guiding the deployment of 10-20GW of solar power. Honeywell batteries deployed at Hecate Energy utility-scale solar and storage project. SEIA offers framework for siting community solar projects. A clunky tax credit system keeps vital incentives like the ITC and PTC from working the way Congress intended. Solar maintained its place as the country’s fastest-growing electrical resource, while widespread droughts caused hydropower to fall and coal saw a brief resurgence. Auxin antidumping case “an affront to the industry” said SOLV Energy CEO

Some northern states added as much small-scale PV per capita as the top states in the Southwest, taking advantage of solar irradiance in northern states that’s about 70% as high as that in the desert Southwest.