Policy

To achieve the DOE’s goal of powering the equivalent of five million households by 2025 with community solar and creating $1 billion in energy savings would mean an increase of more than 700% of installed community solar in the next four years.

House Bill 1196 establishes a process for residents of HOAs with existing bylaws against solar installations to petition for a system in a fashion that cannot be denied once a certain level of community support has been attained.

Rocket Homes found that 66.5% of homeowners surveyed would like to go solar–and they know it saves on the electric bill and increases resale value–but they need financial incentives to handle costs.

Also on the rise: Solar advocates oppose Duke’s proposed NEM 2.0 in North Carolina. Indiana enables renewable-ready communities. In Virginia shared solar customers could see fixed charge. Solar+food in ethanol fields could fully power the United States. Federal support needed for US to reach 39% of carbon-free energy sector by 2035. RMI Study suggests charging EVs at work not home, to put daytime solar power to work.

With the passage of SB 411, Indiana communities can opt to voluntarily adopt regulations that will qualify them as a wind- or solar-ready community. The standards are expected to significantly cut project development time, lower costs, and create thousands of jobs in the clean energy industries.

Add North Carolina to the list of states considering changes to net metering rules, as Duke Energy proposes shifting costs to solar customers.

Without important federal measures like the Build Back Better reconciliation bill, the investment tax credit long-term extension, and US manufacturing support, Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said the US will fall short of goals.

The Virginia State Corporation Commission’s Hearing Examiner has proposed a requirement for residential shared solar customers to pay a $55 minimum bill each month, which opponents claim will dramatically limit program participation.

Converting the nation’s 40 million acres of ethanol corn farms into solar-plus-food facilities would generate 1.5 times our nation’s electricity needs, while also powering a 100% electrified passenger vehicle fleet.

Though the recently passed House Bill 741 is viewed as a loss for consumer choice and the industry, policy advocates fought for and achieved significant improvements. Palmetto’s Ryan Barnett joined pv magazine to discuss the effort and share how his company will continue to serve solar-ready Floridians.