While climate change divides Democrats and Republicans, renewable policy unites
A new interactive map created by the Yale Program on Climate Communication shows the difference in responses and opinions between America’s two political parties across questions of climate change, renewable education and utility procurement.
North Carolina pursues faster interconnection for utility-scale solar
Under Duke Energy’s current review process, interconnection queues grew to 14 GW in North and South Carolina last year. A new process should speed interconnection reviews, and enable projects located near each other to share the costs of transmission upgrades.
More utilities bypassing natural gas bridge and going straight to renewables
Utilities that are transitioning away from coal are starting to view the creation of a natural gas “bridge” to renewable energy as an unnecessary step.
National Climate Bank amendment added to House’s pro-solar infrastructure bill
Congress has authorized more than $3 trillion in coronavirus relief, but none of this money has been for job creation. Supported by SEIA, a national climate bank can create millions of jobs, especially in low and medium-income communities.
Democrats’ ambitious climate action plan targets a clean US grid by 2040
With a timely focus on jobs and environmental justice, recommendations in the 538-page plan range from a solar ITC extension to a pushback on FERC’s ability to create wholesale market barriers to clean energy.
Real-time pricing that integrates more solar power is proven to work in California
Industry participants noted the significance of a real-time pricing project on a single distribution circuit in California. State officials are evaluating real-time pricing as a means to help integrate more solar and wind power on the grid.
Morning Brief: NERA anti-net metering petition update, renewables top nuclear and coal again
“Reports indicate that the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, the Heartland Institute and NERA all have ties to the Koch brothers, who have funded climate denial and pro-fossil fuel campaigns for roughly three decades.”
Colleges reassessing energy needs, sustainability goals in the face of Covid-related shutdowns
In an effort to accelerate their renewable goals, a number of U.S. colleges and universities have been using Covid-related shutdowns to assess their energy needs, how those needs are filled and what more they can do.
Morning Brief: Oil-rich Norway finds carbon capture too expensive, House’s $1.5T infrastructure bill packed with pro-solar provisions
Also in the brief: largest operational battery in the U.S., more futile carbon capture and more landfill solar
House’s $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill packed with pro-solar, pro-storage provisions
In addition to making the stand-alone energy storage investment tax credit (ITC) eligible and extending a 30% solar ITC through 2025, the House bill creates a direct pay mechanism that can be used in lieu of the ITC.
