American-Made Challenge gets five generals
NREL has chosen five companies to help administer the America-Made Solar Prize, a program whose stated goal is to develop U.S.-based solar manufacturing. These five companies receive contracts of $100,000 each for their services.
SunPower’s back-contact technology excluded from Section 201 tariffs
The role of SunPower’s planned purchase of SolarWorld Americas in getting a rare reprieve from the Trump Administration’s bellicose trade actions is unclear.
25% tariffs on Chinese inverters to start on January 1
The final order from the U.S. Trade Representative includes an interim tariff rate of 10% set to start on September 24.
Lyft goes carbon-neutral and 100% renewable
The company has committed to buying carbon offsets and RECs to create an entirely carbon-neutral rideshare service.
Clean energy versus gas
Solar and energy storage, either on their own or as part of clean energy portfolios, are showing that they can compete with natural gas in the United States. But will regulators wake up to this reality before half a trillion dollars worth of future stranded assets are built?
Joint U.S. House-Senate committee quietly maintains funding for renewable energy, ARPA-E in FY2019
After an attempt to cut EERE and ARPA-E funding by the House, the conference committee has retained funding for both programs at roughly 2018 levels.
U.S. solar market slumps during second quarter
The impact of Section 201 tariffs is cited in a 9% year-over-year fall in installation volume during Q2. However, Wood Mackenzie and SEIA also show massive utility-scale procurement, which is expected to lead to a boom in the second half of the year.
Arizona regulators provide mixed ruling for solar in TEP, UNSE service areas
In the same meeting that they rejected a discriminatory grid access charge, Arizona regulators have moved PV system owners in TEP and UNS’ service areas to a value of solar methodology which creates long-term uncertainty for the market.
Sunrun commits to 100 MW of solar power on affordable housing
California’s Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program has a 2030 goal of installing 300 MW of solar power, and Sunrun’s 100 MW commitment aims to satisfy one-third of that by 2028.
SRP approves $50k donation to fight Arizona RPS initiative
The board of the Arizona utility has approved a $50k donation to fight a ballot initiative to move the state to 50% renewable electricity by 2030, even though SRP would not be directly subject to the mandate.
