South Carolina considers solar property-tax abatement
S. 44, a bill which would exempt residential renewable-energy installations from property tax assessments, passed the South Carolina Senate last week.
Guest column: Third-party energy resources are the future of the electric grid
The nature of electricity generation, distribution and consumption are changing rapidly to prevent power disruptions that occur from storms, flooding, cyber-attacks, and other threats. As a result, utilities are facing a new market landscape where distributed energy resources will play an increasing role.
Iowa not heaven for solar net metering
Under a new rule proposed by Interstate Power and Light and accepted by the Iowa Utilities Board, the amount of energy eligible for net metering will be capped at a percentage of the customer’s previous-year’s energy use.
Governors to Trump: Keep your hands off our renewables
The Governors’ Wind and Solar Energy Coalition, a bipartisan group including the chief executives of 20 states, wrote an open letter to President Donald J. Trump demanding his support for pro-clean-energy policies.
Nevada bill would raise RPS to 80% by 2040
AB 206, introduced yesterday into the Nevada Legislature by Assemblyman Chris Brooks, sets an aggressive ramp up of the state’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to four-times its current level of 20%.
Kaua’i Island expects to obliterate its solar goal five years early
Not content to rest on its laurels, the island’s utility cooperative board set a new goal of producing 70% of its energy from renewables by 2030.
El Paso Electric’s 2017 rate case asks to discriminate against solar customers
The case includes a request to create a special rate class for solar distributed-generation customers, including a new demand charge, to “establish a fair rate structure that reflects the cost to serve each customer class.”
Montana plans 80 MW solar farm amid legislative uncertainty
In another baffling tale of state’s solar-policy split personality, the Treasure State is planning a 480-acre solar farm while the legislature simultaneously tries to snuff out its nascent solar industry.
Maine’s LePage tweets latest attacks on solar
In his ongoing efforts to eliminate the underpinnings of a successful solar industry, Maine’s buffoonish chief executive slams solar on Twitter and suggests all Public Utilities Commissioners resign in the wake of a Maine solar compromise reached last month.
SEIA seeks Midwest expansion
The national solar association is setting up a committee to focus on solar expansion in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin in a move designed to refocus the association on state-level policy battles, which are where most observers believe the future of solar will now be decided.
