Newsom vetoes another bill to curb California’s rising energy demand
Gov. Newsom said the virtual power plant bill would not have improved electric grid reliability planning because it did “not align with the California Public Utility Commission’s Resource Adequacy framework.”
Repowering aging U.S. solar farms: A strategic pivot in a changing energy landscape
With one-third of U.S. solar nearing mid-life, developers weigh the economics and challenges of upgrading existing assets over building new ones.
Idaho drops solar compensation rates by 31%
After utility Idaho Power proposed paying 60% less for the energy it buys from rooftop solar owners, the utilities commission landed about in the middle, deciding to cut net metering rates by 31%.
Coalition sues EPA for rescinding $7B solar program
A coalition of grant recipients and large law firms filed suit against EPA and its head Lee Zeldin for pulling funds intended to support low-income community solar projects across the nation.
Why California’s closed $2 billion solar plant is not a signal of industry failure
Beginning operations in 2014, the Ivanpah Solar plant cost $2.2 billion to build. It is now closing operations, but the plant’s closure is not an indication cost problems for the solar industry.
Freight costs steady after early September spike
Freight costs, which contribute towards the total cost of a solar installation, have fallen week-on-week on trade lines out of the Far East, helping to offset a price surge in the US-bound short-term market recorded at the start of September.
California required new hardware for dynamic pricing, and manufacturers built it
As California works to launch opt-in dynamic pricing of electricity that favors low-cost renewables, three manufacturers now offer 73 models of a type of price-responsive device.
Astrobotic, Honda developing vertical solar, storage solution for lunar missions
Pittsburgh-based aerospace company Astrobotic and Honda’s North American subsidiary are working on integrating Astrobotic’s vertical solar array technology with Honda’s regenerative fuel cell system to develop a power and storage solution capable of supporting prolonged exploration of the moon.
Republicans could legalize community solar in Ohio soon, but with a caveat
Ohio lawmakers picked up legislation that ran out of time during last year’s session, this time changing the proposed “community solar” pilot to “community energy.”
Solar is reshaping California’s Central Valley. What happens to the rural farming communities next door?
A democratically organized nonprofit is giving a seat at the clean energy table to 36 communities in Western Fresno County.
