North Dakota

As solar power surges forward in states like California and Texas, a handful of states trail far behind, raising questions about the missed opportunities for energy independence and environmental benefits.

Also on the rise: Intersolar North America takeaways. Over 25 GW of solar is actively being constructed in the U.S. And more.

Solar hasn’t yet taken hold in North Dakota, a state that relies more on wind power when it comes to renewable energy adoption.

The 385-mile North Plains Connector project to be built by 2029 will ease power transmission congestion and allow clean energy onto the grid.

Also on the rise: Arizona requires transparent modeling for utility resource plans. Distributed solar installed in 2021 nearly matches capacity of all new gas plants. A solar project would multiply a North Dakota town’s budget, but a 1995 ordinance prevents it. SunPower launches whole-home backup solution. Construction begins for Meta (Facebook) $90 million solar project.

Colfax Township’s zoning board is reviewing a 1995 ordinance that bars solar installations after a proposed project is estimated to increase the town’s budget from $80,000 to $180,000, plus bring revenues to the local school district, county and state. In total, $1.4 million of revenue would be shared with Colfax within the first five years of operations.

Also in the brief: Green hydrogen in Denmark, North Dakota solar on tribal lands, Lime Rock New Energy raises $600 million in growth equity focused on renewable energy tech.

Solar contractors added far more small-scale solar in the 19-state area than in 2018, when they added 250 MW. Solar policy groups aim to improve opportunities for distributed solar in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota and Montana.

In this op-ed for pv magazine, Sara Bergan and Thomas Braun, attorneys at Stoel Rives LLP discuss the difficult balancing act of solar and agriculture in the emerging Midwestern market.

Hope you were able to stay cool this weekend because we got a hot brief coming right at you!