SEIA challenges FERC’s PURPA rules
“Looks like the rules will wind up in federal court” said a legal analyst, after the national solar association challenged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s revised PURPA rules, and five other groups also asked for a rehearing.
Morning Brief: Elon Musk hints at yet another battery breakthrough, CAISO provides details on California blackouts
Also in the brief: A surge of nuclear outages in the U.S. this summer, Japan’s struggle to drive down renewables costs
WattBuy launches address-level electricity cost and carbon footprint calculator
The tool is intended to help solar developers show customers their potential electricity cost savings and their carbon footprint reductions, making that customer more likely to consider the switch to solar.
Clean energy VC funding roundup: Nuclear fusion, utility-solar foundations, electric trucks, smart metering
Investors continue to invest and clean energy entrepreneurs continue to innovate — despite global setbacks. Here are four companies that won more than $45 million in funding in recent days — ranging across the cleantech spectrum. Plus $1.9 billion for Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
For lower-cost Southeast power, double the solar and add wholesale power trading
A lower-cost grid would reach 22% renewable generation in 2040, compared to the 5% currently planned by Southeastern utilities, says a study from Energy Innovation and Vibrant Clean Energy. Wholesale power trading through an independent system operator would also help reduce costs.
SimpliPhi predicts a cobalt-free battery takeover sooner than anyone expects
pv magazine spoke with SimpliPhi CEO Catherine Von Burg to discuss why she believes lithium-iron-phosphate is the chemistry of the near future.
Morning Brief: 5 GW of solar coming to Africa, the pressing need for panel recycling
Also in the brief: Pennsylvania has its first project using Commercial Property-Assessed Clean Energy financing, Gov. John Bel Edwards of Louisiana has signed two executive orders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance coastal resilience and more.
Twitter predicts the US Department of Energy Secretary in a Joe Biden administration
If Biden wins and if Twitter is accurate, the next DOE secretary will be…
Lawsuit challenges TVA’s anti-solar “never-ending contracts” with its utility customers
The utilities that buy power from TVA, and the 10 million people they serve, will be limited in accessing low-cost solar power unless a federal court invalidates what a lawsuit calls TVA’s “never-ending contracts.” Three citizens’ groups brought the lawsuit, claiming TVA violated a federal environmental law.
Sunrun and GRID fight California blackouts with free batteries for low-income households
“Storage is critical for equity,” says Sunrun CEO Lynn Jurich — and putting more standalone storage on the grid means less electricity going through wires in wildfire-prone areas.
