Bills before Minnesota governor could affect solar fees
Bills to remove Minnesota’s electrical co-ops from Public Utilities Commission go before Gov. Mark Dayton today, giving them the power to set their own fee structures without oversight – and target solar customers as a separate rate class.
GTM Research: U.S. solar market to decline 10% in 2017 (with charts)
The full release of the latest U.S. Solar Market Insight report gives a number of surprises, including Utah and Georgia rising to the #2 and #3 largest state markets with over 1 GW installed each.
Apple installs 17 MW rooftop solar array on Jobs’ dream campus
To celebrate what would have been founder Steve Jobs’ 62 birthday tomorrow, the consumer-electronics giant announced its new headquarters, Apple Park, will be ready to accept employees starting in April. Employees will be able to bask in the electricity produced by one of the largest on-site solar arrays in the world.
The U.S. solar market nearly doubled in 2016 to 14.6 GW
The latest figures from GTM Research and SEIA show that for the first time, solar was the largest source of new generation by capacity.
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.
Missouri tries, tries again with PPA bill
For the third straight year, legislators in the Show Me state are trying to pass a bill to allow power-purchase agreements there – and they believe they may have the support to make the third time the charm.
South Carolina county lands 155 MW of solar projects
The announcement by Kansas-based Tradewind Energy that it will build an $84.5 million, 75-MW solar farm in Orangeburg County, S.C., is the second solar-farm announcement in six days.
Indiana senate bill targets net-metering for elimination
State Senator Brandt Hershman has introduced SB 309 into the legislative docket, a bill that contains language that could scuttle net-metering long before its stated sunset of 2027.
Air Force, Navy march toward a solar future
Coronal Energy and Gulf Power joined forces to break ground on a combined 120 MW at Eglin Air Force Base and Naval Air Station Pensacola.
Duke Energy connected 500 MW of solar in 2016
Just because the calendar turned to 2017, however, doesn’t mean the utility is planning to slow down its solar acquisition. It’s seeking to add at least 460 MW this year as well.
