Policy

New California legislation aims to update electrical grid for renewables

Kelsey Misbrener — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 12:39:48 +0000

The California Assembly passed legislation on Wednesday by a 58:0 vote to increase efficiency of the state’s electric grid and speed up the deployment of renewable energy resources in California. SB 1006 will require utilities to study the feasibility of grid enhancing technologies (GETs) and advanced conductors and then file a report with the California…

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California Public Advocates Office suggests changes for legacy NEM customers

Kelsey Misbrener — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 19:45:48 +0000

The California Public Advocates Office (PAO) in late August published a factsheet on net metering that asserts the state’s rooftop solar incentives will cost customers without solar an estimated $8.5 billion by the end of the year. The PAO is a state entity tasked with advocating for the lowest possible bills for customers of California’s…

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Alaska becomes latest state to legalize community solar

Kelsey Misbrener — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 13:32:29 +0000

On August 14, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed legislation enabling community solar programs in the state. SB 152 will allow Alaskans to subscribe to community-owned solar arrays not located on their home or property, opening up clean energy access for the first time to the more than 260,000 Alaskans who live in rental housing and…

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Biden bumps number of silicon solar cells that can enter country tariff-free

Kelly Pickerel — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 12:26:59 +0000

President Biden is giving the domestic solar panel manufacturing market a break from tariffs on imported solar cells with the latest announcement from the White House. The president has modified actions taken earlier this year on tariffed crystalline silicon solar (CSPV) imports by increasing the amount of silicon solar cells that can enter the country…

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18 House Republicans urge Speaker not to repeal IRA

Kelsey Misbrener — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:48:04 +0000

On August 6, 18 House Republicans, including Andrew Garbarino (NY), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR) and Erin Houchin (IN), sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson asking him to preserve the IRA after hearing concerns about repeal. “We hear from industry and our constituents who fear the energy tax regime will once again be turned on its…

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Educating businesses on the IRA is the next corporate windfall

Adam Carver, CEO of Bitgreen — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 12:00:43 +0000

The pain of missed opportunity can leave a wound as deep as a CFO learning that they just overpaid their federal taxes. After all, a CFO is the first line of defense for a company’s financial health and stability. Now, imagine that the overpayment totaled 10%, and the total cost is the annual savings compounded…

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U.S. households claimed $6.3 billion in clean energy tax credits for 2023

Kelsey Misbrener — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 19:33:06 +0000

The IRA extended and expanded tax credits that help households invest in residential clean energy such as solar panels, as well as home energy efficiency. New data from the Internal Revenue Service show that more than 3.4 million American families have already claimed more than $8 billion in residential clean energy and home energy efficiency…

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DOE loan office backs Qcells with $1.45 billion for new solar panel factory The plant is expected to produce ingots, wafers, cells and finished solar panels by late 2024.

Kelsey Misbrener — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 14:10:07 +0000

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) announced today a conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $1.45 billion to Qcells, a leading North American crystalline silicon solar manufacturer. The loan guarantee will support Qcells’ solar supply chain facility in Cartersville,…

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The plant is expected to produce ingots, wafers, cells and finished solar panels by late 2024. appeared first on Solar Power World.

Federal government announces new efforts to protect residential solar customers

Kelsey Misbrener — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 12:13:14 +0000

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced actions to address unfair and deceptive consumer acts and practices in the residential solar power sector. Treasury, CFPB and FTC released Consumer Advisories warning the public on how to spot potential unfair and deceptive practices and…

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The Solar Policy Scoop: August 2024 A guide to recent legislation and research throughout the country.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 12:00:28 +0000

Massachusetts legislators fail to enact siting and permitting bill Boston, Massachusetts Massachusetts legislators failed to enact an omnibus bill that would have introduced time limits for renewable energy permitting, as well as paved the way for new procurement of 5 GWh of energy storage. Clean energy advocates expressed disappointment at the bill’s detour after months…

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A guide to recent legislation and research throughout the country. appeared first on Solar Power World.

U.S. Trade Rep delays new decision on Section 301 tariffs

Kelsey Misbrener — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 14:11:12 +0000

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said it is still reviewing the more than 1,100 public comments regarding its May 28 notice to modify the Section 301 tariffs on a swath of Chinese products, including a new focus on solar products. President Biden directed U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to add or increase…

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U.S. Senators introduce legislation to prevent Chinese companies from getting IRA dollars

Kelly Pickerel — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 19:26:56 +0000

A group of bipartisan U.S. Senators introduced legislation today that would block taxpayer money from going to Chinese solar and clean energy companies. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the “American Tax Dollars for American Solar Manufacturing Act” to prevent taxpayer dollars, including funds from the…

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The future of clean energy could be decided in the 2024 presidential election

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 12:00:29 +0000

The Biden administration unleashed a flurry of renewable energy activity since taking office in 2021, with official commitments to build more clean energy paired with massive incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act. Biden has taken more climate actions than any president before him, according to an analysis by more than 20 climate groups, including the…

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Advocates file injunction to halt new California battery installer requirements

Kelsey Misbrener — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 16:15:41 +0000

A coalition of clean energy, consumer protection and environmental groups filed a motion on July 25 seeking a preliminary injunction to halt enforcement of a new California rule that would severely restrict solar contractors from installing and servicing battery storage systems. The rule, approved by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) in April, prohibits…

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New Mexico accepting applications for solar tax credits for those previously denied

Kelsey Misbrener — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 10:59:49 +0000

The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department is accepting applications for the state’s Supplemental New Solar Market Development Tax Credit program. This program is for New Mexico taxpayers who were denied a solar tax credit in years 2020 through 2023 because the program’s funding was exhausted before they applied. “On behalf of the New Mexico…

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