100% RE Legislation. Another bill has been filed for 100% renewables, this time in Illinois. This follows a recent trend to not only file legislation but actually pass it as California did last year. When it comes to debating ways to transition off 20th century generation, this may be the political vehicle to accomplish this. CleanChoice CEO and former political operative, Tom Matzzie, commented on twitter “100% might be the ONLY politically feasible solution to decarbonize.”
Nuclear Bailout PA Edition. Here we go again. We’ve seen this story in New Jersey and Illinois most recently where nuclear power plant operators required legislation after threatening the plant closures. The closure of more than 3 plants is threatened including three mile island. Legislators are likely to succumb to the pressures, as they have in every case before this, the question is what will come attached to bill. I’d say we should fight for market pricing signals as opposed to simple incentives. Who is running the renewable energy’s response to this?
Grid Operations. We’ve gone from the polar vortex and ridiculous temperatures to spring like weather this week in many parts of the Country. The new grid is more flexible and operators are getting to crawl before they run. It will be important that the market creates pricing signals to the generators and consumers that are faster and broader. It shouldn’t only be about turning a plant on for 4 hours in 30 minutes or turning home AC units off for an hour. The new grid is faster, more responsive and flexible.
Puerto Rico Future. Everything is a bit slower in Puerto Rico but it seems the energy task force was in Puerto Rico last week and new headlines are being made. I look forward to seeing more happening.
SOTU. I wasn’t very surprised that solar didn’t make a highlight in the 82 minute speech, but the paragraph on the oil export was without context and political truth. Oil exports are up because it was a trade for the solar and wind tax credit extensions. Without the legislative change to eliminate the oil embargo, exports would not exist for the most part. That is the power of the political trade, that’s why I highlight the PA nuclear bailout request and search for moments of leverage where solar can go and flex its advocacy muscles.
- PV-Tech: State politician announces 100% renewable energy plan for Illinois, including 6GW of solar
- Morning Call: Taxpayer-funded nuclear power bailout pushed in Pennsylvania
- Greentech Media: Surviving the Polar Vortex – A Look at How the Electricity System Fared
- Utility Dive: Puerto Rico proposes largest solar, storage buildout in US with 20-year draft resource plan
- Vox: Climate change was the subtext of the State of the Union. It should’ve been the headline.
- ABC: Gov. Kristi Noem vetoes PUC’s solar energy legislation
- Bloomberg: Germany’s Biggest Solar Park Will Be Built Without Subsidies
Opinion
Have a great day!
Yann