This is your SolarWakeup for January 21st, 2025
Opinion
News
2 New York Times:
Trump Promises Tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and Paves Way for Further Trade Action
3 Reuters:
Trump withdraws from Paris climate agreement, again
4 BLoomberg:
France’s 2024 Power Grid Was 95% Fossil Free as Nuclear, Renewables Jumped
5 PV-Tech:
PV downturn laid bare in Chinese preliminary 2024 financials
6 Solar Builder:
Palmetto raises over $1.2 billion to back LightReach financing
7 Renewable Energy World:
Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick for public lands boss, questions reliability of renewable power
8 Energy Storage News:
UK government considering non-firm grid access for energy storage as part of REMA
Opinions:
10 Utility Dive:
The 47th presidency offers hope for permitting reform
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 20th, 2025
Opinion
News
1 Bloomberg:
Giant Batteries Are Transforming the World’s Electrical Grids
2 Reuters:
Trump upended trade once, aims to do so again with new tariffs
3 Energy Storage News:
Fire at Moss Landing plant in California
4 Utility Dive:
FERC approves SPP’s Markets+ Western power market, plus 3 other open meeting takeaways
5 Axios:
Fed pulls out of global climate change group before Trump inauguration
6 ABC News:
Solar farms are booming in the US and putting thousands of hungry sheep to work
7 PV-Tech:
US attorneys urge leaders to safeguard IRA ahead of Trump inauguration
8 Solar Power World:
2025 solar, storage and electrification predictions
9 Canary Media:
Without enough utility power, California EV-truck depots try microgrids
10 PV-Magazine:
Energy Department closes $1.2 billion in loans to Puerto Rico power producers
Opinions:
11 New York Times:
As the World Warms, Davos Braces for Political Drama
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 17th, 2025
Much Ado About Hearings. Let’s start by saying what should be obvious, nominating hearings are not an indication of policy to come. At best they give you a glimpse of what a nominee thinks at the top of mind but it is left without influence and policy staff having vetted the intention. Governor Burgum made for an interesting hearing for the solar industry which he called intermittent, true but false with the side of batteries. But then he went to the problem, America needs more energy (1), in order to win the AI race (2), for national security (3), the grid is stretched and at a breaking point of instability (4) and permitting reform has to happen (5). "We've got to get to work in permitting reform and speeding permitting right now." I personally think he listened to my podcast episode of Good Energy with SEIA’s Stephanie Bosh and Colin Silver where I kind of (exactly) said these things.
News
1 Bloomberg:
US Needs More Electricity to Win AI Race, Says Trump Energy Czar
2 Axios:
Trump nominee Chris Wright to lay out top 3 goals as energy secretary
3 Reuters:
Trump's Interior Department nominee says boosting energy key to US security
4 New York Times:
Energy Dept. Backs $22 Billion in Loans to Reshape U.S. Power Grids
5 PV-Magazine:
Wholesale electricity prices lower and more stable in 2024
6 Solar Builder:
Domestic Content Safe Harbor cost percentage updates vs. original percentages
7 PV-Tech:
Leeward, Google sign 724MW solar PV PPA in Oklahoma
8 Energy Storage News:
Partners Group investing €400 million in German BESS platform ‘green flexibility’
9 Canary Media:
Sonnen, Solrite to offer free batteries and solar to Texas homeowners
Opinions:
10 Solar Power World:
New DOE roadmap calls for detailed interconnection queue data in every state
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 16th, 2025
Chris Wright Goes To Washington. Liberty CEO met the Senate yesterday as he goes through the nomination process to become the next Secretary of Energy. Mr. Wright went with the all of the above energy talking point and recognized the enormous need for power that our Country has. Wright was introduced by Senator Hickenlooper of Colorado with the caveat that while the nominee is a zealous advocate for oil and gas, he is also a scientist that is open to discussion. My take is that the best thing that could happen is a bit of the inverse of the Biden era. Vocal support for oil and gas while regulations and demand fuel the solar market. If you remember, oil and gas production is at an all-time high as we speak.
News
1 New York Times:
Chris Wright, Trump’s Energy Pick, Is Quizzed on Climate and Clean Energy
2 Utility Dive:
US could deploy up to 84 GW of renewables on federal land by 2035
3 Axios:
Trump's "drill, baby, drill" problem
4 Reuters:
Trump's energy department pick calls for more LNG and nuclear power
5 Renewable Energy World:
VPP adoption is growing in the US, but not nearly fast enough
6 Solar Power World:
Gov. Hochul unveils $1 billion proposal to combat climate crisis in New York
7 Energy Storage News:
Masdar, EWEC launch world-biggest 24/7 solar PV and battery project in Abu Dhabi
8 PV-Magazine:
Utility-scale solar developer Origis Energy secures $1 billion investment
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 15th, 2025
Opinion
News
1 Solar Builder:
Four Chinese wafer, ingot makers banned from U.S., added to UFLPA Entity List
2 Reuters:
UAE's Masdar announces $6 bln project to deliver reliable clean power
3 Utility Dive:
PJM’s proposal to unlock unused interconnection capacity gains broad support
4 BLoomberg:
Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Seeks US Acquisitions to Hit Green Power Goal
5 PV-Tech:
China reviewing expiry of anti-dumping measures on solar polysilicon from US and South Korea
6 Renewable Energy World:
“Speed and scale” - Biden signs landmark executive order to accelerate AI, clean energy infrastructure
7 Energy Storage News:
Neoen begins permitting for 1.6GWh BESS selected in Canada’s biggest-ever procurement
8 Canary Media:
SSAB quietly pulls out of $500M green steel award negotiations
Opinions:
9 PV-Magazine:
Anti-solar backlash in Michigan stymies solar expansion
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January14th, 2025
Opinion
News
1 Reuters:
Trump's likely first moves on US energy policy
2 NPR:
How batteries are already changing the grid
3 Axios:
Southern California faces rare fire warning
4 PV-Magazine:
Global cleantech investment expected to surpass fossil fuels for the first time in 2025
5 Bloomberg:
European Power Prices Rise as Wind Forecast Is Revised Down
6 PV-Tech:
Waaree Energies acquires Enel Green Power India
7 Renewable Energy World:
PJM all over again? Changes at MISO signal potential for high prices at upcoming capacity auction
8 Utility Dive:
Will the success of Biden’s clean energy policies impede Trump’s agenda?
Opinions:
9 Energy Storage News:
Year in Review - EPC Burns & McDonnell on energy storage innovation, workforce and Trump
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January13th, 2025
The Mega Power. Constellation is acquiring Calpine for $16billion to create a portfolio of 60GW and adds quite a bit of thermal power to Constellation’s fleet. There’s an expectation that regulators will want some divestiture to limit concentration but with the demand for power, regulators will likely also be sensitive to the pushback on anything limiting power generation.
News
1 Utility Dive:
Constellation’s $16.4B purchase of Calpine would create largest US power generator
2 Bloomberg:
In Hottest Year Ever, US Homes Used a Record Amount of Power to Keep Cool
3 Axios:
Climate change plays key contributing role in LA fires
4 Solar Power World:
Scale Microgrids acquired by investment firm
5 NPR:
People are rushing to install solar panels before Trump becomes President
6 PV-Tech:
The top 10 PV module suppliers in 2024
7 Renewable Energy World:
Polysilicon is back on the menu - Feds award Michigan company $325M for new factory
8 Canary Media:
Chart - 96 percent of new US power capacity was carbon-free in 2024
9 PV-Magazine:
The impact of wildfires on PV power generation
Opinions:
10 Reuters:
German coal plants vital for electricity supply, importers say
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January10th, 2025
Is Texas Right? It’s always been a wind state, now at 42GW, but the past few years it’s been the sunny star of solar and storage with 22GW and 6.5GW respectively. Is it the development process? The ERCOT mechanics? Lack of capacity markets? Or just the growth of demand for energy. We know it’s not the politics so it’s something else, what is that and can we replicate it?
LA Fires. My thoughts go out to any of you affected by the fires in the LA area, it is an unimaginable horror to see how devastating those fires have been. If you know of legitimate aid or fundraising efforts that I can pass along to the SolarWakeup community, please reach out to me
News
1 Reuters:
Texas tops US states for renewable energy and battery capacity
2 Axios:
Wildfires and hurricanes could make parts of U.S. uninsurable
3 New York Times:
U.S. Efforts to Cut Emissions Stalled in 2024 as Power Demand Surged
4 PV-Tech:
LS Power acquires Algonquin Power’s renewable energy business
5 Renewable Energy World:
Puerto Rico’s new governor appoints an energy czar to tackle the island’s power crisis
6 Utility Dive:
PJM ‘shovel-ready’ interconnection plan draws mixed reviews at FERC
7 Energy Storage News:
Illinois Senator passes legislation to ramp up energy storage
8 Canary Media:
PosiGen wins another $200M for lower-income rooftop solar
9 PV-Magazine:
Hemlock Semiconductor receives $325 million U.S. government funding for polysilicon production
Opinions:
10 Bloomberg:
How a Utility Actually Sets the Price of Electricity
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 9th, 2025
Taking Inventory. Imagine for a moment that we don’t all work in solar and/or storage and we need to assess the rising need for energy by the hyper scaling data center build out. There is a need for energy, power, density, and reliability while solving for clean and cheap. Now do it as fast as possible. The exercise is a bit like the old adage about wanting it cheap, fast and high quality. You can only have 2 of the 3. That’s how I think about the data center need, the pipeline of generation is easily tilted towards solar with cheap and clean a clear winner. With batteries, reliability also takes a victory on this front but density can be challenging. Will there be a mix? For sure, gas will likely play a role but speed of execution is a key aspect of this exercise and also the opportunity where regulation could make a giant impact if government wants to get involved to win the AI data center dominance on the global scale.
News
1 Bloomberg:
Gas Power Won’t Provide an Easy Fix for AI Boom
2 New York Times:
What We Know About the Wildfires Raging in Southern California
3 Axios:
Treasury issues tech-neutral tax credit rules
4 Reuters:
Key solar themes to track after torrid 2024 for investors
5 PV-Tech:
European module prices continue to decline in December, says sun.store in latest pv.index report
6 Energy Storage News:
US-China battery trade war looms with AD/CVD case and export curb proposals
7 Canary Media:
Biden’s clean hydrogen tax credits are officially decided — for now
8 PV-Magazine:
Oversized solar farm keeps lights on until midnight
Opinions:
9 Utility Dive:
9 US electric power sector issues to watch in 2025
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 8th, 2025
Forward? Was this email forwarded to you? Head to Solarwakeup.com and subscribe for free.
Rising Rates. Electricity rates are rising at a pace faster than the most absurd models I saw back 20 years ago. With the demand continuing to increase and the economy thirsty for growth underpinned by that demand, i.e. data centers. There is also a renaissance for manufacturing which requires new energy access with high capacity which translates into new utility capex, all of which is made more expensive given where today’s cost of money is. In some ways, utilities are like banks, they front the capital for infrastructure and generation (mostly infrastructure) which is then recouped by selling electrons and power via demand charges. The problem is that the total capex is spread across the board and consumers, which are largely reducing their demand, are also paying for the infrastructure investments for the corporate growth load. Solar net metering gets a knock for costing consumers money, but in reality solar has reduced the need for distribution investments.
News
1 PV-Magazine:
U.S. electricity rates rise about 5% annually – outpacing inflation
2 Canary Media:
The US clean energy manufacturing revolution is real
3 Bloomberg:
Texas Snow Threatens to Unleash Blackouts and Travel Chaos
4 The Hill:
Solar panels are powering through US West wildfire smoke - Study
5 New York Times:
A Key Part of Biden’s Climate Law Was Built to Survive Trump. Now, the Test.
6 Reuters:
Biden team wraps up expanded clean energy credit guidance
7 Renewable Energy World:
Pentagon adds world’s largest EV battery maker to blacklist, posing problems for Tesla, Ford, and GM
8 Energy Storage News:
New York utility Con Edison launches RFP for bulk energy storage projects
Have a great day!
Yann
