Let’s Do Some Quick Hits. Thank you to Standard Solar for the incredibly kind words about this newsletter. I know it shocks some of you when you find out that this isn’t my full time job but enough of you have been here long enough to know that I have a day job that is both fun and time consuming.
The Data Center Propportunity. This is a problem with a solution that creates an opportunity. Building data centers will be a necessity, based on your netflix consumption, your AI use and certainly your companies thirst for AI applications. But building a data center also needs to have access to energy (a ton of it) (yes, that’s scientific projection) as well as constant/100% reliable power. Rules then dictate that it will need backup generation which must also comply with environmental standards which oftentimes don’t mix well and local communities have a say about this as well. Add crypto to the mix and you have massive energy consumers fighting for the same resource which our industry is poised to deliver. So it’s a problem, that HAS to be solved, and an opportunity. Propportunity, trademarked by yours truly on this day.
News
1 Axios:
There's a power struggle brewing over crypto and AI — literally
3 Canary Media:
Texas will add more grid batteries than any other state in 2024
4 Utility Dive:
ERCOT, CAISO offer best grid interconnection processes; PJM, ISO-NE the worst, report finds
5 Renewable Energy World:
Interconnection ‘report card’ shows an ongoing struggle to connect new generation
6 Energy Storage News:
Over 1.8GW of energy storage clears in ISO New England’s latest Forward Capacity Auction
7 PV-Magazine:
Arizona approves “discriminatory” charge on rooftop solar customers
Opinions:
8 Bloomberg:
Exelon CEO Warns Cleaning the Grid Needs Higher Power Bills
Have a great day!
Yann
Strong Auction In ISONE. The northeast has a strong need for updates in its infrastructure, shown by the latest capacity auction that highlights what it will take to get more capex into the system. I’ve seen developers go through the planning and interconnection process given my colleagues support of them with PSCAD and PSSE planning endeavors which are not small achievements. This deployment of capital will ultimately mean more resilient and reliable energy for the consumers as well the ability to grow the economy with energy access for new facilities.
Opinion
News
1 Utility Dive:
New England capacity prices rise almost 40% in most recent auction
2 Bloomberg:
Apollo, Other Investors Commit $300 Million in Boost to SunPower
3 PV-Magazine:
U.S. residential solar prices drop, strong interest in storage
4 Renew Economy:
Europe’s largest solar module plant faces shutdown as company shifts focus to US
5 Axios:
What an SEC rule change says about the climate fight
6 PV-Tech:
Modernising grids and substantial investments key to ease connection queues
7 Solar Power World:
How grid-forming inverters will enable continuing growth of solar and grid reliability
8 Canary Media:
Chart - Nearly all new US power plants built in 2024 will be clean energy
Opinions:
9 GreenBiz:
How sustainability professionals can use their collective voice to speed climate progress
Have a great day!
Yann
Too Early To Grade. The need to grade the IRA before the rules are barely written, unwritten and factories still under construction are missing the point. Solar and storage will be 81% of the grid additions this year. With energy demand scheduled to double in the next 25 years, that trend will continue which means the supply chain needs to keep up with hopes of that coming shoreside increasing, the IRA’s impact will have decades to show its impact. The transferring of tax credit is already clearly a winner, billions have already transacted. The 45x credits for domestic manufacturing is massive, primarily for trackers and inverters so far, even with the resi solar market having a moment of headwind. That’s just where we are today, so everyone knock it off with the grading on a generational policy.
Opinion
News
1 New York Times:
Here’s Where Biden’s Climate Law Is Working, and Where It’s Falling Short
2 Energy Storage News:
‘UK project size sweet spot somewhere between 200-500MW’
3 Reuters:
Rush for data centers creates US solar hotspots
4 PV-Magazine:
Nearly 800 MW of solar bound for the Texas grid
5 Renewable Energy World:
NERC warns of bulk EV charging’s grid impact
6 Canary Media:
Smart tech could help fix the biggest barrier to building clean energy
7 Utility Dive:
Repowering will represent nearly half of all new wind capacity in 2024
Opinions:
8 Heatmap:
Why Clean Energy Projects Are Stalling Out on Native Lands
Have a great day!
Yann
Opinion
Best, Yann
News
1 Utility Dive:
Solar, battery storage will be 81% of new electricity generation capacity this year - EIA
2 Reuters:
Record US renewable energy investment not enough to meet climate goals -report
3 Axios:
Coal's influence on energy generation is fading fast
4 Solar Builder:
PG&E rate hikes improve home solar ROI under NEM 3
5 PV-Magazine:
Georgia utility “adamantly opposed” to community solar
6 PV-Tech:
SolarEdge Q4 inverter shipments drop by 76% quarterly
7 Solar Power World:
Shoals to move eBOS manufacturing operations to new massive factory just across the street
8 Energy Storage News:
BESS wins highest percentage among clean energy technologies in UK Capacity Market auction
9 Bloomberg:
California’s Solar Subsidy Cut Fuels Sunrun Battery Sales Surge
Opinions:
10 Canary Media:
US climate goals - EVs are on track, but clean power is lagging
Have a great day!
Yann
