This is your SolarWakeup for July 19th, 2022
Why Climate Remains Partisan Policy. It’s not lost on me that climate is a bipartisan polling topic but remains deeply partisan when it comes to passing in Congress. The conservative or libertarian argument for energy policy is clearly obvious while also being a great tool to offset inflation. Energy inflation topped 40% in the latest release and when it comes to solar, the fuel cost remains consistently free for the life of the asset, passing that cost through to consumers is good for everyone. Ultimately there are two things I see as the most pressing for Congress on solar and storage policies, first is a robust and permanent tax credit structure. Second is consistent and predictable supply chain systems that eliminate volatility as much as possible. Biden could do something about the latter, using some version of emergency proclamation that grants the executive branch legitimate powers to act. It’ll be up to Congress to act on the tax credit.
News
1 Reuters:
U.S. Senate Democrats urge Biden to declare climate emergency
2 Axios:
Europe heat wave turns deadly as France and U.K. brace for hottest days on record
3 Utility Dive:
Puerto Rico’s electricity rates have nearly doubled since 2020 - IEEFA
4 Solar Power World:
GAF Energy to start second solar shingle manufacturing plant in Texas
5 Energy Storage News:
Massachusetts authorities host public comment hearings for 800MWh of battery storage
6 PV-Magazine:
Solar panels power the James Webb telescope
Opinions:
7 Canary Media:
Smart electric panels in homes could prevent overtaxing the grid
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 18th, 2022
We’re Back! Thank you for letting SolarWakeup go on a brief break last week, back to our regular programming. Like many of you, I read the news brought to us by Senator Manchin. I’ll have some thoughts for your consideration tomorrow and would love to hear from you on the topic.
News
1 CNN:
White House economic adviser says Biden will pursue climate agenda 'with or without Congress'
2 Politico:
Manchin disputes claims he rejected Dems’ climate and energy spending
3 New Yorker:
For the Third Time in Three Decades, Congress Punts on Serious Climate Legislation
4 Bloomberg:
Texas’ Power Grid Is Straining — And It’s Not Even August
5 Axios:
A GOP generation gap on climate change
6 RMI:
The Solution to Grid Reliability? Go Bigger and Bolder on Renewables and Energy Storage
7 Solar Power World:
Illinois Commerce Commission approves detailed roadmap to reach 40% renewables by 2030
8 Energy Storage News:
CEOs call on European policymakers to do more to accelerate rollout of ‘proven and scalable’ energy storage technologies
9 PV-Magazine:
Californians will still get burned under solar killer proposal
Opinions:
10 Canary Media:
5 things to know about the Supreme Court’s recent climate ruling
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 7th, 2022
The Grid Gets Managed By. In my work I have gotten to see and read about all different ways that electric regulators go about managing the grid infrastructure. France is going back to pre-monopoly days of making it the State’s business to run the grid. Meanwhile deregulated markets are seeing the most innovation coming in from energy storage with investor owned utilities really picking up the resilience focus as well. One of the hardest aspects of the planning work comes from the other end of the wire, demand response and distributed resources. When the grid was built there was very little focus or opportunity for shaping demand, only generation could be shaped against the potential demand. One thing is for sure, both ends of the wire will get focus from regulators and no one way of managing a grid will be used everywhere.
News
1 Solar Power World:
Over 100 California city, county government leaders ask CPUC to reject new solar fees
2 New York Times:
France, Hoping to Weather Energy Crisis, Will Renationalize Electricity Giant
3 Reuters:
Texas power use to keep breaking records as heatwave lingers
4 Utility Dive:
Voltus presses FERC to end state opt-outs from aggregated retail demand response in wholesale markets
5 Bloomberg:
Shanghai Cases Double in a Day, Fueling Lockdown Fears
6 PV-Tech:
Shell to build green hydrogen project in the Netherlands
7 PV-Magazine:
Entergy seeks to grow renewables up to 2500% over next decade
Opinions:
8 Energy Storage News:
Do LFP battery systems deliver lower returns than NMC ones?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 6th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Utility Dive:
Upheaval in utility regulation emerging nationally as Hawaii proves a performance-based approach
2 Bloomberg:
Giant UK Electric-Car Charging Station Also Will Supply the Grid
3 Axios:
Climate change - Extreme weather events slam globe from Italy to Australia
4 Reuters:
Draft law shows Germany plans to revise key emissions target for energy sector
5 Solar Power World:
Finance company Nelnet acquires Midwest renewables contractor GRNE Solar
6 Energy Storage News:
Northvolt raises US$1.1bn in ‘cautious capital market’ as IPO looms
7 Canary Media:
Puerto Rico is pushing LNG when it says it’s shifting to renewables
8 PV-Magazine:
Florida added more than 40,000 rooftop solar systems in 2021
Opinions:
9 PV-Tech:
Indiana ‘taking a huge step backward’ by ending net metering, solar advocates say
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 5th, 2022
Happy 4th. I spent the weekend in DC and there is a balance of functionality in a dysfunctional town. During a holiday weekend, you get to see how well DC prepares for the influx of tourists that want to see the festivities. That’s the thing with creating a functional system, you prepare a process that puts you in position to succeed. The struggle that’s filling the economy today is the unknown unknowns, things that are not prepared for. It would be great to have a solar and storage market that can get a decade of certainty without fights and unknowns.
News
1 Energy Storage News:
Nearly 70,000 Americans employed by battery storage industry in 2021
2 Utility Dive:
California passes legislation to avoid blackouts, create ‘insurance policy’ for the grid
3 PV-Magazine:
Product seized under UFLPA believed to be JinkoSolar
4 Axios:
Interior proposes offshore drilling plan that would allow up to 11 lease sales
5 Reuters:
Mexico's environment ministry denies permit for Audi solar plant
6 PV-Tech:
Australia’s Victoria promotes rooftop solar as part of gas substitution roadmap
7 Bloomberg:
China’s New Covid Flareup Threatens Crucial Yangtze Delta Region
8 New York Times:
Where Does the Climate Movement Go Next?
Opinions:
9 GreenBiz:
Clean tech drives record-breaking energy investment, IEA report finds
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 1st, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Bloomberg:
Renewable Power Costs Rise, Just Not as Much as Fossil Fuels
2 Utility Dive:
Power supply groups urge FERC to reform Western offer cap to avoid market uncertainty
3 Los Angeles Times:
California passes polarizing energy bill that could help rescue gas plants
4 Axios:
Heat waves topple monthly, all-time records from Japan to Italy
5 PV-Tech:
AEMO reveals ‘once-in-a-century’ roadmap for NEM’s energy transition, calls for AU$12bn in grid investment
6 Energy Storage News:
ArcLight - Legacy thermal plant sites ‘make excellent potential locations for battery projects’
7 PV-Magazine:
Three million U.S. jobs are dedicated to decarbonizing energy
Opinions:
8 Canary Media:
Supreme Court hamstrings federal efforts to clean up US power sector
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 30th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 PV-Magazine:
CleanCapital acquires BQ Energy
2 Reuters:
Solar developer Intersect gets $750 mln investment from private equity firm TPG
3 Bloomberg:
First Solar Rejects US Site for New Factory, Eyes Europe or India Instead
4 NYTimes:
Liquefied Natural Gas Comes to Europe’s Rescue. But for How Long?
5 PV-Tech:
US solar facing fresh shipment delays as UFLPA enforcement raises quartzite queries
6 Canary Media:
Offshore wind installations surged threefold last year
Opinions:
7 Energy Storage News:
Germany finally gives energy storage its own legal definition
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 29th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Axios:
White House announces $700M in private investments for EV charging
2 Utility Dive:
Puerto Ricans have built the largest renewable peaker plant in the world. Let’s use it.
3 Bloomberg:
ADT Is Betting Google Can Drag It Into the Future
4 Energy Storage:
Rule changes needed ‘to let battery storage lower Ontario’s electricity network costs’
5 PV-Tech:
European Council reaches agreement on its Renewable Energy Directive, includes faster permitting for renewable projects
7 Canary Media:
Energy Dome is on the brink of a long-duration storage breakthrough
Opinions:
8 PV-Magazine:
Historic Pittsburgh steel plant reopens to make components for Nextracker
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 28th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Bloomberg:
Wall Street Banks Quietly Test Cyber Defenses at Treasury’s Direction
2 Axios:
G7 leaders stare down energy and climate tug of war
3 Reuters:
Power companies ask EU to step in on Spanish profit claw-back plan
4 Solar Builder:
CPUC makes major ruling to ease solar, storage interconnection
5 RMI:
Hydrogen Reality Check
6 Energy Storage News:
Storage-enabled microgrid projects proliferate in California
7 PV-Magazine:
Leyline invests $10 million to support 1 GW of solar development
Opinions:
8 Washington Post:
Democrats race to revive economic package as inflation spikes
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 27th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Utility Dive:
Conservative approach to Texas grid operations could cost consumers $1.5B this year, says market monitor
2 Bloomberg:
New US Program Targets Rare Minerals Needed for EVs and Solar Panels
3 Axios:
The era of real-time climate change attribution is here
4 Reuters:
Retrofits and Renewables Can Help Create a Smarter, More Sustainable Grid
5 PV-Tech:
Michigan regulators approve Consumers Energy’s clean energy plan
6 Energy Storage News:
Eastern Generation gets permit for 135MW battery storage at New York fossil fuel plant site
7 Canary Media:
Chart - China dominates production of minerals needed for clean energy
Opinions:
8 PV-Magazine:
$500 million invested in Pine Gate Renewables to support utility-scale solar buildout
Have a great day!
Yann
