Jumping on a flight to Minneapolis for Midwest Solar Expo. I’ll be interviewing the CEO of a co-op, hope you can join me.
An Opportunity Missed In Michigan. Michigan PSC voted to allow the DTE natural gas plant to proceed, maintaining the status quo. Imaging the opposite decision had been made and the new energy economy would have started to sprout in Michigan. I’m proud of the work that was done by solar advocates to make this an issue, I hope this happens on every sitting plan going forward.
Yes, So What. All new supply chains have their issues and the energy storage industry isn’t much different. All hardware is going to have an inherent carbon cost and one using mined materials is even worse. But to assume that there is a price too high for the value that batteries will provide to the energy space isn’t in play for me right now. Storage will do amazing things especially as we drive the price down.
Definitely Watch This. A couple of time-lapse images of ultra large solar farms in China. Worth a watch.
Can We Discuss ITC Yet? The ITC step downs are on the horizon, already being modeled in solar development and affecting solar plus storage installs. All at the same time where oil and gas will continue to benefit from exploration credits and more importantly the active tax credit rules whereas solar has to play with passive liabilities only. Solar should drop down the tax credit when, and only when, all other energy sources lose their credit as well.
Minnesota. Tomorrow I moderate a discussion with solar leaders about the impact that the 201 and steel tariffs have had on the solar industry. What do you want to hear during this discussion?
- SolarWakeup: MPSC Issues Most Unsurprising Ruling Ever (And Approves $1 Billion DTE Energy Plant)
- Vox: Batteries have a dirty secret
- Mashable: Now you can see China’s solar power boom from space
- Forbes: Federal Subsidies For Solar And Wind Fell Sharply In Recent Years, Says New Report
- The State: Solar resistance – SC officials again back SCE&G in a fight with solar industry
- EDF: Boosting power grid resilience with pre-storm community planning and business investments
- JWN: Mexico’s state-owned utility accused of slowing growth in solar power
- Bloomberg: Tesla’s Foe in Fight Over Electric Vehicle Rebate – Utilities
Opinion
Have a great day!
Yann