New Boots on the Ground is live. Abby and I dig into vehicle-to-grid, and it’s already looking like we know what we’re talking about: today’s headlines bring school bus fleets into the VPP conversation. Catch it now, and check us out on YouTube too. solarwakeup.com/boots
Congress bails, diesel bites — The House adjourned early amid a push to impeach Defense Secretary Hegseth, pushing government funding and 45X expansion into a post-midterm lame-duck fight. Meanwhile diesel costs are quietly hitting every line item in your solar budget.
Comment period is open — The Federal Register wants your feedback on the bulk power executive order. Some developers are already rethinking inverter suppliers before any rule even exists.
Buses as batteries. School districts are eyeing idle bus fleets as virtual power plants. Maybe time for a new PPA model built entirely around it?
No tracking, no rows. Mounting startup Planted just raised $32M betting smaller poles and less steel beat traditional trackers. Does the math work in the US?
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- Utility Dive: Utilities, schools see growing value in electric buses for virtual power plants
- Axios: AI environmental concerns build as lawmakers grapple with tech panic
- VOx: The hidden $350 surcharge on American households
- Fast Company: This startup just raised $32 million to build solar farms using robots—and much less land
- PV-Tech: Over 90% of solar professionals report growing project deployment pipeline in latest PVcase report
- Solar Power World: First Solar ends Sec. 337 investigation into competitors allegedly infringing on TOPCon patent
- Energy Storage news: FCC inverter ban poses greater threat to US renewables than FEOC compliance, industry experts warn
- Canary media: Newsom’s last chance to tackle California’s electricity costs
- PV-Magazine: SEIA announces plan to absorb the Coalition for Community Solar Access
Opinion
Best, Yann