The Downside Of Politics. There are facts related to our infrastructure that we all know. Energy consumption is rising, the grid is aging, power plants are retiring, renewables are the cheapest form and largest new addition, and the energy transition is the greatest economic opportunity of this generation. My point is that no matter what, we’re going to need solar panels, wind turbines and batteries to keep the lights on for Americans. The question is whether the politics and related shortsightedness of elections let us build a domestic supply chain the serve this opportunity. What I’m getting at is that the tax reform act of circa 2018 has extenders that need to be paid for next year so the agenda is to spread rumors about the IRA. The problem is that the IRA is both working and popular, especially where the factories are being built.
Opinion
News
1 Reuters:
US seeks solar energy developers for Nevada nuclear bomb test site
2 The Ringer:
Can Solar Power and Battery Tech Save the World From Climate Change?
3 Utility Dive:
PJM set to hold capacity auction in June after receiving mixed FERC decisions
4 New York Times:
Grading Biden’s Signature Law
5 Axios:
Exclusive - Biden admin plans major carbon-free electricity buy
6 PV-Tech:
EU adopts Net Zero Industry Act, launches measures to support solar manufacturing
7 Renewable Energy World:
Phillips named FERC chair after year of acting role
8 Energy Storage News:
Romania relaunches call for investment in battery storage for solar photovoltaic facilities
9 PV-Magazine:
Publicly traded solar installer Sunworks files for bankruptcy
Opinions:
10 Canary Media:
Access to slow EV chargers could speed up EV adoption among renters
Have a great day!
Yann
Too Successful? The IRA is driving so many investments in the local infrastructure that estimates on the tax benefits that will be used were too low. To call them a cost however is quite flawed as they represent a percentage of the capital investments made for infrastructure and desired behavior by private industry. If we wanted to track costs, then the government could have said, we’ll be spending a billion dollars on this or that but instead they built a market using tax incentives. Not for nothing, that’s also how we built the US oil and gas markets (now the largest around the globe) and how we funded fire departments or incentivize charitable giving. Let’s stop calling tax credits a cost, it’s called success.
Opinion
News
1 New York Times:
Why the Cost of Biden’s Climate Law Keeps Going Up
2 PV-Magazine:
The solar rebound effect in residential PV
3 Utility Dive:
Green investor Brookfield scores $10B for latest energy transition fund
4 Bloomberg:
Duke Energy Turns to Big Tech to Help Beef Up Power Grid
5 Axios:
Record January caps Earth's first 12-month period above 1.5°C
6 Reuters:
US solar dominates new build as developers widen search
7 PV-Tech:
European Commission acknowledges solar manufacturing crisis, delays implementing measures
8 Solar Power World:
CBP reminds solar importers they must install product in 180 days or pay duties
9 Energy Storage News:
The challenges for European lithium-ion gigafactories and the role ESS demand will play
Opinions:
10 Solar Builder:
Solving solar workforce challenges - Insights from the experts
Have a great day!
Yann
Opinion
Best, Yann
News
1 Bloomberg:
Texas Governor Says State Power Supply Needs to Grow 10% to 15%
2 Utility Dive:
DOE launches solicitation for up to $1.2B in transmission capacity contracts
3 Axios:
Biden's EPA begins crackdown over soot
4 Reuters:
Spain on a clean power roll as wind output swells
5 PV-Tech:
Enphase reports revenue of US$302.5 million in Q4 2023, down from US$551.1 million in Q3
6 Energy Storage News:
New York governor’s working group on BESS safety recommends changes to state Fire Code
7 Canary Media:
Swell Energy acquires Renu to help build virtual power plants
8 PV-Magazine:
Utah bill proposes rooftop solar net metering rate protection
Opinions:
9 Solar Power World:
DOE study says Puerto Rico can easily go 100% renewable by 2050
Have a great day!
Yann
The Fundamental Dilemma. Europe is currently debating the basic issue between policy and capitalism. In solar’s case it’s the value of low priced solar panels and the ability to build super cheap solar farms that benefit the utilities and consumers with the energy cost that everyone wants. On the flip side, everyone also wants to have a local/domestic supply chain. The EU commission is warning regulators that additional tariffs will put solar targets at risk, since it will both increase the price and decrease the available supply of modules to the market given that the local supply chain is not there. I don’t have a good answer to this, I want to see local supply chains but I also worry that local supply chains created in momentary policy decisions are hard to maintain sustainably for the long term.
Opinion
News
1 Renewable Energy World:
Clean power advocates eye PJM’s planning reforms warily
2 PV-Magazine:
Solar corporate funding rises 42% globally in 2023
3 Bloomberg:
Shopping for Solar Panels? Don’t Forget a Home Battery
4 Reuters:
BP weighs bringing in partners to solar business, says CEO
5 Grist:
As states slash rooftop solar incentives, Puerto Rico extends them
6 PV-Tech:
Solar to lead EU power generation growth in 2024
7 Solar Power World:
USITC’s midterm report on Sec. 201 solar tariffs heads to President
8 Energy Storage news:
New Jersey Senators seek to remedy state’s slow progress on energy storage deployment
9 Canary Media:
Duke Energy seeks to delay its 2030 climate target in North Carolina
Opinions:
10 Utility Dive:
California could need up to 37 GW of long-duration storage by 2045 to retire gas resources - report
Have a great day!
Yann
