This is your SolarWakeup for May 30th 2025
Back To The Basics. Solar has grown so much and the costs are down, why does it still need subsidies? Is literally the oldest, and most idiotic, argument in the playbook. My first solar project that I sold got an ITC worth nearly $3 per watt. Today, the taxpayer provides a tax credit for projects that is far below that. Meanwhile, oil and gas wells get credits and depreciation that has increased over time since the price of the commodity has increased. Oil and gas also get to offset active income which solar does not get to benefit from.
Good For Consumers. Solar will still get built but the costs will hurt businesses and consumers, driving up the cost of electricity for the overall economy to operate. If the government were concerned about lowering the cost of the credit it could look at how to lower the input capex costs burdened by duties and tariffs or even increase domestic manufacturing credits so that manufacturers produced goods with lower costs to the projects claiming the ITC.
DOGE Chimes In. On his last day at DOGE, Elon Musk agrees with me and his view from the past decade, which is if we want a level playing field for energy, it isn’t just about cutting solar credits but all energy tax benefits that far outweigh the cost of solar and underwhelm the comparable value given solar’s position to generate the energy needed for American Energy Dominance.
Smarter Power Electronics. Whether it’s the grid in the US or more recently in Spain, we have to make our power electronics smarter. Inverters can be a more valuable tool to grid operators with ride through capabilities and energy storage with advanced energy management systems (EMS) are a critical damper to grids that need that additional operational intelligence. As a market, especially asset owners, I would urge all you to investigate the reality of enhancing your capabilities with an EMS swap for your storage assets to increase availability and grid value.
News
1 Politico:
Musk, Tesla blast GOP plans to end clean energy tax credits in megabill
2 Utility Dive:
Transformer, breaker backlogs persist, despite reshoring progress
3 Bloomberg:
Spain Blackout Blame Game Heats Up as Iberdrola Points to Grid
4 Axios:
More climate tech projects are dying on the vine
5 Reuters:
Record US clean power run rolls on through May
6 PV-Tech:
The hidden digital highways threatening critical solar PV infrastructure
7 Energy Storage News:
Republican Senator praises energy tax credits during visit to Fluence factory in Utah
8 PV-Magazine:
Why Pennsylvania’s efforts to legalize community solar might make a breakthrough
Opinions:
9 Canary Media:
Why the solar industry is counting Ohio’s newest energy law as a win
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 29th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Politico:
Federal court strikes down Trump’s tariffs on countries around the world
2 India Times:
Chinese 'kill switches' found in equipment at US solar firms trigger national security fears. What are they?
3 Solar Power World:
Meyer Burger lays off workforce at Arizona solar panel factory
4 Reuters:
Trump administration cancels Sunnova's $2.92 billion government loan guarantee
5 Utility Dive:
Vistra solar, battery projects in MISO face supply chain delays
6 PV-Tech:
SolarEdge opens Indian R&D hub, plans 200 hires by 2027
7 Energy Storage News:
Massachusetts moves toward goal of procuring 5,000MW of BESS by 2030
8 Canary Media:
Li-Cycle’s quest to recycle lithium-ion batteries ends in bankruptcy
Opinions:
9 PV-Magazine:
Texas legislature passes bill to expedite solar, energy storage permitting
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 28th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Financial Times:
Chinese solar billionaire steps back as industry turmoil deepens
2 CBS:
California lawmakers nearing vote on controversial solar power bill that cuts compensation for rooftop systems
3 BLoomberg:
Tax Bill to End US Reliance on China Solar Will Slow Green Shift
4 Axios:
AI isn't only driver of gas turbine demand, GE Vernova exec says
5 Reuters:
Trump's tax bill jeopardises clean power factory plans
6 PV-Tech:
India ships 12.5GW PV modules in Q1 2025
7 Energy Storage News:
Clean Energy Associates report shows 72% of BESS manufacturing defects happened at system level
8 Canary Media:
A Michigan coal plant was about to close. Trump ordered it to stay open.
9 PV-Magazine:
Illinois considers clean energy package to tackle data center boom
Opinions:
10 Utility Dive:
The Vistra fires and the truth about lithium-ion batteries
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 27th 2025
Opinion
News
1 New York Times:
Trump’s Tariffs and Tax Bill May Derail U.S. Battery Industry
2 Reuters:
France flexes clean power clout as nuclear and solar output climb
3 Bloomberg:
European Asset Managers Balk at Latest US Effort to Kill IRA
4 Solar Builder:
Majority of BESS defects at system level, according to CEA factory audits
6 PV-Tech:
California solar net metering bill AB 942 moves forward
7 Energy Storage News:
Lightshift Energy to build Vermont’s largest BESS
Opinions:
8 PV-Magazine:
Illinois residents rally for big, bold clean energy bills
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 23rd 2025
Don’t Fall Asleep. While you were sleeping yesterday, the House went and passed a bill that raises the debt by north of $ 20 trillion over the next ten years while also gutting solar tax credits. Not just the ITC but also the consumer tax credit and, by extension, the 45x benefits. You all know this already, but this is an activation button to make sure that what leaves the Senate is in line with what we need as an industry. I’m optimistic that if everyone in the sector reaches out to their Senate offices, we can have an impact and drive the legislation in the right direction.
News
1 Bloomberg:
Crippling Clean-Energy Tax Credits Won’t Fly, GOP Senators Say
2 New York Times:
House Passes Trump’s Domestic Policy Bill, Overcoming Last-Minute Resistance
3 Utility Dive:
House’s 60-day deadline for IRA eligibility would trigger ‘scramble’
4 Reuters:
Solar stocks plummet after Trump's tax bill advances in US House
5 PV-Tech:
‘Unintended’ consequences could see US House bill devastate solar manufacturing
8 PV-Magazine:
Controversial rooftop solar bill glides through California’s Appropriations Committee
Opinions:
9 Energy Storage News:
‘Hard to make investment decisions’
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 22nd 2025
Opinion
News
1 Utility Dive:
SEIA estimates budget bill could wipe out almost 300K clean energy jobs
2 Reuters:
US redirects Puerto Rico solar power funds to oil plants
3 Associated Presses:
$365M slated for solar projects in Puerto Rico will be diverted to power grid, sparking outcry
4 Bloomberg:
Morocco Aims to Double Electricity Capacity by 2030 World Cup
5 New York Times:
Here are some of the changes to the House bill unveiled Wednesday night.
6 PV-Tech:
Working quickly and collaboratively to deliver corporate PPAs in Europe
7 Solar Power World:
New York awards contracts for 26 large-scale renewable energy projects
8 Energy Storage News:
Germany opening up inertia services for BESS, discussing grid fee reforms
9 Canary Media:
Just how many jobs and GDP dollars do US clean energy factories create?
Opinions:
10 PV-Magazine:
Consumers want price transparency and easier adoption, research says
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 20th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Reuters:
House bill would choke US solar investment, says top trade group
2 PV-Magazine:
U.S. solar and storage industry calls for changes in reconciliation bill
3 Politico:
China’s head start on clean energy is shaping the debate on the Republicans’ megabill
4 New York Times:
Trump Turns a Blind Eye to Climate Change
5 Bloomberg:
Trump Allows Halted NY Offshore Wind Project to Resume Work
6 PV-Tech:
European IPPs navigate rising negative power price challenge with new strategies
7 Solar Power World:
SMA to begin assembling medium-voltage power stations in the U.S. in 2026
8 Canary Media:
Federal regulators reject MISO’s plan to fast-track gas plants
Opinions:
9 Energy Storage News:
ESS Inc. bets on gigawatt-hour scale long-duration flow batteries to turn cash burn into profitability
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 19th 2025
Off To Phoenix. Greetings from the skies as I head to Phoenix for the ACP conference. Of course all the talk will be tariffs and reconciliation bill but also how to make your Capex investments go further, especially in a continuously tight labor market. Software will also keep rearing its head in storage and trackers, look at cyber talk to get louder in the coming weeks. See you out there!
News
1 New York Times:
Data Centers’ Hunger for Energy Could Raise All Electric Bills
2 PV-Magazine:
Solar opportunity as datacenter electricity demand expected to triple in five years
3 Houston Chronicle:
It's hot already!? Thank wind and solar for keeping your AC humming. | Editorial
4 Bloomberg:
China Solar Firms to Speed Up Global Push Amid Tariff Truce
5 Utility Dive:
Solar companies compete to advance tandem cell technology
6 Reuters:
US rooftop solar companies say Republican House bill would be a major setback
7 PV-Tech:
Google, energyRe ink 600MW REC deal to support data centres
8 Energy Storage News:
Will the 90-day US-China tariff pause lead to stockpiling or further paralysis for the BESS industry?
Opinions:
9 Axios:
Electric vehicle charging gets a badly needed do-over
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 14th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Bloomberg:
Senate Republicans Balk at House Plan to Gut Energy Tax Cuts
2 Reuters:
Last-ditch lobbying blitz seeks to save Biden's clean-energy tax credits
3 Axios:
Despite "drill baby drill," oil production seen to drop slightly
4 UTility Dive:
Electricity consumption is rising, driving solar, storage expansion - EIA
5 PV-Magazine:
Proposed rule changes for Foreign Entities of Concern could alter solar supply chains
6 PV-Tech:
Complex expertise, standardised processes and cybersecurity concerns
7 Energy Storage News:
US and China put 90-day pause on tariffs, effective duty on BESS falls to c.60%
Opinions:
8 Canary Media:
Amid tariff uncertainty, US grid battery industry faces an uphill climb
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 12th 2025
GREAT PROGRESS MADE! With US and China delegations meeting in Geneva over the weekend, the White House is touting that great progress has been made towards resetting trade relations between the two largest trading partners on the globe. There are few things that could be as catalyzing towards restarting the US economy as certainty on this topic and alongside the bipartisan infrastructure and CHiPS acts rebuilding amazing domestic infrastructure. With the IRA contributing enormous solar manufacturing gains towards American Energy Dominance, we could be on the way to getting back on track.
News
1 Fox News:
Trump says 'total reset negotiated' with China during tariff talks in Geneva
2 Utility Dive:
IRA’s fate unclear as Republicans look to finance megabill
3 PV-Magazine:
House Republicans warn electricity costs will rise under clean energy tax credit repeal
4 Bloomberg:
Trump’s Thirst for Cheap Oil Irks an Industry He Loves to Praise
5 New York Times:
There Is No ‘Energy Emergency,’ a New Lawsuit Claims
6 The Hill:
Texas Senate passes bill requiring solar plants to provide power at night
7 PV-Tech:
A ‘business as usual’ Intersolar 2025 for big PV manufacturers, as they predict industry consolidation
8 Renewable Energy World:
Tariff uncertainty forces global energy storage company to pause active US projects
9 Energy Storage News:
BESS industry starts to diversify away from 20-foot container, back to modular
Opinions:
10 Canary Media:
States fight back against Trump’s wind and EV attacks
Have a great day!
Yann
