This is your SolarWakeup for July 29th, 2022
Message From Abby Hopper, CEO of SEIA. What a long strange trip its been (and continues to be). After dealing with WRO seizures, section 201 extensions, and the Auxin circumvention petition, my heart nearly broke two weeks ago when Senator Manchin announced he was not going to vote for any of the climate provisions in the reconciliation package. Yet after a few days of stunned disbelief and lots of personal soul searching, my team and I came up with a plan. We were not going to accept defeat. It simply was not an option; there was too much at stake for our industry, our country, and our planet. With the full support of our Board, SEIA and our member companies doubled down on our advocacy efforts.
We formed alliances with organizations such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, our companies wrote, called and visited members of Congress urging them to stay at the bargaining table, and we turned over every last leaf in an advocacy campaign to ensure that we were heard.
And now that there appears to be a deal between Senators Manchin and Schumer, we aren’t taking anything for granted. We still have to get the legislation through the full Senate and the House and to President Biden’s desk.
If we and our partners in the clean energy community are successful, this legislation will lead to significant deployment in all sectors of the solar and storage industry and it will be a significant step in our collective effort to tackle the climate crisis.
News
1 Axios:
Democrats moving full steam ahead on Manchin's spending bill
2 Bloomberg:
Sen. Ossoff - Solar Tech a Matter of Strategic Interest
3 Reuters:
First Solar will consider U.S. factory expansion if Democrat spending bill passes-CEO
4 PV-Tech:
Solar manufacturing support included in Manchin-backed climate bill
5 Energy Storage News:
Manchin-Schumer-backed Inflation Reduction Act includes ITC for energy storage
6 Canary Media:
Clean energy would get big boost from new climate bill. Just how big?
7 PV-Magazine:
As Texans are asked to cut energy use amidst a heat wave, solar and batteries step up
Opinions:
8 RMI:
How the Storm-Ravaged Bahamas Can Be a Model for Resilient Energy
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 28th, 2022
Secret Plan To Fight Inflation. It has long been known that every White House has a secret plan to fight inflation. Last night, as most of you are now aware, The Senate came to an agreement with Senator Manchin, with Sinema expected to be on board, on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This $360billion bill is expected to pass through reconciliation on a party line vote. It represents the boldest move to fund the energy transition and to fight climate change, bill language is still in draft but currently includes a 10-year ITC extension with 30% (6% plus adders) and a standalone credit for energy storage. There are many more aspects to this bill that will be recapped by media shortly. Here is the one-pager and here is the full text. More to come throughout the day.
What It Means. The solar market already knows how to work around tax equity and will continue to do so, a ten year extension for your partnership with your tax lawyers and appraisers. Energy storage comes from a different capital background, merchant and equity, and will have to get up to speed on using the tax credit. It means that long term bankability, capability and experience of the platform you build your storage projects on will become front and center, software integration becomes crucial consideration for asset owners.
News
1 New York Times:
Manchin, in Reversal, Agrees to Quick Action on Climate and Tax Plan
2 Axios:
Washington waits for Sinema's verdict
3 Politico:
Biden launches plan to bring solar to low-income homes
4 Reuters:
Neoen Australia battery to provide grid stabilisation service in world first
5 Solar Power World:
BayWa r.e. distributing PVpallet’s reusable solar panel shippers
6 Energy Storage News:
US installs 5GWh of battery storage in H1 2022 but overall clean power deployments fall
7 Bloomberg:
Enphase Surges Most Since October as Europe Sales Climb 69%
Opinions:
8 PV-Tech:
Europe facing solar ‘implementation gap’ as Ember calls for installs to double
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 27th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Utility Dive:
MISO board approves $10.3B transmission plan to support 53 GW of renewables
2 Canary Media:
Grid energy storage is still pulling in big bucks, recession be damned
3 PV-Magazine:
GM and LG receive $2.5 billion DOE loan to build three battery manufacturing plants
4 Bloomberg:
Clean-Power Installations Plunge, Deepening Biden’s Green Woes
5 Axios:
Global nuclear hydrogen group forms
6 Reuters:
U.S. clean energy installations down 55% on climate bill fail, trade issues -report
7 PV-Tech:
Octopus Energy raises US$550m to invest in renewables-enabling tech
Opinions:
8 Energy Storage News:
Biden launches US$5 billion grid resiliency grant programme for disadvantaged communities
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 26th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 PV-Magazine:
California governor sets goal of 3 million climate-ready homes, 6 million heat pumps by 2030
2 Utility Dive:
Biden executive order on power system cybersecurity leaves critical operations vulnerable, experts say
3 Bloomberg:
South Africa to ‘Open Floodgates’ for Private Power Generation
4 Axios:
First look - Biden's climate allies ramp up Big Oil attacks ahead of earnings
5 Solar Builder:
Cypress Creek Renewables adds 400 MW of energy storage in ERCOT
6 PV-Tech:
Ørsted acquires European onshore renewables developer Ostwind
7 Reuters:
Russia's Gazprom tightens squeeze on gas flow to Europe
Opinions:
8 GreenBiz:
What should a climate emergency look like?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 25th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Axios:
Europe's surging electricity prices are shattering records
2 Utility Dive:
State regulators approve Georgia Power's plans to retire all coal plants by 2028 except for Plant Bowen
3 Bloomberg:
Australian Billionaire Joins Green Rush With Bid for Genex
4 PV-Tech:
Tesla solar installations rebound to four-year high
5 Solar Power World:
Array Technologies settles 5-year lawsuit with Nextracker
6 Energy Storage News:
Generate Capital enters front-of-the-meter energy storage market with developer acquisition
7 Canary Media:
Panasonic reveals Kansas as site for $4B EV battery megafactory
8 PV-Magazine:
California rulemaking to pursue demand flexibility through dynamic pricing
Opinions:
9 New York Times:
Climate Change Is Not Negotiable
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July July 22nd, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Axios:
Durham battery storage company raises $100 million
2 Bloomberg:
Batteries Are Already Helping Power Grids Weather a Hotter World
3 New York Times:
What Would a Climate Emergency Mean? Here Are 4 Key Points.
4 Vox:
Europe’s gas crisis is here
5 Reuters:
Europe's power system feels the heat as cooling demand soars
6 PV-Tech:
Totalenergies launches legal action against Trina Solar alleging breach of contract, fraud over US$300m order
7 Energy Storage News:
Mercom - Energy storage corporate funding for first half of 2022 nearly equals 2021 total
8 Canary Media:
USPS ups electric truck order to 40% of its new fleet
Opinions:
9 PV-Magazine:
Heat wave sparks fire at solar park in the Netherlands
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 21st, 2022
Building An Intelligent Grid. FlexGen is the most exciting company I’ve had the pleasure of working for and the past 18 months of watching the energy storage market take off has been incredible. Yesterday, we announced our Series C investment round of $100million anchored by Vitol. Our mission is the help our customers to build the most intelligent and resilient grid possible while maximizing the revenue opportunity for battery asset owners. While today’s environment is a challenging one, FlexGen is creating stability and bankability to build out the infrastructure of the future. Thank you to many of you on giving us the ability to work together and if you’re looking for guidance and support with you storage projects, I hope you reach out. We’ll be at RE+ (SPI) and look forward to many partnerships around the solar market.
News
1 Energy Storage News:
Energy trader Vitol leads US$100 million funding round for BESS system integrator FlexGen
2 The Hill:
Solar power is helping Texas keep its air conditioning amid brutal temperatures
3 Bloomberg:
India Plans $10 Billion Electric Bus Contract to Curb Emissions
4 New York Times:
Delay as the New Denial
5 Axios:
Biden to expand climate push with heat readiness, offshore wind moves
6 Reuters:
As EVs go mainstream, a rush for share of home charger market
7 Electrek:
Tesla stops scheduling solar roof installations in most markets
8 Solar Builder:
Community solar is a path to the future if policymakers plan for it
Opinions:
9 Politico:
Declaring a climate emergency could unlock potent tools for Biden — at a steep cost
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 20th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Utility Dive:
Texas heat wave could mean big payday for Vistra in ERCOT market - Morgan Stanley
2 Bloomberg:
White House Considers Emergency Declaration to Fight Climate Change
3 New York Times:
Trying to Salvage His Climate Agenda, Biden Weighs Remaining Options
4 Axios:
100 million under heat warnings in Plains
5 Reuters:
U.S. to seek dispute settlement talks with Mexico over energy policy-sources
6 Solar Power World:
Aurora Solar releases AI-driven PV sales and design services
Opinions:
7 Energy Storage News:
UK needs at least 50GW of energy storage for net zero by 2050, National Grid ESO says
Have a great day!
Yann
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
