October 8, 2021
California legislators push for community solar provision in new net-metering plan
“Clean energy options remain out of reach for many low-income Californians and those living in disadvantaged communities,”said Senator Connie M. Leyva. “The Net Value Billing Tariff would address several important needs for viable community renewable energy projects in California, specifically ensuring that disadvantaged communities and low-income residents are able to directly participate in and benefit from the transition to renewable energy.”
Southern, Duke, PJM, others call for more transmission, coordination to handle renewables surge
Eastern Interconnection grid operators and planners including Southern Co., Duke Energy and the PJM Interconnection called for more transmission and coordination to help meet renewable energy goals in a white paper released Tuesday.
Large amounts of renewables make the grid more complex to operate compared with traditional power plants and complicate the transmission planning process, the Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative (EIPC) said in the white paper, Planning the Grid for a Renewable Future.
Reforms to transmission planning, cost allocation and facility siting can overcome those challenges, according to the collaborative, which consists of 19 grid operators and planners like the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Congressman Jimmy Panetta:
Microgrids to Move to Front Line of Climate Fight
Panetta talks about the bill (H.R. 2482) he introduced, called the Making Imperiled Communities Resistant to Outages with Generation that is Resilient, Islandable and Distributed Act, or MICROGRID Act, and how it will help make micrograms more affordable. He also identified many ways that microgrids can help: providing resilience during public safety power shutoffs (PSPS), helping universities and colleges shrink their carbon footprints and keep the lights on, allowing the military to enjoy reliable power and bolster its cybersecurity, ensuring hospitals keep patients safe, avoiding airport outages that can wreak havoc, and providing clean water during power shutoffs.
North Carolina pases bill expected to give Duke timely cost recovery, implement clean energy plan
The North Carolina General Assembly approved HB951 on Oct. 7 after it passed the state Senate the day before. Luis Martinez, director of Southeast epnergy for the Climate & Clean Energy Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, urged Gov. Roy Cooper, D, to sign the bill, saying it "is not perfect, but it is much improved and presents many opportunities for clean energy in North Carolina." However, "some business and consumer groups oppose the bill, saying it could lead to higher rates," Blue Ridge Public Radio reported. Cooper is expected to sign the bill. "The strong bipartisan vote for the energy bill is a win for people all across North Carolina who will benefit from clean, renewable and reliable energy that is more accessible for everyone and better for the environment," he said in a statement issued after the General Assembly vote.
The battle over wind, solar and storage
In this podcast episode from CohnReznick Capital: what does the surging M & A activity tell us about the health of renewables?
In this latest podcast episode, brought to you by CohnReznick Capital, we speak with Britta Von Oesen about who's doing the acquiring, who's doing the selling, and what it all means for the growth of US clean energy.
COP26: Four reasons why solar is vital for
the energy transition
COP26 negotiations should focus on removing barriers to solar deployment
Solar is undeniably one of the most important technologies in the energy transition. It has already taken centre stage in numerous studies examining how to address the climate crisis. And it’s likely to be a major focus at the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in November. While solar is on a strong growth path globally, COP26 negotiations will need to focus on removing barriers to solar deployment to achieve climate targets.
But what makes solar such a vital part of the energy transition?
It can be boiled down to four different reasons.
DOE Sets 2025 Community Solar Target to
Power 5 Million Homes
2025 Milestone Will Play a Key Role in Achieving Justice40 Goals
and Create $1 Billion in Energy Savings
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced a new National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) target: to enable community solar systems to power the equivalent of five million households by 2025 and create $1 billion in energy bill savings. Reaching these milestones will help achieve the Biden-Harris Administration’s goals of achieving 100% clean electricity by 2035 and ensure that all Americans can reap the benefits of renewable energy while building community wealth and resiliency.
“Community solar is one of the most powerful tools we have to provide affordable solar energy to all American households, regardless of whether they own a home or have a roof suitable for solar panels,” said Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm. “Achieving these ambitious targets will lead to meaningful energy cost savings, create jobs in these communities, and make our clean energy transition more equitable.”
Related Topic
About the National Community Solar Partnership
The National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) is a coalition of community solar stakeholders working to expand access to affordable community solar to every American household and enable communities to realize other benefits, such as increased resilience and workforce development. The Partnership is a U.S. Department of Energy initiative led by the Solar Energy Technologies Office, in collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Partners leverage peer networks and technical assistance resources to set goals and overcome barriers to expanding community solar access for disadvantaged communities.