Bipartisan majorities support a number of tax incentives that seek to reduce the use of fossil fuels, according to a new in-depth survey conducted by the Program for Public Consultation (PPC) at the University of Maryland. The proposals, all introduced in Congress, include measures to encourage developing alternative sources of clean energy – such as solar and wind, making homes and commercial buildings more energy-efficient – and the use of electric vehicles. The support from majorities of Republicans and Democrats was rooted in voter concern about the health effects of fossil fuels as well as their impact on climate. In the survey of 4,828 registered voters, recently released by Voice of the People and Common Ground Solutions, respondents were given a briefing on the current debate about whether to adopt such tax incentives and evaluated arguments for and against. The survey content was reviewed by experts on both sides of the debate to ensure the content was accurate and balanced and that the arguments were the strongest ones being made. The PPC also evaluated arguments for and against the idea that it should be a high priority to reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Reducing greenhouse gases was rated as a high priority by three in four (74%), including 98% of Democrats, but just under half of Republicans (45%). The survey was conducted online with a national probability-based sample of 4,828 registered voters provided by Nielsen Scarborough from Nielsen Scarborough’s larger sample of respondents, who were recruited by mail and telephone using a random sample of households. To access the results of the PPC’s survey, click here. The post Bipartisan Majorities Support Tax Incentives Seeking to Reduce the Use of Fossil Fuels appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://solarindustrymag.com/bipartisan-majorities-support-tax-incentives-seeking-to-reduce-the-use-of-fossil-fuels
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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has made selections for $130 million in new projects to advance solar technologies. Through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE) Solar Energy Technologies Office, DOE will fund 67 research projects across 30 states that reduce the cost of solar, increase U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and improve the reliability of the nation’s electric grid. “Ensuring low-cost, reliable electricity for all Americans while minimizing risk is a top priority for this department,” says Dan Brouillette, U.S. Secretary of Energy. “That means creating domestic manufacturing opportunities and increasing the power system’s resilience in case of disruptions. Projects that advance solar technologies are essential to achieving these goals.” Along with advancing research in photovoltaics (PV), concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) and systems integration, the projects in DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office Fiscal Year 2020 Funding Program include new areas of research in artificial intelligence (AI), hybrid plants and solar with agriculture. The solar projects selected by the DOE include: -PV Hardware Research – $14 million for eight projects that aim to make PV systems last longer and increase the reliability of solar systems made of silicon solar cells, as well as new technologies like thin-film and bifacial solar cells For the full list of projects, click here. The post DOE Selects New Projects to Advance Solar Technologies appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://solarindustrymag.com/doe-selects-new-projects-to-advance-solar-technologies The California Community Choice Association (CalCCA) says community choice aggregators (CCAs) in the state have to date signed long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) for more than 6,000 MW with new-build clean energy resources. The total includes almost 5,000 MW in executed renewable energy PPAs – an increase of 1,700 MW compared to a year ago – and more than 1,000 MW in battery energy storage contracts, a four-fold increase over last year. The increasing volumes reflect the important leadership position CCAs hold as the main drivers of new clean energy procurement in California. “These new totals show that community choice energy providers are continuing to make great progress in securing the energy resources California needs to build a clean, affordable and reliable electric system,” says Beth Vaughan, executive director of CalCCA. “At the same time, CCAs are driving economic recovery and job creation in the state when they are most needed.” Last year, CCAs signed renewable energy and energy storage PPAs totaling 2,800 MW, bringing the grand total to more than 6,000 MW in new-build solar, wind, biogas, energy storage and geothermal energy. The geothermal power plant, slated for completion in 2021, will be the first new geothermal facility built in the California Independent System Operator balancing area in 30 years. With record-breaking heat, rampant wildfires and public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) threatening the stability of California’s power grid, energy storage is becoming an ever more important reliability resource. Aggregators are stepping up to ensure more storage is added to the grid with the signing of long-term battery energy storage contracts totaling 1,072 MW/3,847 MWh – quadruple the amount CCAs had at this time last year. About 72% of the total is co-located with solar generation facilities that will charge the batteries, allowing clean energy to be discharged at times of peak demand to boost reliability. Seventeen CCAs have collectively signed 117 long-term PPAs with new solar, wind, biogas, geothermal and energy storage facilities, up from 76 contracts in November 2019 – a 54% increase. The contract terms range from 10 to 25 years, or 17 years on average across all contracts. The clean energy resources are helping the CCAs meet their renewables portfolio standard (RPS) and long-term contracting requirements under SB 350, as well as local mandates set by CCA boards. With several new CCA requests for offers (RFOs) currently underway and planned, the list of CCA long-term clean energy contracts is set to grow considerably in the coming year. Notably, a group of CCAs recently issued a joint RFO for 500 MW of long duration storage (LDS) with a minimum of eight hours of discharge duration. CCAs are procuring LDS to aid in meeting California’s 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets. The post CalCCA: California CCAs Have Signed 6,000 MW in Long-Term Clean Energy PPAs appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://solarindustrymag.com/calcca-california-ccas-have-signed-6000-mw-in-long-term-clean-energy-ppas Mustang Two Whirlaway, a 100 MW solar project in Kings County, Calif., has officially started operating and will generate clean and affordable power for Peninsula Clean Energy customers. “This is yet more new steel in the ground that will help our customers and the broader community take another important step toward all-renewable power and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” says Jan Pepper, CEO of Peninsula Clean Energy. “It showcases again how renewable power projects can provide substantial jobs and other economic benefits across our state.” The 100 MW Mustang Two Whirlaway project was developed by Idemitsu Renewables in Lemoore, Calif. The project employed 560 workers at its peak, including half from Kings County, and nearly 223,000 working hours. The construction of the Mustang project is governed by a five-party project labor agreement involving the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Ironworkers, Carpenters, Laborers and Operating Engineers. The related economic development in the county also included about $2.8 million in materials, services, local licensing and permitting fees – of which nearly $1 million benefited Kings County directly. To date, Peninsula Clean Energy has contracted for 500 MW of renewable energy resources. In addition to Mustang Two Whirlaway, the 200 MW Wright Solar Project, which is the largest renewable energy installation built for a community choice aggregator, came online in January. The post Mustang Two Whirlaway Solar Farm Officially Operating appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://solarindustrymag.com/mustang-two-whirlaway-solar-farm-officially-operating The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has released a suite of policies and executive actions that it is asking President-elect Joe Biden and the newly elected Congress to act on during their first 100 days in office. The Solar Vision is consistent with SEIA’s goals in the Solar+Decade and aims to put the U.S. on a path to 100% clean energy. It lays out three strategic imperatives for the solar industry, each of which contains numerous policy proposals. These imperatives are developing aggressive clean energy goals and a comprehensive carbon policy, investing in modern infrastructure and the workforce needed to support it, and ensuring access to clean and competitive energy markets. Among the policies SEIA is seeking is tax policy that rapidly expands the use of solar energy to help address the climate crisis, trade policy that offers clarity and predictability to the solar industry, and permitting approvals that cut red tape and gets more solar installed quickly and at less cost. “Our 100-day agenda aligns with President-elect Biden’s vision to build back better and represents a critical opportunity to meet the moment of the climate era with equity and justice at the forefront,” says Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the SEIA. “Even as we face a likely divided government, every facet of this agenda has had bipartisan support. Now is the time to take action to generate economic opportunities for Americans in a way that promotes competition and addresses the climate crisis.” To read SEIA’s Solar Vision, click here. The post Solar Industry Outlines Policy Agenda for New Administration appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://solarindustrymag.com/solar-industry-outlines-policy-agenda-for-new-administration Sun Badger Solar, a residential and commercial solar developer, has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to create more affordable, energy-efficient housing. To commemorate the inaugural partnership, the solar power developer has launched a campaign that prioritizes the organizations’ joint focus on building sustainable and healthy communities. For every Sun Badger Solar system installed through Dec. 31, 2021, the company will donate $250 to Habitat for Humanity, guaranteeing a minimum of $100,000 and no maximum contribution limit. Sun Badger Solar’s donations will support Habitat’s global work as the nonprofit continues to work toward its vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. “We started Sun Badger Solar to help build more sustainable communities and I can’t think of a better partner than Habitat for Humanity to help bring that vision to life,” says Kris Sipe, co-founder and COO of Sun Badger Solar. “The two organizations share a common desire to make a difference, one home and one family at a time.” Sun Badger Solar services residential and commercial solar power systems in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Florida. Since 2018, Sun Badger Solar’s team of licensed electrical contractors and solar experts have helped thousands of households become more energy efficient. Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The housing organization has since grown to become a global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. The post Sun Badger Solar Partners with Habitat for Humanity to Create Sustainable Housing appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://solarindustrymag.com/sun-badger-solar-partners-with-habitat-for-humanity-to-create-sustainable-housing After nearly two years of development, planning and preparation, Renewable Properties, a developer and investor of small-scale utility and community solar energy projects throughout the U.S., has begun construction on the Lake Herman Solar Project in Benicia, Calif. The 5 MW AC (7 MW DC) utility-scale solar energy project located in Solano County, is the first to qualify for MCE’s Feed-In Tariff (FIT) Plus program. FIT Plus is an expanded wholesale energy supply program designed to provide competitive and predictable energy prices over 20-year terms for locally developed renewable energy assets. This is the fourth utility-scale solar project Renewable Properties has developed in partnership with MCE, and the community choice provider’s first project to break ground in Solano County. The Lake Herman Solar Project will increase Benicia’s solar output by 64% from 7.8 MW to 12.8 MW and will begin producing locally sourced clean energy when given permission to operate in the spring of 2021. “MCE is proud to be able to partner with Renewable Properties on our first renewable energy project built in Solano County,” says Dawn Weisz, CEO of MCE. “This project is not only MCE’s first FIT Plus project under construction but also marks the development of new clean energy, local jobs and economic benefits in all four of the counties we serve.” Using single-axis trackers, the array’s 17,696 bifacial solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and 40 string inverters, will be installed on a 35-acre portion of a larger 88-acre property, leaving the remaining 53 undeveloped acres for continued livestock grazing protected under a deed restriction. The Lake Herman solar project includes a vegetation management plan that affords the developers an opportunity to incorporate permaculture principles and a pollinator plant meadow. The post Renewable Properties Begins Construction on Lake Herman Solar Project appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://solarindustrymag.com/renewable-properties-begins-construction-on-lake-herman-solar-project The Solar Foundation and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) have signed an agreement to merge into a single, expanded nonprofit dedicated to the rapid adoption of clean energy. The merger will combine the strengths of two national clean energy organizations, effectively doubling the staff. The Solar Foundation is a national nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the adoption of solar energy and related technologies and, since its relaunch in 2010, has had a 10-year track record of leading research, education and capacity building programs. IREC has been trusted for its independent clean energy expertise for nearly 40 years, playing a critical role in building the foundation for rapid adoption of clean energy by tackling regulatory, workforce and economic barriers. In addition to increased impact, longstanding mutual respect between IREC and The Solar Foundation and natural synergy between the organizations’ programs were key considerations in the decision to merge. The combined organization will support the accelerated growth of renewable energy and energy efficiency and a 100% clean energy future that is reliable, resilient and equitable. Over the coming months, the two organizations will work together to integrate their programs, with the merger anticipated to be completed in mid-2021. Once the merger is finalized, all of The Solar Foundation’s programs will be combined at IREC. To facilitate the merger discussions, Andrea Luecke, president and executive director of The Solar Foundation, voluntarily made a commitment in January to step down from her role following a successful merger agreement. Larry Sherwood, president and COO of IREC, will remain in his position and lead the merged organization. “I couldn’t be happier to announce this timely and transformational strategic shift,” says Luecke. “For over 10 years I gave it my all, but as my board and I steered our technology focus beyond solar it became clear we needed to pursue a strategic partnership that would allow us to have even more impact in the decade to come. After much searching, I am pleased to have found the perfect partner in IREC.” IREC and The Solar Foundation both lead robust workforce development programs with an emphasis on diversity, inclusion and equity in the clean energy fields. Both are deeply engaged with state and local governments to help streamline codes and permitting requirements and remove barriers to clean energy development. The combined organization’s scope will include all renewable energy technologies (distributed and utility-scale) as well as energy efficiency. It will drive change via three strategic pathways: regulatory engagement, workforce development and local initiatives (including permitting, code and inspection issues). All programs of both organizations will continue operating. The merged organization will maintain offices in Washington, D.C., and Albany, N.Y., with many employees working on a remote basis. Photo: The Solar Foundation’s landing page The post The Solar Foundation, IREC Merge Into Single, Expanded Nonprofit appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://solarindustrymag.com/the-solar-foundation-irec-merge-into-single-expanded-nonprofit Solar systems for residential and commercial properties have come a long way in recent years and the biggest technological advances have been battery storage solutions. The process all begins with the solar panels installed on your roof that harvest the sun’s rays and convert them into energy. Once sunlight hits these panels, it immediately converts […] The post How exactly do solar batteries work? appeared first on Energy Matters. from https://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-news/how-exactly-do-solar-batteries-work/ Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s administration has entered a partnership with Nashville Electric Service (NES), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Vanderbilt University to construct 100 MW of utility-scale solar power under the TVA Green Invest program. Vanderbilt will be a 25 MW co-subscriber to the solar array, thereby reaching their own 100% renewable-energy goal for campus operations. Metro-Nashville will be the first local government to pursue access to Green Invest in TVA territory. On Metro’s and Vanderbilt’s behalf, TVA will contract with Nashville-based Silicon Ranch Corp. to build a solar array in Tullahoma, Tenn. Silicon Ranch pioneered utility-scale solar power in the Tennessee Valley and is one of the largest independent solar power producers in the U.S. The company was selected through TVA’s 2020 competitive procurement process for construction of up to 200 MW of solar power on the Tullahoma site. There will be no fiscal impact on Metro’s operating budget until the fall of 2023 when construction of the array is expected to be complete. “Not only will 100 MW of solar power help mitigate a changing climate by affordably and efficiently meeting Metro’s 2025 clean-energy goal, it also puts Tennesseans to work and provides cleaner air during a pandemic characterized by respiratory distress,” says Cooper. “This public-private partnership will serve as a model for NES’s other large customers to replicate. I challenge Nashville’s corporate sector and major institutions to consider TVA Green Invest as a smart way to prepare for what must be a greener future.” Metro’s 100 MW of solar power will produce the clean-electricity with a 20-year power purchase agreement. By reducing harmful air pollution, Metro’s and Vanderbilt’s combined 125 MW of solar energy will result in $3 to $6.8 million dollars of health benefits across Tennessee. Silicon Ranch Corp. estimates the construction of the array will create 500 jobs. The post Mayor Cooper Enters Partnership to Construct 100 MW of Utility-Scale Solar appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://solarindustrymag.com/mayor-cooper-enters-partnership-to-construct-100-mw-of-utility-scale-solar |
AuthorHi, I am Robin Larkin from USA I am 29 years old. I am working as an engineer at a local electric company we provide hassle-free services throughout the state. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |