Utility Dive article contributed by Mike Kruger,
President & CEO of the Colorado Solar and Storage Association
As we face a likely recession and an economic reset in many places across the country, the clean energy industry has the potential to be a bright spot in what will continue to be challenging times. After we secure the health and safety of our fellow citizens, we must focus on “clean energy to counter the coronavirus crisis,” on the recommendation of Fatih Birol, Executive Director at the International Energy Agency. Doing so will provide immediate jobs for those displaced and cleaner air and cleaner water for all, while making a significant investment in reducing the adverse impacts of climate change. The federal government has passed the CARES Act and the Senate has adjourned until April 20. Now the action is moving to the states. Read more here.
KANSAS SUPREME COURT RULING
Victory for solar as Kansas Supreme Court blocks fixed fee for distributed power, PV Magazine. The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled that a fixed fee for distributed solar customers violates state law. Vote Solar and Sierra Club brought the case, with representation from Earthjustice.
NEWS FROM OTHER STATES
- And So It Begins: World’s 11th-Biggest Economy Pitches Renewable Energy For COVID-19 Recovery, by Tina Casey, CleanTechnica. New York State, which by some measures would be the world’s 11th-largest economy if it was an independent country. On Friday, April 3, New York announced the passage of enabling legislation for its new clean power plans. The new legislation provides for environmental oversight and community benefits. It also incentivizes renewable energy projects that repurpose abandoned commercial sites, brownfields, landfills, former industrial sites, and other abandoned or underused sites.
- New York State Legislature Passes Renewable Energy Siting Law In Step Toward Meeting Ambitious Renewable Energy Mandates, The National Law Review
- Dominion prepares to file Virginia IRP without natural gas buildout, Utility Dive
- Savannah, Georgia, commits to 100% green energy by 2050 despite coronavirus, Electrek
Savannah becomes the fifth Georgia city to commit to reaching 100% renewable energy by 2050. It joins Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, and Clarkston in their commitment to net zero.
RENEWABLE ENERGY FINANCING & INVESTING
- HSBC: Companies focused on climate change ‘outperformed’ as virus spread, GreenBiz contributed article by James Murray, Business Green Editor. The new analysis joins a raft of studies that consistently have shown how firms with strong ESG ratings tend to outperform their peers. Consequently, the past year has seen the launch of a wave of new ESG funds and market research services, designed to provide investors with more detailed information on how well positioned companies are to manage climate risks and the transition towards a net-zero emission economy.
- How the renewable energy sector will grow despite waning tax credits, Windpower Engineering Development. Article contributed. by Julie Desimone, Partner, Renewable Energy Practice; Jimmie Williams, Partner, Transaction Services; Moss Adams.
MORE INDUSTRY NEWS STORIES
- Coronavirus is Forcing Home Solar Companies to Sell Virtually. Maybe That’s a Good Thing, Greentech Media. Kitchen table sales are out. Zoom meetings and “social canvassing’ on Facebook are in. Residential solar adjusts to life in a pandemic.
- Gold-colored PV panels for balcony solar systems, PV Magazine
German manufacturer a2-solar has supplied 240 solar panels for the renovation of an old building in Bern, Switzerland. The modules, which are being integrated into 96 balconies, feature different transparency options and color variations.
EV NEWS
- EV Ownership & Rooftop Solar In Germany, France, Netherlands, & Norway — CleanTechnica Report. For our newest reports, Electric Car Drivers: Demands, Desires & Dreams — European Edition (2020) and Electric Car Drivers: Demands, Desires & Dreams, we were curious whether EV ownership/leasing correlated with rooftop solar panel ownership, and also whether driving an EV encouraged people to drive more efficiently or even conserve energy more at home, so we surveyed thousands of EV owners. The results are interesting in their diversity. The results regarding efficient driving and conserving energy at home were similar to results we collected in the US, Canada, and the UK.
- It’s a good idea to charge an EV with solar when we’re socially distanced, PV Magazine
- New Webinar: Deliver Easy EV Charging — Plug&Charge In Action, CleanTechnica
Register to attend this free webinar on April 9th at 11 am CDT to learn more about the industry-leading operational Plug&Charge ecosystem. Attendees will be able to ask questions in real time and get answers from the panel experts. - Previously Posted: All The Energy Storage The Grid Needs Will Soon Be Under Our Noses
GLOBAL RENEWABLE ENERGY
World now has 583.5 GW of operational PV, by Emiliano Bellini, PV Magazine International
The world installed 176 GW of new renewable energy capacity in 2019, according to the latest statistics published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Combined clean energy capacity reached 2,536.8 GW at the end of December, with hydropower and wind remaining the largest sources at 1,310.2 GW and 622.7 GW, respectively. Solar installations, including PV and concentrated solar power (CSP), continue to lag slightly behind wind, with a cumulative installed capacity of 586.4 GW. CSP represented 6.27 GW of the total, while grid-connected PV accounted for 580.1 GW.