By Scott Voorhis, Utility Dive
The Biden administration wants Congress to pass a clean electricity standard but is also prepared to pursue efforts to push utilities to ratchet down their emissions through the federal regulatory process should a national standard fail to make the final bill, according to Gina McCarthy, the White House’s national climate adviser. McCarthy said the administration believes a national clean energy standard would be more effective in prompting action on part of the utility industry to reduce emissions. Read more here.
ALSO OF POTENTIAL INTEREST
- Farmers opting for solar leases over carbon sequestration contracts, PV Magazine
- Developers enter largest green hydrogen PPA in US with 345 MW of wind to power facility, Utility Dive
- Wärtsilä launches project to develop 100% hydrogen-fueled engine and power plant concept by 2025, Utility Dive
- Sonnen battery still running after 28,000 full charge cycles, PV Magazine
- Amazon, Exelon, others press Congress on EV incentives amid growing focus on potential grid role, Utility Dive
- Behind GM’s plan to help suppliers buy clean energy, GreenBiz
- This tiny, $6,800 car runs on solar power, Fast Company
- Electric Golf Carts Are All The Rage, CleanTechnica
- Electric Fire Truck? Oh, Yes!, CleanTechnica
SOLAR TOOL FOR INSTALLERS & LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
U.S. Department of Energy Kicks Off ‘Summer of Solar 2021’ With Tool That Fast-Tracks Solar Power For Communities Nationwide, Department of Energy News Release
Washington, D.C.— The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today kicked off the ‘Summer of Solar 2021’ with the nationwide launch of the Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+) tool – a free web-based platform that gives local governments the ability to expedite their review and approval of residential solar installation permits. Developed by DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), SolarAPP+ will drastically reduce barriers to solar deployment, spur community economic development, and advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s clean energy goals.
Related Reading
- Leadership Roundtable: Empowering Cities to Accelerate Rooftop Solar Installations Across America
- Solar Permitting Tool Hits the Market to Boost Rooftop Solar Installations, SEIA News Release
FEATURED REPORTS
The Clean Economy Revolution Will Be Unionized, Center for American Progress
While no state or city government has taken every necessary step to achieve good jobs, climate action and environmental justice, many of them have made important progress—and from this progress, federal lawmakers and lawmakers in other states can derive policy lessons and political momentum. This report offers a recap of some informative state and local actions designed to support good jobs, ensure high-road labor standards, and confront the climate crisis.
Clean Energy Labor Supply Report, American Clean Power Association
Based on two scenarios of renewables deployment — 50% and 70% of electricity generated from renewables by 2030 — the study projects the number of workers that will be needed to meet these goals and highlights those occupations where high demand for workers could result in labor gaps.