By Zach Hester, WHNT
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new bill introduced last week is aiming to make it cheaper for homeowners and businesses to install solar power roofs. The Raise the Roof Act, introduced by Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), would expand solar tax credits to cover a “cutting-edge integrated solar roofing system” as well as roof replacements and repairs. Read more here, including the full text of the Raise the Roof Act.
Related Reading – With Resources
Replacing Your Roof? It’s a Great Time to Add Solar, by Becca Jones-Albertus, Director of the Solar Energy Technologies Office within the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office.
A report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that solar panels are viewed as upgrades and home buyers across the country have been willing to pay a premium of about $15,000 for a home with an average-sized solar array. Additionally, there is evidence homes with solar panels sell faster than those without.
Previously Posted
- Residential solar demand is ‘through the roof’, PV Magazine
One question is whether or not manufacturers can keep up with demand, particularly inverters and semiconductors. - Building a US clean manufacturing strategy to counter China and tackle climate change
- OPPD reaches customer-owned generation milestone, The Wire
- OPPD: Customer-Owned Generation
- NPPD Solar Resources
- NPPD: Customer Owned Solar
- LES: Customer Owned Generation
RECOMMENDED WEBINAR
Recording of the Clean Energy Group / Clean Energy States Alliance Webinar: Expanding Grid Capacity with Energy Storage in Decorah, Iowa
At present, one circuit on Decorah’s grid does not have sufficient capacity to allow for the addition of many new solar projects in development. Upgrading the grid through traditional poles-and-wires and substation expansions would be twice as expensive as this battery project, according to Alliant Energy. Thus, the battery project is expected not only to allow for increased solar integration, but also to produce distribution system investment savings. Additional potential benefits, such as peak demand shaving and other storage applications, will be tested as additional means to reduce customer cost.
ALSO OF POTENTIAL INTEREST
- Tesla Solar Guide: Powerwall, Solar Roof, Panels & More (2021), EcoWatch
- A former factory town hopes an infrastructure plan can help bring it back to life, Bangor Daily News
- Report shows strong solar+storage market growth… and plenty of room for improvement, PV Magazine article contributed by Seth Mullendore, vice president and project director for Clean Energy Group.
- California just took a huge step towards building electrification, GreenBiz
[Last] week, California became the first state in the U.S. to include electric heat pumps as a baseline technology for new homes and buildings. Research across institutions including the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, RMI, Rewiring America, Energy Innovationand Berkeley Lab agree: Electrification is critical for decabonizing buildings and, in turn, limiting global warming. - Decarbonized Buildings & Vehicles Create Good Missouri Jobs, by Gabrielle Habeeb & Alshok Gupta, NRDC Expert Blog. This week’s IPCC report makes it clear that heat waves will continue to worsen—so we must rise to the challenge in addressing and living with extreme heat events. The good news is that decarbonizing these sectors is also good for our economy. Today, Missouri is home to more than 50,000 clean energy jobs. Nebraska ranks 36th, with 17,846 clean energy jobs (page 16 of the E2: Clean Jobs America 2021 report).
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
- DOE planning public-private partnerships to develop new battery chemistries, supply chains for EVs, Utility Dive. The U.S. Department of Energy is planning to launch new public-private partnerships similar to its Energy Storage Grand Challenge in an effort to drive down battery costs and ultimately decarbonize the transportation sector, Michael Berube, deputy assistant secretary for sustainable transportation in DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said Thursday at a webinar hosted by Third Way.
- DOE moves to reverse Trump rollback, subject billions of light bulbs to higher efficiency standard, Utility Dive
WIND ENERGY GUIDE
Land-Based Wind Energy Economic Development Guide, Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, WINDExchange
A comprehensive resource for community decision makers to better understand the economic development potential during the development, construction, and operation of wind energy projects.