Report Ranks States for Corporate Clean Energy Procurement
The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) has released the 2020 update to the Corporate Clean Energy Procurement Index. This study shows how some states have improved their rankings by enacting common sense policies regarding domestic clean energy production and therefore are more likely to attract new business development, creating thousands of jobs in their communities.
Washington State Passes Bill That Will Improve Solar Recycling Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week the Washington State House and Senate passed a bill that will update the state’s solar recycling policy. This bill will inform the final design and adoption of a comprehensive solar recycling program that is data-driven and considers the lifespan of modules that can last up to 50 years in the field. Following is a statement from Sean Gallagher, vice president of state affairs at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) on the bill passage:
Virginia Passes Landmark Zero Carbon Bill That Prioritizes Solar Access
WASHINGTON D.C. — This week an amended version of the Virginia Clean Economy Act cleared the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate and is now on its way to Governor Northam’s desk for signature. This landmark bill will enable the Commonwealth to achieve the ambitious climate goals Governor Northam laid out in Executive Order 43. Following is a statement from Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), on the historic passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act:
The Solar+ Decade Will Usher in Widespread Clean Energy and Massive Economic Growth
Fracking transformed the U.S. energy sector in the last decade; the abundance of low-priced natural gas dramatically shifted the economics of energy generation in the United States, causing significant market disruption and unprecedented closures of coal plants. That disruption, followed by a renewed urgency to shift toward clean, affordable, carbon-free power, provides an opening that will most likely lead solar energy to become the dominant source of new electricity generation in this coming decade if we achieve our goals.
SEIA Statement on FERC Directing NYISO to Favor Fossil Fuels
Following is a statement by Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO for the Solar Energy Industries Association, on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s decision to tilt the scale toward fossil fuels in New York through the “buyer side mitigation” policy, which would serve to separate everyday New Yorkers from their hard-earned money to the benefit of fossil fuel burners:
Solar Job Growth Remains Modest Under Tariff Policy
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. solar workforce grew by 2.3% in 2019, adding 5,643 jobs in the industry’s second year under Section 201 tariffs, according to the National Solar Jobs Census 2019 released today by The Solar Foundation. The U.S. solar industry now employs 249,983 Americans, up from 244,340 in 2018. The new numbers account for jobs in Puerto Rico over the last two years.
Virginia Assembly Advances Landmark Bill that Would Create 100% Renewable Portfolio Standard by 2050
RICHMOND, VA and WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Virginia House and Senate passed versions of the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), a bill that would create a renewable portfolio standard in Virginia and require utilities and competitive suppliers to increase the percentage of electricity produced from clean energy annually, until they achieve 100 percent renewably-sourced energy by 2050.
Clean Energy Associations File Request for Rehearing of FERC’s MOPR Order
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, four national organizations representing the range of clean energy companies in the United States filed a request for rehearing by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on its order to impose a Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) in the PJM capacity market.
Solar Industry Statement on Flexible Solar Spending Cap Signed by New Jersey Governor Murphy
WASHINGTON, D.C. and TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy today signed legislation that clarifies the state’s Board of Public Utilities’ (BPU) authority under the Clean Energy Act of 2018. The legislative changes will give the BPU more latitude in calculating the Clean Energy Act’s yearly cost caps. The following is a statement from David Gahl, senior director of northeast state affairs at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA):
U.S. Polysilicon Producers Get Relief in Latest Trump Trade Deal
While this trade deal won’t do anything to relax the solar tariffs, it is a positive development for the U.S. solar industry.