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WASHINGTON, D.C. — [This week] practically 200 photo voltaic and storage firms despatched a letter to congressional leaders calling for laws to enhance allowing, mission siting, transmission, and public lands entry for photo voltaic and photo voltaic plus storage tasks.
Market forecasts present {that a} vary of coverage and financial outcomes will decide the amount of photo voltaic deployment over the subsequent decade, together with regulatory elements and the tempo of transmission capability buildout. Firms throughout the photo voltaic and storage worth chain are calling on lawmakers to place ahead allowing and siting reforms that may maintain the business’s progress trajectory.
“There are tons of of billions of funding {dollars} that rely upon our skill to get clear vitality tasks sited, permitted and effectively linked to a contemporary transmission system,” stated Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Photo voltaic Vitality Industries Affiliation (SEIA). “Lawmakers in each events perceive the significance of getting new vitality infrastructure constructed shortly and effectively. Now’s the time for coverage motion to strengthen America’s vitality business and help native economies with jobs and personal investments.”
The 200 firms suggest the next reforms:
- Modernize Federal Vitality Allowing: Streamline and standardize the allowing course of on the federal degree, whereas supporting environmental safeguards.
- Create Challenge Siting Partnerships at All Ranges of Authorities: Encourage federal, state and native authorities to work collectively to establish and designate applicable websites for clear vitality growth, together with on underutilized and disturbed lands.
- Construct Out Transmission Capability: Spend money on transmission planning, construct out, and grid modernization efforts to maximise transmission capability and unlock the total potential of photo voltaic vitality, particularly in distant areas with considerable photo voltaic assets.
- Allow Administration to Attain Public Lands Targets: Simplify the method for clear vitality technology and transmission tasks to entry public land leases whereas sustaining environmental conservation requirements.
- Foster Interagency Collaboration: Empower federal companies with siting authority — just like the Federal Vitality Regulatory Fee, Bureau of Land Administration, and Division of Vitality — to create a central clearinghouse for allow functions to make sure a streamlined approval course of for vital transmission infrastructure.
In accordance with forecasts from Wooden Mackenzie, the photo voltaic business may attain 673 GW by 2034, however there’s a 200 GW distinction between the high- and low-case photo voltaic deployment forecasts.
If Congress fails to behave on allowing and siting reform, communities may lose out on billions of {dollars} and tens of 1000’s of jobs.
“Allowing reform on the federal degree and important transmission system funding are important to our nationwide vitality safety,” stated Amanda Smith, vp for exterior affairs for AES’ U.S. renewables enterprise. “AES has greater than 50 gigawatts of unpolluted vitality tasks in our U.S. growth pipeline. Many of those tasks are prepared to maneuver ahead and can generate vital financial funding and create jobs in native communities throughout the nation, however they require swift allowing motion and transmission infrastructure upgrades to make sure we are able to advance a clear, dependable vitality future.”
“Our present legal guidelines should not set to allow our nation to construct technology and transmission on the scale wanted to help our financial progress,” stated Virinder Singh, vp of regulatory and legislative affairs for EDF Renewables. “For instance, the Western U.S. wants extra photo voltaic on federal lands to satisfy its reliability wants. We will do it, and whereas heeding environmental and neighborhood priorities. However we’d like federal management to match the second.”
“A scarcity of transmission capability is the most important barrier to the continued progress of the renewable business,” stated David Mindham, director of regulatory affairs for EDP Renewables North America. “The proposed reforms will take away these obstacles, creating 1000’s of latest American manufacturing jobs and supporting native economies.”
“Pine Gate calls upon Congress to enhance vitality infrastructure allowing as we put together to take a position billions of {dollars} to advance optimistic financial progress and help native communities throughout the nation,” stated Maggie Sasser, vp of presidency and exterior affairs for Pine Gate Renewables.
Learn the letter and the listing of firms urging Congress to behave on siting and allowing reform.
Information launch from SEIA.
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