Honest Entry to Group Photo voltaic Act filed in Washington state
Olympia, Washington
The Honest Entry to Group Photo voltaic Act, launched in each the Senate and Home, establishes a group photo voltaic invoice crediting program to make sure subscribers earn a proportionate credit score on their month-to-month utility invoice. It was later reported that the invoice was held within the Home Vitality & Setting Committee and is more likely to not obtain a vote this yr.
Idaho has shifted to a net-billing system as a substitute of net-metering-based compensation. Credit score: EGT Photo voltaic
Idaho ends internet metering, shifts as a substitute to net-billing system for photo voltaic compensation
Boise, Idaho
The Idaho Public Utilities Fee authorized a shift to a net-billing system as a substitute of compensation primarily based on a kilowatt-hour-for-kilowatt-hour foundation for photo voltaic system house owners. The vote got here after years of public, skilled and environmental group pushback and is an approval of Idaho Energy’s personal internally decided fee calculation. The Sierra Membership estimates that the brand new compensation fee will likely be 5.96¢/kWh (down from the already low 8.8¢/kWh).
Laws in New Jersey expands group photo voltaic program to learn extra LMI residents
Trenton, New Jersey
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a invoice to strengthen the state’s group photo voltaic program, rising its total measurement and increasing entry by meaningfully eliminating limitations for low- and moderate- earnings (LMI) residents’ participation. The laws streamlines eligibility verification, permits municipalities to facilitate entry for LMI subscribers and updates the group photo voltaic program’s measurement throughout the state.
Outdated authorities doc up to date to permit extra photo voltaic in Western US
American West
The Dept. of the Inside just lately launched an up to date roadmap for photo voltaic improvement throughout the West that ought to broaden photo voltaic vitality manufacturing in additional Western states. The Photo voltaic Programmatic Environmental Impression Assertion (PEIS), a doc that was final up to date in 2012, opens 22 million acres of federal land for accountable photo voltaic improvement.
Connecticut will increase incentives accessible to residents putting in battery storage
Hartford, Connecticut
The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) just lately introduced updates to its Vitality Storage Options program to extend accessibility and adoption by residential clients within the state. Residential clients can now obtain as much as $16,000 in upfront incentives, a rise from the earlier most incentive of $7,500. For purchasers that qualify as low-income, the upfront incentive elevated to $600 per kWh from $400/kWh. For purchasers that reside in an underserved group, the upfront incentive elevated to $300/kWh from $450/kWh.
New Mexico’s photo voltaic tax credit score fund for 2023 is near empty
Santa Fe, New Mexico
New Mexico residents who put in photo voltaic vitality methods of their properties in 2023 have obtained greater than $10 million price of tax credit score certificates (as of Jan. 24, 2024). By state regulation, the company is allowed to challenge not more than $12 million in tax credit for the 2023 tax yr.
Nebraska legislature introduces invoice to ban HOAs from denying photo voltaic
Lincoln, Nebraska
The Nebraska Judiciary Committee just lately heard testimony on a proposal that may prohibit householders associations (HOAs) from proscribing the set up of photo voltaic panels. LB1119 would prohibit HOAs from proscribing the set up and use of photo voltaic panels in any covenant, declaration, bylaw, deed contract or different settlement. Below the invoice, any laws prohibiting photo voltaic installations can be deemed void, and householders would have a civil reason behind motion if a violation occurred.
4 US Senators ask Biden to extend Sec. 301 tariffs on Chinese language photo voltaic imports
Washington, D.C.
U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) penned a letter to President Joe Biden asking for elevated tariffs on Chinese language-made photo voltaic wafer, cell and module imports underneath Sec. 301 of the Commerce Act of 1974. The Senators argue China’s closely sponsored merchandise are hurting U.S. efforts to reshore home photo voltaic manufacturing.
FEMA consists of photo voltaic microgrids in net-zero catastrophe response program
Washington, D.C.
FEMA will fund net-zero vitality tasks, together with photo voltaic, by way of its Public Help grant program, which covers rebuilding faculties, hospitals, hearth stations and different group infrastructure investments post-disasters. FEMA can also be funding net-zero vitality tasks and now provides incentives by way of extra grant applications to encourage extra communities to make use of net-zero tasks that enhance group resilience.
