The Sol SOURCE – November 2022

On September 18, 2022, SB 1340, a invoice to increase the property tax exclusion for photo voltaic to 2026, was signed by the Governor. California has seen a number of reversals of long-planned vitality coverage choices this 12 months, together with efforts to maintain its final nuclear plant open whereas shelving (for now) plans to recalculate net-energy metering (“NEM”).  The California Public Utilities Fee (“CPUC”) issued a proposed choice that will delay a NEM 3.0 program to August 27, 2023.  

On October 12, 2022, the California Power Fee (“CEC”) adopted new load administration requirements to extend demand flexibility throughout the state. The brand new requirements, which embody requiring utilities to develop and supply retail electrical charges that “change no less than hourly”, will go into impact in April 2023. The modifications are anticipated to cut back peak vitality use and save prospects $267 million over 15 years.

Connecticut – Non-Residential Renewable Power Options draft choice launched

On October 19, 2022, the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (“PURA”) launched a draft choice on the 12 months 2 Non-Residential Renewable Power Options (“NRES”) program (Docket 22-08-03). If adopted, this system’s general capability can be expanded from 60 MW to 110 MW and take away size-to-load provisions for business rooftop initiatives. A remaining choice is anticipated on November 9, 2022. 

District of Columbia – RPS improve laws launched 

The not too long ago launched Native Photo voltaic Enlargement Modification Act of 2022, which might preserve the Photo voltaic Various Compliance Fee (“SACP”) at $500/MWh and lift the photo voltaic carve-out from 10 % to fifteen % by 2041, was heard on October 3, 2022. A number of stakeholders offered testimony, voicing each help and considerations for the Act. Adjustments to the invoice language are anticipated to deal with considerations arounds prices and feasibility.

There stays no official phrase on nominees for the DC Public Service Fee emptiness. 

Illinois–Illinois Commerce Fee kicks off the Fall 2022 listed REC procurement

Block 6 of the Adjustable Block Program (“ABP”) formally opened on September 1, 2022. On the identical time, the Illinois Energy Authority (“IPA”) circulated an up to date program guidebook which will be discovered right here.

The Procurement Administrator revealed the ultimate listed REC contract and RFP paperwork for the Fall 2022 listed REC procurement. The RFP is for brand spanking new utility-scale wind and photo voltaic initiatives over 5 MW together with any-size brownfield-site photovoltaic initiatives.

On the regulatory facet, the trade continues to have interaction in ongoing proceedings associated to the DG rebate and net-metering tariffs with Ameren and ComEd.

Maine – New England Clear Power Join on maintain till subsequent 12 months 

The Governor’s Power Workplace has reconvened the distributed technology stakeholder group now that Maine’s legislative session has ended. The following assembly will happen on November 17, 2022. We count on a straw proposal later this fall to include extra successor program design particulars prematurely of a remaining report due January 2023.

The New England Clear Power Join (NECEC) transmission venture, which was the topic of a poll measure authorised by state voters in November, has been placed on maintain till April of subsequent 12 months when the case goes to trial. The NECEC venture deliberate to hold electrical energy from Canadian hydropower via Maine and into Massachusetts.

Massachusetts – Finalized Clear Power Commonplace amendments revealed

On August 11, 2022, Governor Baker signed omnibus vitality laws into legislation (HB 5060). Amongst different issues, the legislation maintains an offshore wind procurement goal of 5,600 MW by 2027 and creates an offshore wind tax credit score. The legislation additionally addresses grid modernization and directs the Massachusetts Division of Power Assets (“DOER”) to check a wide range of vitality storage applications. Moreover, it requires that DOER embody a pollinator-friendly photo voltaic incentive within the Photo voltaic Massachusetts Renewable Goal (“SMART”) program or successor program, bans biomass from qualifying for the RPS after January 1, 2022, as an eligible RPS Class I or II know-how, relaxes the net-metering cap, and mandates that each one new car gross sales within the state be zero-emission starting in 2035. 

On October 14, 2022, the Massachusetts Division of Environmental Safety (“MassDEP”) finalized amendments to the states Clear Power Commonplace (“CES”) which embody:

• Elevating the speed of improve of the CES commonplace to six % every year from 2026-2030 and reducing the speed of improve from 2031-2050 to 1 % every year, reaching 80 % in 2050.
• Growing the CES-E stringency from 20 % to 25 % of 2018 retail gross sales beginning in 2023.
• Setting the CES different compliance fee (“ACP”) price at $35/MWh and the CES-E ACP price at $10/MWh in 2022 via 2050.

These modifications have been made to align the CES with the 2030 Interim Clear Power and Local weather Plan (“Interim CECP”) and the Massachusetts 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap Report (“2050 Decarbonization Roadmap”) to speed up the state in direction of absolutely decarbonized electrical energy.

New Jersey – Senator Smith introduces RPS revision invoice 

On April 26, 2022, BPU issued a Straw Proposal for the Aggressive Photo voltaic Incentive (“CSI”). Whereas there have been delays, the CSI program continues to be anticipated to launch later this 12 months. The BPU can be anticipated to overview ADI incentive ranges as a part of the one-year overview. Laws associated to interconnection (S431), vitality storage incentives (S2185), distant internet metering (S2848), and the legacy SREC program (S439) moved via the Senate.  On October 17, 2022, S2848 was reported out of Meeting Telecommunications and Utilities Committee and referred to the Meeting Setting and Stable Waste Committee. We count on all these payments to be heard within the fall.

Senator Bob Smith (D-17) launched S2978 on August 8, 2022. As at present written, the invoice would:

• Revise the RPS in New Jersey by making use of the Class I commonplace to electrical energy offered within the State after subtracting electrical energy generated by present nuclear and different zero-carbon sources. 
• Require that no less than 50 % of RECs used to adjust to the RPS be in New Jersey.
• Mandate that one hundred pc of retail electrical energy delivered to New Jersey be from Class I sources by 2045.

The invoice was scheduled for listening to on September 30, 2022, by the Senate Setting and Power Committee however was pulled from consideration. We count on to see invoice amendments from Senator Smith later this 12 months.

Ohio – Public Siting Board proposes process revisions 

On June 16, 2022, the Ohio Public Siting Board proposed process revisions, together with one that will require photo voltaic setbacks of 150 toes from roads and unaffiliated properties and 300 toes from unaffiliated residences.  Different proposals together with public disclosure necessities for brand spanking new amenities, codifying decommissioning necessities included in SB 52, and fencing necessities for photo voltaic websites.  Preliminary feedback have been due on August 12, 2022, and reply feedback have been due on September 2, 2022.  

Pennsylvania – Legislature approves hydrogen and pure gasoline tax credit score invoice

On October 26, 2022, HB 1059 handed each the Senate and Basic Meeting. The invoice primarily focuses on state tax credit for hydrogen and pure gasoline, together with $50 million yearly for a federally designated regional clear hydrogen hub and $20 million in tax credit for to semiconductor manufacturing. The tax credit score for utilizing pure gasoline to make petrochemicals or fertilizer would even be elevated by $30 million yearly. Governor Wolf has till November 6, 2022 to signal or veto the invoice.

Rhode Island – Division of Environmental Administration altering REC accounting methodology

Earlier this month, the Rhode Island Division of Environmental Administration (“RIDEM”) revealed a press launch indicating the Division is altering their renewable vitality credit score (“REC”) accounting methodology, particularly to account for greenhouse gasoline emissions. The present methodology utilized by RIDEM was developed from MassDEP. They’re now seeking to transition in direction of the mannequin utilized by the Connecticut Division of Power and Environmental Safety (“CTDEEP”) to make sure all RECs settled in Rhode Island are accurately counted in direction of the state’s electrical sector.

Virginia – SCC requests extra feedback associated to the revenue-grade meter requirement 

In March 2022, DEQ introduced that it might outline photo voltaic panels as impervious floor areas. On April 14, 2022, DEQ launched extra steering that pushed implementation out to January 1, 2025, for all initiatives that haven’t acquired interconnection approval. In July, DEQ launched two extra stormwater steering paperwork targeted on stormwater administration and erosion and sediment management. Feedback have been due August 31, 2022.  

On October 3, 2022, Governor Youngkin unveiled his 2022 Virginia Power Plan. Amongst different issues, the plan requires the Virginia Clear Economic system Act (“VCEA”) to be reevaluated in 2023, and each 5 years thereafter. It additionally requires the repeal of Virginia’s Clear Automotive Commonplace and for the state to exit the Regional Greenhouse Fuel Initiative (“RGGI”). 

On April 14, 2022, the Virginia State Company Fee (“SCC”) opened a docket to determine a self-certification course of for small distributed technology methods looking for to qualify as low-income initiatives and contemplate extra GATS-related questions. On July 26, 2022, the SCC issued an order for added feedback within the docket. Workers issued their report on September 22, 2022. All stakeholder feedback have been due on October 20, 2022. 

SOLAR CHATTER

• In one more instance of renewable vitality’s unbelievable momentum, a current report by BloombergNEF discovered that photo voltaic and wind vitality accounted for 10 % of worldwide electrical energy technology in 2021. Simply 10 years in the past, the 2 sources mixed for lower than one % of worldwide technology. —Who is aware of how far we’ll be trying again at 10 % a decade from now?
• After Hurricane Ian battered the Caribbean and Florida, photo voltaic vitality proved to be one in all probably the most resilient and vital sources of energy for a lot of residents within the aftermath of the storm. Significantly in Puerto Rico, the place a lot of the electrical infrastructure was introduced offline, rooftop photo voltaic offered many residents with a lifeline to energy.
• Final week, the U.S. Treasury started holding conferences with leaders within the clear vitality trade in an effort to streamline new steering on incentives included within the Inflation Discount Act. The conferences, which is able to encompass six roundtable discussions, are targeted on expediting the event of steering whereas making certain it’s “appropriate and strikes the suitable stability”.
• September noticed the return of the trade’s largest commerce present, RE+ (previously named Photo voltaic Energy Worldwide), which noticed greater than 27,000 attendees descend on Anaheim for the convention. This was the primary present to incorporate all applied sciences within the clear vitality house and the joy across the Inflation Discount Act from the trade at massive was evident. For our evaluation of the Inflation Discount Act, learn our lead article from the August version of the Sol SOURCE.