October solar policy snapshots A guide to recent legislation and research throughout the country.

House Democrats push for increased solar incentives in budget package
Washington, D.C.

A handful of Democrats are working to include a new Production Tax Credit for solar projects in the budget reconciliation package currently being debated by the House of Representatives. The draft package also includes an ITC extension and direct pay for solar incentives.

DOE Secretary asks all U.S. mayors to speed rooftop solar permitting process
Washington, D.C.

Dept. of Energy Sec. Jennifer Granholm wrote an open letter to all U.S. mayors asking them to adopt NREL’s SolarAPP+ instant online permitting process. Granholm wrote that SolarAPP+ is a rare, easy way to cut red tape and empower more residents to go solar.

DOE releases blueprint for massive solar energy expansion in the United States
Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Dept. of Energy recently published a study investigating the role solar power will play in the country’s urgent decarbonization. The department found that solar has the potential to power 40% of the nation’s electricity by 2035, but bold policymaking is necessary to reach that goal.

Illinois sets goal of 40% renewables by 2030
Springfield, Illinois

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed an energy bill into law that sets an ambitious RPS of 40% renewable energy by 2030, which will spur construction of 4,000 MW of new utility-scale solar and 5,800 MW of new rooftop and community solar, according to Path to 100. The bill also sets requirements for diversity in deployment and hiring in the renewable energy industry.

Solar advocates sue California over solar licensing changes
Sacramento, California

The California Solar & Storage Association has sued the state over the new C-10 licensing requirement for installing solar + storage systems, according to The New York Times. CALSSA is arguing that it’s an unnecessary move that would seriously disrupt California’s solar industry.

Coalition of 347 diverse organizations sends letter to Gov. Newsom to preserve net metering
Sacramento, California

A coalition of nearly 400 organizations representing the business, housing, education and conservation sectors signed an open letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom asking him to preserve net metering in the state. The California Public Utilities Commission is currently working on updating the program.

SMUD plans to cut net-metering credits by 44% next year
Sacramento, California

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) adopted a policy to slash solar net-metering credits by 44% starting in March 2022. Solar advocates say the ruling undermines the utility’s prior commitment to climate relief since fewer customers will now be able to afford solar.

Study finds solar installation during new builds is highly economical
Sacramento, California

A study by BloombergNEF and Schneider Electric found that adding solar during new residential construction, as California now mandates, yields double the profitability over adding solar to existing homes. The extra returns can be contributed to lower soft costs as well as lower labor and construction costs.

New York governor sets huge solar goal during Climate Week 2021
Albany, New York

New York’s new governor, Kathy Hochul, kicked off Climate Week by calling for an expansion of the state’s solar program to reach at least 10 GW of distributed solar by 2030. NYSERDA is now tasked with creating a roadmap to reach that goal.

Delaware updates community solar rules to eliminate barriers
Dover, Delaware

Gov. John Carney signed a bill updating the state’s community solar rules to allow more development and subscriber access. The final legislation allows for multiple ownership models, increases the potential size of community solar projects, eliminates setup requirements and adds consumer protection measures.

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Original Source: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2021/10/october-2021-solar-policy-snapshots/