• David Rogers, founder & CEO of Amp Energy, welcomes Andy Hoffman, CFA, to the team as its newest Chief Financial Officer, joining from The Carlyle Group, where he led the origination, structuring, and underwriting of private credit real asset transactions within the firm’s $5B+ AUM Infrastructure Credit platform.
• Matthew Dorsen just joined Deriva Energy as their new Director of Development.
• Jiwan Singh is announcing their new role as Director of Engineering at Atwell, LLC.

North America’s leading renewable energy search firm

Nearly two years following passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), Treasury and the IRS released the unpublished version of the final rule (Final Rule) for compliance with the IRA’s prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements (PWA requirements).

Taxpayers seeking to claim the highest available investment and/or production tax credits for renewable energy projects must comply with the PWA requirements. A taxpayer must ensure that laborers or mechanics employed by the taxpayer or any contractor or subcontractor in the construction, alteration, or repair of a qualifying facility comply with the PWA requirements.

The Final Rule concludes the federal rulemaking process for the PWA requirements. (Note: The Final Rule is scheduled to be officially published on June 25, 2024, and therefore this article relies on the unpublished version.)

The Final Rule will replace the previously-issued Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (released August 30, 2023) (NOPR), which replaced the Initial Guidance (released November 30, 2022). Overall, the Final Rule is generally consistent with the NOPR, providing helpful clarification on industry concerns raised in comments to the NOPR. However, the Final Rule expressly declines to address industry-specific concerns, emphasizing that determinations of compliance with PWA requirements will be made based upon specific facts and circumstances. It therefore leaves several questions open to interpretation, including whether commissioning work is subject to PWA requirements and to what extent certain post-operational work may be subject to PWA requirements.

Clarifications

First, with respect to when PWA requirements apply, the Final Rule provides two useful clarifications:

Its supplementary information notes that “unrelated third party manufacturers who produce materials, supplies, equipment, and prefabricated components for multiple customers or the general public” are not subject to PWA requirements. In other words, most suppliers (absent performance of construction, alteration or repair on a project site) will not be subject to PWA requirements.

It also clarifies that apprenticeship requirements only apply to the construction of a qualified facility, and do not apply to alteration or repair of a facility after the facility is placed in service. In other words, most operations and maintenance vendors will not be subject to apprenticeship requirements.

Second, with respect to payment of prevailing wages, the Final Rule outlines regulations consistent with the NOPR: A taxpayer must ensure that laborers or mechanics employed by the taxpayer or any contractor or subcontractor in the construction, alteration, or repair of the facility are paid prevailing wages for the specific type of construction in the geographic area where the facility is located. The definitions of “laborers and mechanics” and “construction, alteration or repair” provided in the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. § 3141 et. seq.) apply to the PWA requirements. General wage determinations issued by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division on www.sam.gov provide the appropriate prevailing wages for PWA requirements. The Final Rule lists Form WH-347 (the Davis-Bacon form for certified payroll) as one example of a record that may demonstrate compliance with PWA requirements.

Notably, however, the Final Rule distinguishes prevailing wage requirements from Davis-Bacon Act requirements – noting that prevailing wage requirements pursuant to the IRA are not a mirror of the Davis-Bacon Act, but instead may be merely in harmony with Davis-Bacon requirements. Treasury and the IRS therefore declined to implement certified weekly payroll, public notice, and other Davis-Bacon Act requirements as part of the PWA requirements.

While the Davis-Bacon Act focuses on the “site of the work” to determine when prevailing wages must be paid, the Final Rule uses a similar concept of “the locality in which a facility is located.” The locality in which a facility is located is the physical place or places where the facility will be placed in service and remain – commonly understood as the project site. It also includes secondary locations where a significant portion of the facility is constructed, altered, or repaired – but excludes secondary locations for fabrication or manufacturing that are not established specifically or dedicated exclusively for a specific period of time to the facility.

Significantly, the Final Rule largely resolves the question of which prevailing wage applies to a facility. It confirms that the prevailing wage in effect at the time the agreement for construction, alteration or repair of the facility is executed is the wage that applies for purposes of the PWA requirements. The same wage general wage determination may still be used if the contractor is given additional time to complete its original commitment or if additional work is incorporated into the agreement that is “merely incidental,” which provides reassurance with respect to usual course of business change orders during construction of a facility. If, however, the agreement is modified to include “additional substantial construction, alteration or repair work not within the scope of the work of the original contract,” or if the agreement is modified to “required work to be performed for an additional time period not originally obligated,” including exercise of an option to extend the terms of an agreement, a new general wage determination will be required.

For wage determinations needed and not covered by a general wage determination, the Final Rule generally follows the NOPR’s outline for submission of supplemental wage determination requests to the Wage and Hour Division. The Final Rule notes that taxpayers, contractors or subcontractors may submit supplemental wage determination requests. Such requests should be submitted no more than 90 days before the expected execution of a construction contract (or at any time following execution), and will remain effective for 180 calendar days after they are issued (or for the duration of the time the supplemental wage determination is incorporated into the contract).

The Final Rule also provides that the Wage and Hour Division will resolve supplemental wage determination requests, or notify the requester that additional time is necessary, within 30 days of submission of a request. If a supplemental wage determination is issued after construction work has started on the facility, it applies retroactively to the date construction started.

Third, with respect to apprenticeship requirements, the Final Rule incorporates many proposed regulations from the NOPR, including the three-pronged approach necessary to comply: taxpayers must ensure the labor hour requirement, the ratio requirement, and the participation requirement are each satisfied.

Many of the ambiguities raised in comments to the NOPR regarding apprenticeship focused on the Good Faith Effort Exception, and the Final Rule addresses several of them. Requests made to registered apprenticeship programs must be made in writing and sent electronically or by registered mail. Initial requests must be made no later than 45 days before the qualified apprentices are requested to start work, and subsequent requests must be made no later than 14 days before the qualified apprentices are requested to start work. The content of each request remains as outlined in the NOPR.

The Final Rule extends the period between requests on which a taxpayer may rely on the Good Faith Effort Exception to a full calendar year. In the event a request to a registered apprenticeship program is either denied or not responded to, a taxpayer will need to ensure an additional request is submitted annually in order to rely on the Good Faith Effort Exemption. There is no limit on the number of requests that may be submitted to a program, and there is no requirement to make subsequent requests to the same program (or to follow up on requests that are not responded to).

If a request to a registered apprenticeship program is partially denied, in order to satisfy the Good Faith Effort Exception requirements, the requesting party must accept the qualified apprentices offered (and may then consider the remaining portion as labor hours performed by qualified apprentices). An employer-sponsored registered apprenticeship program may not be used by such employer to satisfy the Good Faith Effort Exception requirements, unless the employer submits compliant requests to at least one registered apprenticeship program that it does not sponsor.

Finally, the Final Rule outlines in a separate recordkeeping section a list of records that may be sufficient to demonstrate compliance with PWA requirements. It notes that taxpayers may satisfy such recordkeeping requirements by collecting and physically retaining the records; providing them to a third-party vendor; or having each party physically retain relevant records (unredacted copies of which must be made available to the IRS upon request).

It confirms again that taxpayers are entitled to a rebuttable presumption of no intentional disregard if a taxpayer makes the appropriate correction and penalty payments before receiving notice of an examination from the IRS with respect to a claim for the increased credit. While continuing to emphasize that findings of “intentional disregard” of the PWA requirements will be made based on specific facts and circumstances, the Final Rule also provides 15 examples (for prevailing wage compliance) and 13 examples (for apprenticeship compliance) of facts and circumstances that may be considered in such a finding, including whether the failure was a pattern of conduct, whether the taxpayer took reasonable steps to monitor, review and correct compliance efforts, whether the taxpayer incorporated provisions in its agreements requiring compliance with the PWA requirements, and what documentation and records the taxpayer collected to ensure such compliance.

The Final Rule also establishes a 180-day limit for the taxpayer to pay correction and penalty payments following a final determination from the IRS that the taxpayer has failed to satisfy PWA requirements.

Overall, the Final Rule provides helpful clarity to renewable energy developers and contractors enacting and enforcing PWA requirements throughout the industry. However, leaves open industry-specific questions such as what scope of work constitutes “repair” rather than “maintenance,” particularly during operation of a facility. It also fails to address whether on-site commissioning work constitutes “construction, alteration or repair” sufficient to trigger obligations to comply with PWA requirements. These questions will remain subject to assessment based on specific facts and circumstances, and prudent industry developers and contractors will need to carefully consider and document how they approach compliance with PWA requirements consistent with prudent industry practices.

Monica Dozier and Jennifer Trulock are partners at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP and regularly advise clients on labor and employment issues in the renewable energy industry.

• David Rogers, founder & CEO of Amp Energy, welcomes Andy Hoffman, CFA, to the team as its newest Chief Financial Officer, joining from The Carlyle Group, where he led the origination, structuring, and underwriting of private credit real asset transactions within the firm’s $5B+ AUM Infrastructure Credit platform.
• Matthew Dorsen just joined Deriva Energy as their new Director of Development.
• Jiwan Singh is announcing their new role as Director of Engineering at Atwell, LLC.

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The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released final rules on the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship requirements.

The IRA includes a myriad of incentives including the production tax credit, investment tax credit, energy community adder, and more. But in order to take advantage of these, solar developers must meet specific guidelines as far as pay, number of apprentices employed and ratio of workers who come from qualified apprenticeship programs. Treasury said in a statement that by following these rules, “taxpayers can claim an increased credit equal to five times the base incentive. This includes projects utilizing the investment and production tax credits that help finance utility-scale wind, solar, and battery storage projects, as well as for credits for carbon capture, utilization, and storage and clean hydrogen projects.”

The goal of the prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship (PWA) provisions in the IRA are to ensure that those working in the clean energy industry receive fair pay, and also to encourage apprenticeship programs that will build a skilled workforce.

The clean energy projects that resulted from the IRA have created more than 270,000 jobs, according to the Treasury Department, which said studies show that more than 1.5 million additional jobs will be created over the next decade. The Department of Labor released an interactive map that shows clean energy projects across the country that could be eligible for enhanced tax incentives if taxpayers satisfy the prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship provisions, as well as other applicable IRA requirements.

“President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act has driven an investment boom while ensuring that workers building the clean energy economy benefit from good pay and new opportunities to get ahead,” said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen. “Treasury’s final rules ensure we have skilled workers ready to take advantage of the jobs being created by these historic investments.”

The PWA requirements took effect in January 2023, after which time more than 300 public comments were received and considered, according to Treasury, in developing the final rules.

Details of the final rules include:

• Requiring that determinations of prevailing wage rates be made by DOL, consistent with the Davis-Bacon Act;
• Incentivizing practices that will encourage contemporaneous compliance;
• Implementing strong recordkeeping requirements;
• Guaranteeing that taxpayers with projects covered by qualifying project labor agreements do not need to pay penalties; and
• Clarifying apprenticeship requirements such as clearly defining what constitutes as a request for qualified apprentices, what constitutes as a response, and when the good faith effort exception applies.

Departments of Treasury and Labor encourage developers to consider project labor agreements (PLA), which reportedly can help taxpayers comply with the PWA requirements. To better understand PLAs, read the blog “Project Labor Agreements: A Best Practice for Clean Energy Projects Seeking to Meet IRA Wage and Apprenticeship Standards” by Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo and Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su.

The IRS said it plans to “dedicate significant resources to promoting and enforcing compliance with the final clean energy rules”. One of those resources will be a new PWA fact sheet that provides a summary of the requirements and as well as how to alert the IRS of suspected tax violations related to the PWA increase.

Furthermore, the Labor Department and the IRS will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by the end of the year that is intended to facilitate public outreach, education and development of training content for IRS examination personnel who will be tasked with ensuring PWA compliance.

“One of the greatest promises of the Inflation Reduction Act is that it will create and maintain good-paying, union jobs in the clean economy, while building inclusive pathways into the highest quality training for lifelong careers in construction,” said Jason Walsh, executive director of the BlueGreen Alliance. “With this rule we are seeing how that promise will come to fruition. We are excited to see this progress and look forward to continuing to work with the administration to ensure that the Inflation Reduction Act delivers for workers and communities across the country.”

An unpublished rule is available here. On June 25, 2024, the IRS will publish the rules here.

Two-thirds of jobs in the solar industry are in construction and installation, versus 13% in manufacturing, said a union leader on a webinar hosted by the American Clean Power Association (ACP).

“We’re a little concerned that the “tail” of manufacturing “could wag the dog,” said Jeff Soth, legislative and political director of the International Union of Operating Engineers, referencing his union’s support for a moratorium on solar panel tariffs that support domestic solar manufacturing. “We’ve adopted the ACP position,” he said.

Chiming in, Bill Parsons, American Clean Power (ACP) senior vice president and political director, said Soth had “articulated a really important principle, which I think our member companies would subscribe to, which is a very firm desire and commitment to reshore as much of the supply chain as we can, as quickly as we can, consistent with deployment.”

“If you cut off” foreign solar panel supply “too quickly,” Parsons said, “you haven’t really helped anything. You’ve just slowed down the construction jobs and the benefits for the grid and for the economy.” Parsons said companies are faced with a dilemma, “the choice to buy stuff that doesn’t exist yet.”

Two-thirds of operating engineers work in construction, Soth said, typically operating equipment such as cranes and backhoes, while one-third are maintenance engineers. Operating engineers work across all energy industries, he said.

Union support for projects

Turning to the potential for union support of new projects, Brad Markell, principal with Clean Energy Labor Advisors, said “you see some opposition” to both utility-scale solar projects and transmission projects. Yet “local unions, that are everywhere, are a key locus for local participation,” he said. Unions can add value “early in community involvement, because union members are living in these communities, and once they understand there’s a potential project coming through their area that they would like to work on, they become advocates.”

Soth said three unions had responded to a request from the solar industry, which led to a tri-trades agreement among the unions representing “the three essential crafts to build solar generation,” namely operating engineers, electricians and laborers. “We’re in the business of meeting the needs of owners and developers,” he said, “and they demanded, frankly, a streamlined project labor agreement with the three essential crafts, and that’s what we gave them.”

Wages, apprenticeships

“The skills and productivity” of union members, Soth said, give the union “a competitive edge, and frankly, allow us to command at the negotiating table the kinds of wages and benefits that our folks receive.”

Noting that a prevailing wage requirement is a condition for receiving energy tax credits, Soth said the requirement “provides some support for our role in the workplace and ensures that the green jobs of the future are, in fact, good jobs.” Clean energy industries have struggled, he said, “to be able to demonstrate that those are family sustaining jobs, particularly in the solar industry, historically, and that’s a function of residential deployment, small projects.”

Noting that women represent less than 25% of construction workers, Soth said his union is “doing everything we can” to recruit women and people of color into the trade, including marketing apprenticeships to students in high school. The operating engineers’ union offers training and apprenticeship programs.

“Apprenticeship is the primary pathway into a career in the operating engineers,” Soth said, adding that apprenticeship is “the best kept secret in career and vocational training.” He suggested that government investment in apprenticeship preparedness would be worthwhile, such as providing young people with “an introduction into the variety of craft unions out there and the opportunities that exist in the construction business.”

Hawaii has the highest average electricity price of any state at 43.93 cents per kWh, nearly triple the U.S. average, yet this project will cut that cost for many residents. Developer AES Hawaii projects that the Kūihelani Solar-plus-Storage facility will generate enough electricity for 15% of Maui’s needs at just 8 cents per kWh.

“Maui residents will soon be seeing the benefit of Kuihelani in their electric bills and the reassurance of knowing they will have reliable electrical power for their homes and businesses,” said former Maui Mayor Victorino.

Islands that are not covering their energy needs with renewables are beholden to imported fossil fuels. The energy generated by this facility will offset the need to import an estimated 2 million barrels of oil.

Situated on 450 acres in central Maui, between Kūihelani Highway and Maui Veterans Highway, the project supports the state’s goal of 100% renewable energy and decarbonization targets by 2045. AES Hawaii broke ground for construction less than two years ago, and as with most large-scale solar projects, the company sought input from the community prior to construction. As a result, AES Hawaii modified its plans.

“We reduced the size of the project site by 35%, minimizing the project’s environmental footprint, while maximizing the usage of the available land in a responsible manner,” said Sandra Larsen, Hawaii market business leader for AES.

Hawaiian Electric is the offtaker of the electricity, having signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with AES Hawaii.

Nearly 300 jobs were supported during construction of Kūihelani Solar-plus-Storage and and generated approximately $68 million for Maui’s economy, according to AES Hawaii. In addition, project area is also designed for agricultural use.

AES Hawaii more than 300 MW of renewable energy in construction or operational, enough to power 120,000 homes statewide. The company estimates that this is the equivalent of eliminating more than 175,000 metric tons of carbon emissions and more than 15 million barrels of oil consumption over the course of project lifecycles.

• Edgar Lim is starting a new position as Director of Business Development at Pure Power Engineering
• Hugo Lapie has joined 3E, a leader in the renewable energy industry, leaving Prescinto

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• Katlyn Lawver has accepted a role as VP of Pre-Construction with Convergent Energy and Power after 9 years with Borrego / New Leaf Energy
• Raman Mall is starting a new position as Director, Transmission & Distribution Engineering at SaskPower
• Michael Williams started a new position as Senior Vice President of Sales at Catalyze
• Chris Kalowes started a new position as Senior Key Account Manager- Energy Storage at Sungrow Power Supply

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• Daniel Smith started a new position as Director of Development Engineering at Catalyze
• Katlyn Lawver started a new position as VP of Pre-Construction at Convergent Energy and Power
• Raman Mall started a new position as Director, transmission & Distribution Engineering at SaskPower
• Nicole Tomasin started a new position as Head of Sales, US at SolaX Power US

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U.S. scientists develop air-bridge thermophotovoltaic cells with 44% efficiency  U.S. scientists have developed a thermophotovoltaic cell that could be paired with inexpensive thermal storage to provide power on demand. The indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) thermophotovoltaic cell absorbs most of the in-band radiation to generate electricity, while serving as a nearly perfect mirror.

Guaranteed and transferable tax benefits will make the PV industry too big to fail  Trina Solar executive says policies in the Inflation Reduction Act will make or break the future of solar in the U.S.

Largest solar project in Wyoming moves forward  The $1.2 billion Cowboy solar project will be built by Enbridge, with 771 MW expected to be fully operational by 2027.

21 states accept the grid modernization challenge The Federal-State Modern Grid Deployment initiative aims to shore up the U.S. energy grid to prepare for both challenges and opportunities in the power sector.

Battery energy storage tariffs tripled; domestic content rules updated Breaking down U.S. market impacts on energy storage from recent policy changes with insights from Clean Energy Associates.

Texas is the proving ground for a new way of electric grid operation Texas is uniquely suited to adopt virtual power plant technology due to its competitive, deregulated market. Its success highlights the “perverse incentive” of vertically integrated utilities in other states to make capital expenditures without discretion to raise profits.

Wyoming ranked 50^th in installed solar in 2023, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) with only 124 MW installed. As of Q4 2023, SEIA expected it to pop up to 43^rd place with 685 MW expected to be installed over the next five years. However, the Cowboy Solar Project, at 771 MW and 268 MW of battery energy storage, will surpass that in one fell swoop.

The Cowboy project was just approved by Wyoming’s Industrial Siting Council, and developer Enbridge plans construction in two phases with both beginning in March 2025. Commercial operation of Phase 1, which will include 400 MW of solar and 136 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) is expected in January 2027. Commercial operation of Phase II with 371 MW solar and 133 MW BESS is expected to begin in August 2027. The company estimates that the onsite workforce will have average of 285 temporary workers monthly, with a peak workforce of approximately 375 workers in April 2025.

For more on the process of obtaining permits for large-scale renewable energy project in Wyoming, read Early engagement avoids perils of Wyoming industrial siting.

The combined 771 MW of solar is estimated to be enough to serve 771,000 homes, or more than three times the number of homes in Wyoming. Enbridge has not yet announced an offtake agreement for the electricity generated.

Enbridge, a Canadian multinational pipeline and energy company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, intends to build the project about 4 miles south of Cheyenne on 3,845 acres of private land that it will lease.

While the company reports that it is currently responsible for moving about 30% of the crude oil produced in North America and 20% of the natural gas consumed in the United States, the company says it has committed to reducing emissions 35% by 2030 and being net-zero by 2050. It has a portfolio of over 5.2 GW of wind, offshore wind and solar projects in Canada, the U.S., France, Germany and England.

To keep the public informed about the massive Wyoming project, Enbridge held public meetings to notify neighbors within 1 km of the project in October 2023, which were advertised in the local newspaper, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. The company said it is planning further engagement with broader public notification and outreach to community stakeholders and Tribal communities as the project gets closer to the 2026 in-service date. Details of future outreach will be posted here.

(Read Opposition stymies solar—sometimes)

Approval by the Industrial Siting Council is just the first step in the process, as Enbridge must also obtain permits from Laramie County as well as necessary environmental and municipal permits required before constructing the project.

Once operational, the Cowboy solar project will be just the third utility-scale solar installation in the state. In April Southern Power, a wholesale energy provider and subsidiary of Southern Company, announced the operation of the 150 MW South Cheyenne Solar Facility, currently the largest in Wyoming. Southern Power acquired the project from Qcells USA, which had served as the project developer, module manufacturer and engineering procurement construction (EPC) provider of the site. Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power signed a 20-year power purchase agreement for the electricity generated, which will be used to provide renewable energy to a data center customer.

Prior to the South Cheyenne facility, the largest was the Sweetwater solar project, a 98 MW installation by SOLV Energy, developed by Clenera, an Enlight Renewable Energy company. Covering roughly 700 acres the project generates enough power to serve the equivalent of 12,000 homes each year.

Solar siting tool

With so much unspoiled land in Wyoming, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) developed the Brightfields Energy Siting Initiative (BESI) tool specifically for Wyoming. The intention is to guide new energy development to previously disturbed areas or “brownfields” so as to diversify the state’s energy mix without compromising the state’s iconic wildlife and natural areas.

The BESI tool identifies areas where new energy development is unlikely to encounter significant land use conflicts, permitting delays and cost overruns. It can locate sensitive places to avoid as well as provide information down to an individual project site. For example, it can determine if a potential site would risk conflict with a known mule deer migration route, a location with an abundance of cultural resources nearby or a golden eagle nesting area. It can look at habitat and can flag it as a site that would be better for restoration rather than the site of a new energy facility.

Access the BESI map tool here.

GoodWe U.S. inverter on Sunnova’s approved vendor list This partnership allows GoodWe and Sunnova to meet the growing demand by commercial and industrial customers that want to stabilize energy costs.

Renewables must triple by 2030 to hit net-zero by 2050, says BloombergNEF BloombergNEF says in a new report that solar and wind must drive most emissions cuts before 2030 to stay on track for net-zero by 2050. Its net-zero scenario targets a combined solar and wind capacity of 31 TW by 2050.

Acciona completes Texas-size solar project near Houston The 458 MW Red-Tailed Hawk solar plant is the company’s largest solar plant to date.

EV manufacturer Rivian invests in solar energy Rivian will subscribe to community solar and purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs).

Market impacts from the recent flurry of solar policy actions The U.S. had an extremely busy week of policy changes, including AD/CVD, domestic content, bifacial panel exemptions, and changes to 301 tariffs.

Enel, Energy Vault build 18 MW/36 MWh of U.S. gravity storage Energy Vault and Enel have revealed plans to build 18 MW/36 MWh of gravity storage in the United States. They say that the project will be the first large-scale gravity energy storage in a Western country.

Impact investment firm Advantage Capital announced the appointment of energy executive Steven Lichtin as managing director and chief executive officer of Advantage Capital Renewables. Lichtin brings nearly 15 years of experience developing solar and energy storage projects totaling over 10GWs in various markets across the U.S. Prior to joining Advantage Capital, he was Vice President of Development at CypressCreek Renewables, a renewable energy independent power producer (IPP).

Additional job moves provided by EnergeiaWorks:

• Darren Devine started a new position as Chief Financial Officer at Linea Energy
• Ty Baccile II was promoted to Director of Development at New Energy Equity
• Oran Arms started a new positions as Director of Business Development at Catalyze
• Emilie Wangerman started a new position as Chief Operating Officer at Lightsource BP

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The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) announced a conditional commitment to Plug Power’s subsidiary, Plug Power Energy Loan Borrower, for a loan guarantee of up to $1.66 billion to help finance the construction of up to six clean hydrogen facilities across several states.

Clean or “green” hydrogen differs from traditional “blue” hydrogen, by using renewable energy sources such as solar and wind rather than fossil fuel-based electricity.

Advancing clean hydrogen is a key component of the Biden-Harris Administration’s plan to build a robust clean energy economy. To advance clean hydrogen the administration created an inter-agency hydrogen task force  to deploy a more holistic, “whole of government approach” to clean hydrogen across the administration.

Clean hydrogen has potential in industries that would otherwise be hard to decarbonize, including heavy-duty transportation.  A year ago, the Biden-Harris Administration put out a National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, outlining opportunities for the U.S. to domestically produce 10 million metric tonnes (MMT) of clean hydrogen annually by the end of the decade, 20 MMT annually by 2040, and 50 MMT annually by 2050.

In October, the DOE announced funding of $7 billion to launch seven regional clean hydrogen hubs around the country, each aimed at more broadly supporting the commercial-scale deployment of the resource. The funding for the hubs comes from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. All seven hubs are estimated to produce a joint three million metric tons of hydrogen each year, and slash 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

This loan guarantee to Plug, if finalized, will support an estimated 100 to 300 jobs during the construction period when at full capacity, and at least 50 new full-time jobs for each location.

Plug has a development pipeline that includes the build-out of clean hydrogen facilities in several potential locations across the United States to supply its national customer base with end-to-end clean hydrogen at scale.

Plug’s hydrogen generation network reached significant milestones early in 2024. Its plants in Georgia and Tennessee produced at nameplate capacity, with a combined liquid hydrogen production capacity of 25 tons-per-day (TPD). Additionally, Plug’s Louisiana plant is expected to be completed and begin producing this year, adding 15 TPD and bringing the Company’s total liquid hydrogen production capacity to 40 TPD. If finalized, the loan funding will support an integrated and resilient commercial scale clean hydrogen fueling network across several regions of the United States.

The clean hydrogen facilities will use Plug’s own electrolyzer stacks that are manufactured at the company’s state-of-the-art gigafactory in Rochester, N.Y. Plug is among the leading commercial-scale manufacturers of electrolyzers in the United States and currently operates the largest Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer system in the United States at its Georgia hydrogen plant.

Electrolyzers use electricity to split water into its component parts, hydrogen and oxygen. Plug’s PEM technology reportedly allows it to operate efficiently even with variable electricity, enabling it to leverage electricity from intermittent renewables. Electrolyzers that use renewables to power their hydrogen production produce emissions-free clean hydrogen. The electrolyzer stacks can be easily configured to produce systems at 1 MW, 5 MW and 10 MW scales.

The hydrogen fuel from the project is expected to power fuel cell-electric vehicles used in the material handling, transportation, and industrial sectors, resulting in an estimated 84% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional blue hydrogen production.

The benefits of harnessing hydrogen fuel cells in applications such as material handling equipment include enhanced operational efficiency, reduced environmental impact through zero-emission operations, and increased productivity due to faster refueling times compared to conventional batteries. Major corporations such as Amazon, Walmart, and Home Depot use Plug’s hydrogen fuel cells across their warehouse and distribution centers.

Plug is expected to develop and ultimately implement a strong Community Benefits Plan for each project and has committed to working with local communities for project siting, including soliciting input from local economic development corporations.

LPO works with all borrowers to create good-paying jobs with strong labor standards from construction through the life of the loan. Plug also supports the Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40% of overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities overburdened by pollution.

While this conditional commitment indicates DOE’s intent to finance the project, the company must satisfy certain technical, legal, environmental, and financial conditions before the Department enters into definitive financing documents and funds the loan guarantee.

Schneider Electric announced the appointment of Ruben Llanes as CEO of Digital Grid, the company’s line of business that accelerates grid modernization through cutting-edge digital management software. Under Ruben’s leadership, Digital Grid will continue its mission of helping customers modernize their grid systems by maximizing resources and minimizing ecological footprints, helping to drive the industry’s global green energy transition. 

Lightsource bp is announced the appointment of Emilie Wangerman as its chief operating officer (COO) of the United States and member of our executive team, effective immediately. Emilie will lead the growth and development of our ambitious U.S. portfolio. Wangerman has been an integral part of Lightsource bp since joining in late 2017 to significantly accelerate expansion into the U.S. market. Over the last seven months, Emilie has been acting as interim COO of the U.S.

Key Capture Energy, LLC, a leading developer, owner and operator of battery energy storage systems in the United States today announced that Joel Vyduna is joining its growing team as executive vice president of technology and will be a member of the company’s leadership team. In addition, two members of the KCE team were promoted: Taylor Quarles is now executive vice president of development and Jim Brown is executive vice president of engineering and construction.

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People on the move: Wood Mackenzie, Trina Solar, New Leaf Energy and more Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.

Solar on the rise in Illinois In two separate announcements, a total of 285 MW of solar is beginning construction in Illinois in both a utility scale project and a community solar portfolio.

Was 2023 the peak for global electricity sector emissions? A report from Ember highlights how “a new era of falling fossil generation is imminent.”

Tigo introduces power electronics supporting solar modules up to 800 W The new MLPE from Tigo is designed to support commercial and industrial as well as utility-scale solar projects.

Global solar manufacturing sector now at 50% utilization rate, says IEA The International Energy Agency (IEA) says that global solar cell and module manufacturing capacity grew by around 550 GW in 2023. 

Kiterocket announced it has hired Jessica Fishman as director for its renewable energy practice. As the climate tech sector experiences exponential growth, Fishman will lead the agency’s renewable energy client portfolio and continue its proven track record of advancing brands advancing the world.

Fishman brings 20 years of experience as a strategic marketing leader. Prior to joining Kiterocket, she worked at leading clean energy companies including Conergy and AlsoEnergy where she led marketing and communications departments. Fishman also spent nearly seven years as head of global public and media relations at SolarEdge where she built a highly effective and efficient public and media relations department during a high-growth period, which included three acquisitions and an IPO. The company ultimately emerged as an industry thought leader with a multi-billion-dollar valuation.

Wood Mackenzie announced that Jason Liu has been appointed chief executive officer (CEO). Mr. Liu replaces former CEO Mark Brinin, who is departing to pursue other opportunities after successfully leading the company through its transformative carve-out.

Mr. Liu is a distinguished leader with over 25 years of experience leading growth-oriented, private equity-backed companies in the software and data industries. He most recently served as CEO of Zywave, a prominent provider of software, data, and analytics in the insurance technology space, where his strategic vision and operational execution doubled the size of the company and substantially enhanced its market position.

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A study by Cornell University, Exploring the Conditions of the New York Solar Workforce, surveyed more than 260 solar installation and maintenance workers in the state, finding significant disparity in pay and benefits, as well as safety concerns. 

In 2023, the national median annual wage of construction trade workers was $52,000, while the national median annual wage for solar photovoltaic installers was $48,230, and $23.46 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The New York solar workforce continues to grow, rising from an estimated 11,500 in 2022 to more than 14,500 in 2023. 

Most of the 260 survey respondents CJI interviewed were nonunion, full-time workers directly employed by solar companies between December 2021 and September 2023. 

The report found significant differences in compensation and benefits. Nearly 60% of workers surveyed reported having no benefits. Installation workers for utility-scale projects were the least likely to be paid an annual salary, and less likely to report longer employment tenures with their main employer. 

Cornell’s Climate Justice Institute (CJI) said the actual count can be difficult to trace, as many people work for multiple employers. More than 40% of respondents had at least two employers, and nearly a quarter worked for three or four. About two-thirds relocated to New York for solar jobs, mostly with large national companies, and more than 70 said they lived in one of 23 other states, including 53 people moving from as far as California. 

CJI found that Black and Hispanic workers were more likely than white workers to report not receiving benefits from their employment. Surveyed white workers were paid an annual salary nearly twice the median rate of Black and Hispanic workers. Black workers were more likely to be paid in cash than white workers and were also more likely to experience wage theft from their employer, but less likely to formally report wage theft, according to the report. 

About 34% of survey respondents said they are paid on a per-panel-installed basis, which CJI said is a safety and quality concern. 

“Previous literature has identified potential links between piece rate pay— which would include pay by panel— and adverse outcomes for workers,” said the Cornell report. ”The legality of piece rate pay, minimum wages, and transience across the solar sector must be analyzed further.” 

Most respondents indicated they held some level of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certification. About 58% of the sample had an OSHA30 certification, 48% of the sample had an OSHA 10 certification, 39% of the sample had an OSHA Flagger certification, and 8% of sample had an OSHA scaffold certification. Only 2% of the sample indicated that they held no OSHA certifications. 

Another safety concern for solar workers on New York job sites is stimulant use. More than 50% of workers surveyed reported that they agreed stimulant use on their solar worksites in New York was a problem. 

The report warned that “pay-per-panel was associated with an increased likelihood to report stimulant use as an issue on solar worksites,” though CJI noted more research is needed on this correlation. 

CJI said “unionized workers are more likely to earn higher wages, tend to have reduced racial and gender pay gaps, are more likely to be covered by employer-provided benefits, and are more likely to report unsafe working conditions” based on a 2021 study by EPI.

CJI said it intends to do a follow-up study of unionized workers to compare with the results of this study.

“Research comparing union and nonunion workers in the solar industry may provide a more accurate view of the conditions that currently exist for solar workers, as well as the conditions that workers and policy makers can realistically aspire to achieve,” concluded the report. “It is possible that a highly skilled workforce that is treated well may produce higher-quality work that is on-time and on budget, with less turnover.”

Sinovoltaics releases inverter manufacturer financial stability ranking  Sinovoltaics analyzed publicly traded inverter producers using a balance sheet-based model and publicly available financial information to track financial strength over the past three years. The top-five in the latest ranking are Hoymiles Power Electronics, Enphase, Kstar, Eaton, and Goodwe.

Swiss company Staubli expands U.S. manufacturing of solar components Staubli plans to increase manufacturing of American-made connectors and wire harnesses in its California and North Carolina facilities.

Solar microinverter and energy storage provider Enphase Energy has announced Mary Erginsoy as vice president and chief accounting officer. Erginsoy, who has around 20 years of experience in the solar industry’s financial sphere, is set to take over the role later this month. She is recognized for her expertise in operational accounting, financial reporting, and her time with SunPower Corporation and Ernst & Young.

EV battery grade lithium materials provider Stardust Power announced it named Randal Harris as director of construction. The company said the appointment marks a milestone in its mission to bridge the gap in the U.S. domestic supply of battery-grade lithium products.

Robroy Industries Enclosures Division announced the appointment of Alex Erwin as its central region development manager. Through its two brands, Stahlin and AttaBox, Robroy Enclosures offers a selection of non-metallic enclosures available for meeting the needs of diverse industries, interior and exterior applications, and physical property performance standards including NEMA 4X and NEMA 6P integrity.

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Hitachi Energy today announced plans to upgrade and modernization of its power transformer factory in Varennes, and other facilities in Montreal, Canada to help address the great transformer shortage in North America.

More than $100 million includes funding from the Government of Quebec through Investissement Quebec to establish a state-of-the-art testing facility for large power transformers and a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) engineering and design center. Hitachi expects the expansion to create around 70 jobs.

The transformer shortage is felt in countries across the globe but is especially acute where clean energy and energy storage systems are expanding rapidly. Other causes of the shortages include shortages of raw materials, backlogs after the pandemic, labor constraints, shipping issues and more.

The Varennes facility is Hitachi Energy’s main manufacturing location for large power transformers in North America. The facility has been in operation since 1971, covers over 300,000 square feet and employs around 330 people.

The company sees the establishment of a new 130,000 square foot transformer testing facility on the manufacturing site in Varennes as a critical element of the company’s efforts to meet growing demand in the province for sustainable energy solutions. The testing facility is expected to be completed before the end of 2027.

This initiative aligns with Quebec’s broader strategy to meet its ambitious energy goals, including the need for more than 150 TWh of additional energy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 – around twice what Quebec consumes today.

“Globally, demand for transformers and electrical equipment continues to grow at an unprecedented scale… In addition to our global investments, the support of the Quebec Government will help to address North America’s rising demand for transformers to support fast-growing sectors like renewable energy, data centers, and industrial electrification, as Quebec strengthens its role as a key player in the energy transition,” said Bruno Melles, business unit transformers, managing director at Hitachi Energy.

The investment in transformer facilities in Canada follows closely after the company investments of over $1.5 billion to ramp up its global transformer manufacturing capacity to keep pace with the growing demand and support the long-term plans and electrification efforts. About $180 million of that investment, for example, will go to build a new state-of-the-art transformer factory in the Vaasa region, Finland.

In the U.S. Hitachi Energy recently announced  plans to invest more than $37 million in expanding and modernizing its power transformer manufacturing facility in South Boston, Virginia. In addition to its own funds, Hitachi Energy has received financial support from the Commonwealth of Virginia and Halifax County where the facility is located. The company also plans to invest more than $10 million in the expansion and modernization of its 50-year olf distribution transformer facility in Jefferson City, Missouri to provide additional capacity and enhance its manufacturing capabilities.

As part of Earth Week announcements from the White House, President Biden announced the ambition to upgrade 100,000 miles of transmission lines over the next five years.

Funding is available through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) program, which recently closed applications for up to $2.7 billion in DOE grant funding under a second round. The intention of the program is to fund projects that will upgrade and modernize the transmission and distribution system to increase reliability and resilience to prepare the grid for extreme weather as well as to ensure delivery of affordable, clean electricity to all communities across the nation.

Last October White House Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu and Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm announced $3.46 billion in the first round of GRIP funding, which went to 58 projects across 44 states to strengthen electric grid resilience and reliability across America. Read about the program and its recipients here.

Transmission upgrades will include deploying modern grid technologies such as high-performance conductors and dynamic line ratings that enable existing transmission lines to carry more power.

Recent research from University of California, Berkeley and the consultancy GridLab found that large-scale reconductoring, for example, can unlock renewables near the existing transmission network. The study projected that the optimal added transmission capacity by 2050, allowing for reconductoring, would be about 110,000 GW-miles with restricted buildout or about 210,000 GW-miles with unrestricted buildout. The U.S. Department of Energy has estimated that 54,500 GW-miles of additional within-region transmission capacity is needed for a clean grid.

These efforts align with the move to clean energy as supported by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

An example of a recently completed transmission infrastructure project is the Ten West Link transmission line, which will play an important role in transmission of electricity from the 25 GW of solar, wind and geothermal permitted on public lands by 2025. The line has begun transmitting electricity and is expected to increase reliability and unlock more than 3.2 GW of capacity from solar projects.

Vice President Kamala Harris attended the ceremony marking the start of construction of the transmission line and commented on its significance.

“America is at the start of an historic transition away from fossil fuel plants that pollute our communities and toward cleaner and safer energy sources. To create this clean energy future, we must construct thousands of miles of new high-voltage transmission lines all across our country, said Harris. “All of this also creates jobs — good paying jobs, union jobs. Jobs for IBEW linemen who will build and repair these lines. Jobs for young people looking to start a career in clean energy and the clean energy economy. Jobs that will help our nation finally take on the climate crisis as the crisis that it is.”

Construction of the transmission line at its peak, will bring more than 350 jobs to the region, including more than 250 union construction jobs. As the Ten West Link facilitates new development of renewable energy and energy storage in the rapidly growing Desert Southwest region, it will bring the potential for countless additional jobs.

Petition filed to enforce antidumping tariffs on solar imports  A coalition of U.S. solar manufacturers submitted a request for investigation of alleged dumping of Chinese goods in four Southeastern Asian nations responsible for roughly 80% of U.S. solar panel supply.

People on the move: Urban Solar, Kilo Power, Palmetto and more  Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.

NREL updates interactive chart of solar cell efficiency The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has updated its research cell efficiency chart for a range of PV technologies.

A second solar project takes off at JFK airport TotalEnergies began construction of an onsite solar-plus-storage system, providing energy to Port Authority and Con Edison, as well as community solar for area residents.

Reconductoring could enable 764 GW of transmission-connected solar by 2035  Replacing existing transmission lines, known as conductors, with advanced conductors could enable 764 GW of transmission-connected solar by 2035 even if transmission in new corridors was limited, found a study by UC Berkeley and GridLab researchers.

RFP alert: Community choice aggregator seeks renewable energy and storage  Central Coast Community Energy announces a request for proposals (RFP) for renewable energy and storage Projects in CAISO territory.

Enphase delivers revenue miss amid softened residential solar demand The company remains profitable, generating $41.8 million in free cash flow, despite a slumping market.

SunPower to close business units, cut about 26% of workforce The company announced plans to wind down its residential solar installation locations and close its direct sales unit.

Julia Hamm joins Ad Hoc Group as partner. Julia brings decades of experience as the former CEO of the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), founder of RE+ (now the largest energy trade show in North America), and much more.

The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) announced that Jeremy Horan has joined the organization as its new vice president of Government Affairs. Horan joins ACORE following nearly 20 years of service in the U.S. Congress and executive branch, where he worked extensively to advance and defend clean energy policies. He most recently served as director of Congressional and Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.

NeoVolta Inc., a San-Diego based specialist in smart energy storage solutions, appointed Ardes Johnson as its new chief executive officer. Mr. Johnson will officially assume his new role on April 29, 2024, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a proven track record of transformative leadership in the energy sector. His predecessor, Brent Willson, Founder and CEO of NeoVolta, will continue his role as chairman of the board and now serve as CTO.

Palmetto, a technology company accelerating residential clean energy adoption across the United States, announced the appointment of notable economist Lawrence H. Summers to its Advisory Board. Summers brings deep expertise to Palmetto, having served as Secretary of the Treasury under President Bill Clinton and Director of the National Economic Council under President Barack Obama. His extensive understanding of economic policy and commitment to sustainable development align firmly with Palmetto’s work to democratize access to renewable energy sources.

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This Earth Day, President Joe Biden announced 60 recipients of funding from the Solar for All program. Solar for All is a funding opportunity announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in June 2023 that has a goal of bringing solar energy to low-income households.

The recipients were chosen based on their proposals to develop programs designed to serve communities facing barriers to distributed solar deployment, with 100% of funding supporting low-income and disadvantaged communities in all 50 states the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and territories.

“Today’s announcement from the EPA Solar for All grant competition can unlock multiples of private capital to complement the $7 billion in federal awards that will serve millions of low-income Americans,” said Jeff Cramer, CEO of the Coalition for Community Solar Access. “Community solar is a critical tool in the broader toolbox of distributed solar options for American households and can offer the vast majority of low-income households unable to put solar on their roofs the opportunity to save money on their electric bills while reducing GHG emissions.”

Tribal communities will receive more than $500 million, or over 7% of the funding. One of those recipients is the Northern Plains Tribal coalition, a group of 14 tribes that will receive $135.6 million deploy solar energy projects to low-income residents who have historically been dependent on costly fossil fuels. Indigenized Energy will manage the solar projects, ensuring that they are Native led.

“EPA’s Solar for All announcement is a monumental achievement in advancing a more equitable and just energy future, but it’s still just the beginning,” said Andie Wyatt, managing policy director and counsel for Grid Alternatives, a lead applicant on a multi-state and a Tribal program selected to receive awards. “As awardees roll out their programs throughout the country, the real value of the Solar for All investment will be realized through transformative benefits for households and communities.”

The projects funded by the program are expected to provide over 4 GW of solar to 900,000 households. This will more than double the amount of solar serving low-income and disadvantaged communities as of the end of 2023. The funding will serve residential and residential-serving community solar projects that will cumulatively reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of over 30 million metric tons of CO2.

The DOE estimates that the average low-income household benefiting from this program will save around $400 a year on their electric bills; collectively that’s over $350 million in annual household savings from all 60 selected applicants, totaling over $8 billion in cumulative savings for over a standard solar project 25-year asset life.

In addition, the funding will bring resilience to communities and especially to the 78% of selected applicants that plan combine energy storage with solar.

One of the prerequisites of the funding was for applicants to develop workforce development plans that includes the commitment to create good-paying, high-quality jobs and to work with a number of local, regional, and national labor unions. The DOE estimates that as a result, hundreds of thousands of jobs will be created across the country over the next five years.

“Harnessing the power of local solar energy is crucial as we transition away from fossil fuels,” said Xavier Boatright, Sierra Club’s Deputy Legislative Director. “There is no time to waste, and we are grateful for the broad coalition that has spearheaded efforts to advance this necessary funding. These grants will help communities advance the future-focused solutions our earth desperately needs.”

EPA will host a public webinar for the Solar for All program, on Monday, April 29, 2024, 4 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET. Register here.

Bifacial panels, representing 98% of U.S. solar imports, may soon be subject to tariffs  The Biden Administration is expected to revoke tariff exemptions on bifacial solar modules following a petition led by Qcells, a company with a multi-billion-dollar investment in U.S. manufacturing.

Origami Solar readies production of steel solar module frames  The U.S. based developer of steel PV module frames said its products are an alternative to conventional aluminum frames. They passed several third party tests as the company readies production and evaluations by module manufacturers.

Making the case for concentrated solar power  Dismissed by many in the solar industry as an overly complex, outdated technology, concentrated solar power (CSP) is set for a comeback thanks to a scaled-down, modular approach.

New vapor deposition tech could accelerate commercialization of perovskite solar cells A U.S.-based team developed a vapor deposition technique to fabricate outperforming all-inorganic perovskite thin films in under 5 minutes in a continuous process. The adoption of the proposed approach may also result in higher perovskite solar cell power conversion efficiencies.

Important Q1 solar policy changes across 50 states Trends spotted in the NC Clean Energy Technology Center report include legislation to enable community solar, net metering reform considered by new states and states clarifying time of use rates for net metering customers.

People on the move: PivotGen, Spearmint Energy, PlugPV and more Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.

Renewable energy developer PivotGen hired Robert Dewchter as senior vice president of asset management.  With over 35 years of industry experience, Robert’s expertise will optimize the performance and longevity of PivotGen’s renewable energy projects.

Prior to joining PivotGen, Robert served as the Regional Vice President for Carlyle Power Partners’ Cogentrix Energy, where he oversaw assets across the northeast (PJM) and Texas (ERCOT). Before that, he held key positions at LS Power and Brookfield Renewable Energy Group, managing assets in diverse energy investment fund portfolios and in the generation portfolios of hydroelectric and wind energy facilities.

Spearmint Energy made four senior-level hires, bringing a diverse mix of project finance, capital markets, regulatory affairs, and commercial operations experience to its team. Hires include Michael Gray, managing director of project finance, Rafia Merchant, managing director of capital markets, Jack Clark III, director of regulatory, ERCOT & SP, Omar Longou, director of commercial operations.

The Solar and Storage Industries Institute announced market research expert Shawn Rumery will join as senior program director. Rumery will lead the organization’s programmatic work, including areas related to solar siting and permitting, interconnection, and agrivoltaics, as well as the organization’s external affairs activities.

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Elin Energy, a Turkish module manufacturer is now manufacturing solar modules in Texas.

Founded in 1981, Elin has been supplying solar modules to the European solar market, and since passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, now plans to do the same in the U.S. market.

Under the name Sirius PV USA, the company opened a 225,000 square foot module manufacturing plant in Waller County, near Houston, Texas, where it began production last month. Elin is leasing the facility which was previously used as a distribution center.

The company said it has an agreement with key U.S. distributors and it will begin with 1 GW annual production, intending to increase to 2 GW within 18 months. Sirius PV USA currently employs more than 100 associates locally in Texas, and reported plans to scale up to 500 associates as the company increases production.

While Elin is producing TOPCon modules in its facility in Turkey, Ercan Kalafat, CEO, Sirius PV USA told pv magazine USA that  it will initially use PERC technology in the U.S. with plans to shift to TOPCon beginning in July. Its PERC modules are bifacial and range from 410 to 580 Watts, catering to residential, commercial and utility-scale markets.

In Turkey Elin’s main product is the 580W TOPCon (bifacial, silver-framed) module, and the company also makes other types of modules including glass-to-glass. Elin reports that its combined manufacturing capacity in Turkey, across three factories, is 3.5 GW per year.

Kalafat told pv magazine USA that the company views the U.S. market as pivotal in its strategy to become a global brand, noting that the U.S. presents significant opportunities for the company to establish itself as a global player alongside its Chinese-origin competitors.

Elin joins a raft of other solar module makers who have set up production–or plan to–in Texas, including Trina Solar, Canadian Solar and SEG Solar.

Trina announced it will invest about $200 million in a Texas manufacturing plant with an annual manufacturing capacity of 5 GW. Trina’s new factory is expected to begin producing its Vertex line of modules with 210 mm wafers in 2024. The company expects to bring 1,500 jobs to Texas.

Last June, Canadian Solar announced an investment of $250 million in a factory in Mesquite, bringing 5 GW of TOPCon module manufacturing capacity, and also creating about 1,500 jobs.

SEG Solar, maker of TOPCon solar modules, announced last September that it is setting up a module manufacturing facility in Houston with plans for production to begin in March 2024. Future plans include manufacturing both cell and ingots in the U.S.

Mission Solar has been manufacturing solar modules in Texas for over ten years. Last year the company announced intention of expanding production by 1 GW.

Affordable Wire Management (AWM), a provider of solar cable management systems (CMS), announced that Linda Merritt has joined the company’s senior leadership as the Head of Quality. Merritt brings over twenty years of experience in positions including Director of Projects at PI Berlin, Director of Quality at Signal Energy, Solar Quality Manager at McCarthy Building Companies, and Construction Systems Manager at First Solar.

Generac appoints Jennifer Anderson as Executive Vice President of Global Corporate Strategy & Development. Anderson will also lead Generac’s Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) efforts.

Jobs provided by EnergeiaWorks:

• Gregory Gangelhoff started a new position as Director at Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc.
• Saul Muskin started a new position as Principal at MKB & Co.
• Muhammed Senay started a new position as Senior Pre-Construction Manager at EDF Renewables North America
• Stephen Molden started a new position as Director of Execution and Delivery at Infinity Power

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Silfab Solar announced the appointment of Trevor Carson as chief financial officer.

“Trevor brings a proven track record and deep understanding of capital markets, investor relations, corporate development, and risk management amongst other operational areas,” said chief executive officer Paolo Maccario. “His insights and experience will be invaluable as Silfab continues to expand and support North America’s commitment to energy independence.”

Generac Power Systems, a global designer, manufacturer and provider of energy technology solutions and other power products, announced the appointment of Jennifer Anderson as executive vice president of global corporate strategy & development.

Anderson succeeds 34-year Generac veteran and Chief Strategy Officer, Steve Goran, who retired in March. In addition to corporate strategy and development, Anderson will lead Generac’s Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) efforts.

Green Lantern Solar, a renewable energy developer, announced the promotion of Alan Pratt to vice president of operations. With a proven track record as Green Lantern Solar’s director of operations for 10 years and deep experience in EPC roles before then, Alan brings exceptional leadership qualities and a steadfast commitment to the company’s mission.

Jobs provided by EnergeiaWorks:

• Ben Macias started a new position as CRO at MGM Transformer Company
• H. Dafoe Bulen started a new position as Associate Director – Preconstruction at PowerFlex
• Michael Bath started a new position as Director, O&M Technical Services at SunGrid
• Michael Ducker started a new position as President & CEO at MHI Hydrogen Infrastructure

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With analysts from S&P Global Mobility forecasting that electric vehicles (EV) could make up half of automotive sales by 2030, several challenging must be overcome in order to support this fast-growing industry. Two of those challenges are building a domestic supply chain and the EV battery manufacturing workforce.

The U.S. Department of Energy has actively supported the buildout of the EV industry, beginning with the $7,500 tax credit available to EV buyers through the Inflation Reduction Act. Another program was launched through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which allocated $7.5 billion to increase the EV charging network—the dearth of chargers seen as a deterrent to EV adoption in many regions. And now two new initiatives by the Department of Energy (DOE) are aimed at battery supply chain issues and training the battery workforce.

According to DOE, 1.4 million EVs were sold last year and with more growth forecast, the battery market is projected to grow as much as 10-fold by 2030. To build a domestic supply chain to serve this market, DOE announced $62 million for 17 projects to increase and improve battery recycling. Battery recycling removes critical materials that can be reused in battery manufacturing, thus reducing demand new materials and reducing costs for the U.S. battery supply chain.

“Capturing the full battery supply chain—from sourcing critical materials to manufacturing to recycling—puts the U.S. in the driver’s seat as we build our clean energy economy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.

The 17 projects selected for DOE’s Consumer Electronics Battery Recycling, Reprocessing, and Battery Collection funding opportunity include:

• Expanding Participation in Consumer Electronics Recycling: Increasing collection of end-of-life consumer electronics and stand-alone batteries for recycling is a key element in developing a sustainable domestic source of battery-grade materials. Four projects were selected to do this through student education and outreach, including e-waste collection events, representing $14.4 million in funding.
• Improving the Economics of Recycling Consumer Electronics Batteries: Generating greater market demand for recycling consumer electronics batteries through innovative, cost-saving approaches to pre-processing and sorting. Seven projects were selected to do this through approaches including artificial intelligence and automated sorting, representing $40.1 million in funding.
• Establishing Programs to Collect Consumer Electronics Batteries: Implementing projects that will assist States and local governments in the initiation or enhancement of battery collection, recycling, and reprocessing. Six projects were selected to do this through approaches including battery collection drop-off programs and deploying battery storage and sorting facilities, representing $7.2 million in funding.

This funding builds on previously announced investments in strengthening the domestic battery supply chain by supporting upstream materials processing to create the precursor materials for batteries including the more than $74 million announced to date to advance EV battery recycling and second-life applications.

Learn more about the projects selected for award negotiation here.

Battery Workforce Initiative

DOE in coordination with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), announced the Battery Workforce Initiative (BWI)’s National Guideline Standards for registered apprenticeships for battery machine operators. Over 400 EV and battery manufacturing facilities have been announced in the U.S. in the past three years, according to DOE, underscoring the need to grow a skilled workforce.

The guidelines were created in partnership with battery manufacturers, community colleges and unions, with the intention of training the workforce needed to support the burgeoning EV industry.

The announcement took place in Lansing, Michigan near the Ultium Cells factory being built with support from DOE Loan Program Office. Ultium Cells, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, will manage battery cell production at the three facilities located in Michigan, Tennessee and Ohio. The Ultium project alone is expected to create approximately more than 11,000 good-paying jobs—6,000 in construction jobs and 5,100 in operations—across the three facilities, including more than 700 United Auto Worker jobs in the newly-organized Warren, Ohio facility.

DOE reports that National Energy Technology Lab will launch the BWI Pilot Training this month. The next step will be to look at other jobs in the battery supply chain, and BWI is convening stakeholders working on battery-grade materials processing and recycling to determine the skills needed for that workforce.

Learn more about the Battery Workforce Initiative.

California pivots to propose $24 average fixed fee to electric bills  The Public Utilities Commission said the new billing structure will include a reduction of electricity rates by 5 to 7 cents per kilowatt hour.

Clean Energy Connector pilot launches in Illinois, New Mexico and Washington D.C. The software tool is designed to connect eligible households to community solar projects through the Department of Health and Human Services’ HHS’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Environmental lifecycle assessment of PERC solar modules  IEA PVPS Task 12 analyzes the environmental impact of passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) technology in PV installations in comparison to the monocrystalline silicon technology (AI-BSF) and the trend towards installing horizontal single-axis tracker systems as opposed to fixed tilt systems.

Solar module prices remain steady amid unchanged market fundamentals In a new weekly update for <b>pv magazine</b>, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

The great untapped potential in non-residential rooftop solar for LMI residents The team used satellite imagery and AI to track unused rooftops with good solar potential, and found that it would bring reduced energy costs to residents.

U.S. solar industry week in review pv magazine USA spotlights news stories of the past week including market trends, project updates, policy changes and more.

Solar industry calls for domestic content revisions to support U.S. manufacturing With stronger support for the early stages of the process, U.S. module manufacturers would be less dependent on imports from Chinese-owned companies for these materials, according to a recent report from the Solar Energy Manufacturers for America Coalition.

IRENA says solar capacity rose by 345.5 GW in 2023 The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says developers installed 345.5 GW of solar throughout the world in 2023. China mainly drove the surge, accounting for nearly three-quarters of all new renewable energy, but IRENA says more equitable growth will be needed to hit 2030 deployment targets.

Solar panel production is struggling to stay clear of forced labor As necessary materials from outside China remain scarce, producers struggle to meet UFLPA compliance.

Rural electric co-ops lend money to customers to improve energy efficiency Some rural electric cooperative utilities allow customers to pay off energy efficiency improvement loans through their utility bills. That contributes to energy efficiency’s role in the renewables transition.

Half of homeowners see solar as a good investment, but 75% said cost is a problem  A survey report from solar design and sales software provider Aurora Solar showed continued customer interest in solar, but a high interest rate environment is dampening that interest.

West Virginia Governor vetoes bill that would double allowable solar project size  House Bill 5528 would have lifted the limit on utility-scale solar project size from 50 MW to 100 MW.

Solar and storage to replace last coal plants in New England  With the planned retirement of Merrimack Station in Bow, N.H. and Schiller Station in Portsmouth, N.H., New England will become coal-free.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and MSI STEM R&D Consortium announced $5 million in funding to train students for careers in clean energy industries.

The funding will be directed to two minority-serving universities to help train students in the skills needed to succeed in solar and other clean energy careers. MSI Stem R&D is a consortium that partners with more than 60 minority-serving research institutions, industry and government partners, such as DOE.

According to a report by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), full-time jobs in the U.S. solar energy and energy storage industries grew in 2022 and demand will only increase in the future. IREC notes that the solar industry expects total U.S. installations will multiply fivefold in the next 10 years, from 141 GW in 2022 to over 700 GW in 2033. SEIA optimistically predicts the total number of solar jobs could more than double, reaching 538,000 by 2032.

The reality, however, is that the tight labor market in the U.S. continues to create hiring challenges. The report notes that in 2022, 44% of solar industry employers said it was “very difficult” to find qualified applicants—the highest such percentage ever recorded in the Solar Jobs Census.

New workforce-related requirements were put into place by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that aims to address training, pay, diversity and job development in underserved areas.

The new initiative driven by DOE in conjunction with MSI Stem R&D supports the Justice40 Initiative that strives to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments go to disadvantaged communities by helping to build a diverse science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) pipeline to support the transition to clean energy.

“Achieving equitable energy transitions across the country is not possible without a workforce that reflects the diversity of America,” said Susan Hamm, director of the Integrated Strategies Office, EERE. “That’s why DOE provides minority serving institutions with the funding and support they need to educate, develop, and inspire the clean energy workforce of tomorrow. Innovation accelerates when there’s people with a variety of perspectives and backgrounds working together towards a common goal,”

The two universities selected to receive funding for their workforce development projects:

Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee 

Tennessee State University’s workforce development program will serve as a pathway to STEM degrees and equip African American, Hispanic and Native American students with the skills needed for entry-level positions in the clean energy sector.

The project will offer an online training using virtual reality coupled with in-person workshops in solar energy (including design, installation, and energy storage).  The project also has an entrepreneurship component, encouraging students to develop clean energy businesses to increase the number of clean energy businesses run by minorities.

University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 

The Hispanic Alliance for Clean Energy Education and Research project aims to train students and build the workforce development capacity in Texas, New Mexico and Puerto Rico. To support workforce development capacity building, six institutions in the Alliance will share expertise and collaborate on research, course materials and jointly mentor junior faculty members. There’s also a plan to expand the project’s reach beyond the six institutions to promote a growing workforce for the clean energy transition.

For more details on EERE’s STEM diversity and workforce development work, visit the Why Clean Energy Matters page.

Origis Energy announced the promotion of Vikas Anand to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Anand joined the firm in August 2023 as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Company founder Guy Vanderhaegen, who has served as Chief Executive Officer and President to date, moves into the new role of Executive Chairman. The leadership changes are effective immediately.

SolarEdge Technologies announced  the appointment of  Bertrand Vandewiele as the new General Manager of SolarEdge in North America. Mr. Vandewiele has a proven track record in the sustainable energy space and leading global commercial building solutions and has served in leadership positions at ABB, Honeywell and Phillips.

Soltec has added Alma Miller to its executive team as CEO of its Soltec Trackers division in the United States. This executive has more than 20 years of experience in financial services companies and technology industries. With this addition, Soltec strengthens its presence in the U.S. market and further expands its ranks to further consolidate its position as a strategic player in the U.S. solar industry.

Jobs provided by EnergeiaWorks:

• Alex Zafran started a new position as Director of Business Development at Logical Buildings
• Anna Toenjes started a new position as Associate Vice President, Impact & Business Development at Sol Systems
• Shane McCarthy started a new position as Director, Operations at Aecon Group Inc.
• Colin Smith started a new position as Manager of Policy and Market Research at Green Street Power Partners

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The NABCEP continuing education (CE) conference taking place this week in Raleigh, North Carolina is the largest to date with over 1,000 people registered.

With 70 technical training sessions taking place, the conference draws solar in NABCEP-certified installers seeking re-certification. The newest certification is the Energy Storage Installation Professional (ESIP). With support from a grant from the National Science Foundation, NABCEP teamed up with the CREATE Energy Center  and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association to develop the standard of education and training for those working with battery energy storage systems technology.

Steve Kalland, Executive Director of the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center delivered the keynote presentation to a packed room of solar professionals, highlighting solar history, current policies and new opportunities. He noted the changes in the technology and overall perception, saying that back in the 1980s PV stood for “potentially viable”. Since that time efficiencies are up, costs are down, policies have been created, and Kalland said the new challenge is how fast it can get built.

With NABCEP being just over 20 years old, a “Pioneers in Solar Breakfast” was added to this year’s agenda to celebrate those attending who have been in solar for decades. Also being recognized are the winners of the annual Walt Ratterman and Les Nelson awards. The Ratterman winner receives a donation of $500 to a charity of their choice and the Les Nelson Scholarship covers NABCEP Conference.

The exhibit hall, which sold out, was bustling with over 100 exhibitors showing tools of the trade as well as marketing software, services and more.

From pv magazine Global

Longi has revealed it might reduce its global workforce due to an “increasingly competitive environment” in the solar industry.

“In order to adapt to market changes and improve organizational efficiency, Longi is optimizing its workforce,” a company spokesperson told pv magazine. “The expected job reduction rate is about 5% of total employees, and the information circulating online about our company’s ‘30% layoff’ plan is false.”

The statement refers to an article published by Bloomberg on Monday, citing “people familiar with the matter” as a source. The outlet reported that Longi was planning to cut around one-third of its staff to reduce costs and regain competitiveness in an industry plagued by overcapacity.

This is not the first time layoff rumors have emerged in relation to Longi. In December 2023, reports surfaced suggesting a significant reduction in expatriate laborers and management trainees, alongside a halt in social recruitment activities.

According to the company’s latest annual report, it employed 60,601 people at the end of 2022. It was expected to have grown to around 80,000 employees by mid-2023.

Residential solar technology and energy services provider SunPower announced it has appointed Tony Garzolini as executive vice president and chief revenue officer.

“SunPower made great strides to improve our financial footing and we remain laser focused on achieving profitability and cash flow generation. As a part of this imperative, we’re pleased to welcome Tony back to SunPower as our first Chief Revenue Officer,” said Tom Werner, executive chairman of the board and principal executive officer of SunPower.

U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm appointed Joe Powell, the founding executive director of the Energy Transition Institute at the University of Houston, to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee (ITIAC).

The committee’s mandate includes identifying future investment opportunities and technical assistance programs and help move decarbonization technologies out of the lab and into the marketplace.

Global lithium supplier of the EV battery supply chain Piedmont Lithium announced Dawne Hickton has been appointed to its board of directors. Hickton is an accomplished leader in the aerospace, energy, and metals industries

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A seismic shift may be coming to U.S. energy sector and economy: FTI Consulting released a report reviewing renewable energy merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in 2023 and provided an outlook for 2024. FTI anticipates various factors will drive an increase in M&A activity in the renewable energy sector. The report sees an uptick in corporate renewables adoption as decarbonization and electrification continues to come to the forefront, and it expects oil and gas players to actively invest in the sector.

California rulemaking signals changes in energy policy: The California Energy Center must now assess costs and benefits related to health and environmental externalities of energy generation and transmission. The rulemaking decision marks the first positive development for distributed renewable energy in California, a state that has taken numerous regressive policy actions over the past eighteen months.

What might a new administration cut from the Inflation Reduction Act?: A live podcast by Norton Rose Fulbright discussed how a Republican administration might handle the Inflation Reduction Act. The panel noted that several provisions have bipartisan support, including carbon capture, hydrogen, fuel credits and possibly domestic manufacturing tax credits. The group said repeal of the IRA may not be an all-or-nothing scenario, but a potential new administration may tweak or remove the things they don’t like.

Experts deep dive into IRA tax guidance: At SEIA’s annual Finance, Tax, and Buyer’s Seminar, key topics included tax credit transferability rules, the process of filing for and monetizing “elective pay”, domestic content and brownfield tax adders, capital structures, and the evolving finance structures. Also covered was the risk of tax credit recapture by the IRS, which can occur when solar projects fail to meet the technical requirements that initially qualified them for tax benefits.

Giant solar project in Texas secures nearly $600 million: Primergy Solar closed commitments for $588 million in debt financing for the 408 MW Ash Creek solar project in Hill County, Texas, south of Dallas. Once complete, the project is expected to generate the equivalent electricity demand of 90,000 homes per year, though it will be fully dedicated to Microsoft through a power purchase agreement.

People on the move: 247Solar, iSun, Earthrise Energy and more Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.

Tandem solar cell based on cadmium telluride, iron disilicide promises 43.9% efficiency Researchers in Bangladesh have designed a dual-junction tandem solar cell with a bottom device based on iron disilicide (FeSi2), an emerging absorber material know for its high thermal stability and good optoelectronic properties. Their simulation showed the advantage of combining the larger bandgap of the top cadmium telluride cell and the smaller bandgap of the bottom FeSi2 cell.

DOE Loan Programs Office announces $72.8 million for microgrid on Tribal lands The 15 MW / 38 MWh Viejas Microgrid is the first project to be offered a conditional commitment through the Tribal Energy Financing Program.

New Mexico Supreme Court upholds Community Solar Act  A New Mexico judge upheld rules that prevent utilities from deducting transmission costs from solar bill credits received by customers.

Mitigate lithium-ion battery fire risk for manageable premiums As debate continues to rage about the best ways to deal with battery fires, a risk management professional and an insurance underwriter discuss some golden rules for project developers.

Solar asset underperformance estimated to cause $4.6 billion in preventable losses Analyzing a global dataset of 125 GW of PV systems, drone operator Raptor Maps marked a rising trend of system underperformance.

California rulemaking requires health and environment assessment in energy policy decisions The California Energy Center must now assess costs and benefits related to health and environmental externalities of energy generation and transmission.

The Viejas Microgrid Project, which is already under construction, will provide the Viejas Band of the Kumeyaay Indians a 15 MW solar plant along with a 38 MWh long-duration battery energy storage system (BESS). The solar-plus-storage microgrid will be located near San Diego, California.

The 15 MW of solar modules from JA Solar are being installed by Indian Energy LLC on parking structures on the Tribal land and will supply electricity to the non-lithium, vanadium-flow BESS as well as to the local grid. Invinity Energy and Eos provided the BESS.

The Viejas Band will purchase electricity through a subsidiary in a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) to help operate gaming, hospitality and retail businesses. When complete, the project will allow the Tribe to benefit from a lower levelized cost of energy, allowing additional resources to be redirected toward investments by the Tribe in infrastructure maintenance, operation of the fire department, Tribal culture and educational programs, and other Tribal member services.

“This solar microgrid project will enable us to create a reliable and sustainable source of clean energy for our gaming, hospitality, and retail operations going forward. In turn, the associated non-lithium battery system supports the environmental protection and cultural stewardship of our ancestral land, thereby ensuring the vibrant future of our children,” said John Christman, chairman, Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.

This is the first project to be offered a conditional commitment of $72.8 million through the Tribal Energy Financing Program, which was provided new and expanded loan authority the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The partial loan guarantee will help build the microgrid, which will help the Band’s economy by lowering the cost of energy as well as bringing job opportunities. While the LPO demonstrates its commitment to financing the project, the project must reach critical milestones, and certain technical, legal, and financial conditions must be met before the LPO enters into definitive financing documents and guarantees the loan.

The project is expected to create 250 construction jobs and eight permanent operations jobs, including prioritizing Tribal-, minority-, and veteran-owned contractors. In addition, LPO works with all borrowers to create good-paying jobs with strong labor standards during construction, operations, and throughout the life of the loan and to adhere to a strong Community Benefits Plan.

The project also supports the Justice40 Initiative, which has a goal that 40% of overall benefits of certain federal investments, including LPO financing, go to DOE-identified disadvantaged communities (DACs), which includes the Viejas Tribal Lands.

The borrower, IE VEM Managing Member LLC, is a Tribal energy development organization (TEDO) ultimately owned by the project developer Indian Energy LLC, and two federally recognized Tribal Nations. The two Tribal Nations will receive revenue streams from the project through their ownership stakes in the project.

The Tribal Energy Financing Program supports Tribal investment in energy-related projects by providing loan guarantees to federally recognized Tribes, including Alaska Native villages or regional or village corporations, or a TEDO that is wholly or substantially owned by a federally recognized Indian Tribe or Alaska Native Corporation. The program was authorized in the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and first funded by Congress in 2017. The IRA, which was passed in 2022, increased the program’s available loan authority from $2 billion to $20 billion, and changes from both IRA and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 made permanent the ability for applicants to apply for direct loans from U.S. Treasury’s Federal Financing Bank through the program.

In addition to the commitment from the LPO, the project received a $31 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to deploy the BESS.

The Viejas Band is one of 12 bands of the Kumeyaay Indian Nation which resides on a 1,600-acre reservation in the Viejas Valley, near the town of Alpine in San Diego County. The Band is recognized as a sovereign government by the United States.

Indian Energy operates a multi-year development pipeline that consists of 4 GW of solar and wind projects, and 6 GWh of energy storage projects.

This article was amended to revise the amount of the loan commitment, per LPO.

247Solar announced that energy industry veteran Rob Udell has joined as the firm’s CFO to help bring its patented technologies to market, and to conclude an ongoing Series A funding round that generated significant new investment at the end of 2023. Udell is a well-versed financial and business executive with 20 years of experience as a CFO and 30 years of financial experience. He has led acquisitions, divestitures, and financings worth over $3 billion, working with both public and private entities.

iSun, Inc. announced the appointment of Robert J. Zulkoski as Chief Executive Officer. Jeff Peck will remain full-time with iSun in a strategic advisory and operational role to support the CEO.

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Longroad announced the financial close of the 220 MWdc solar and 214 MWac / 855 MWh Serrano solar-plus-storage project in Pinal and Pima Counties, Arizona. Construction is now underway, and is expected to be complete by mid-2025.

Serrano represents the continuation of a longstanding partnership between U.S.-based solar manufacturer First Solar and Longroad. Serrano is the fourth Arizona project using First Solar’s modules that Longroad has financed in four years, and Longroad’s first to use First Solar’s Series 7 panels that are made in the U.S. First Solar has a manufacturing facility in Ohio and recently expanded operations to Alabama and Louisiana.

“We are proud to support American manufacturing and the domestic solar supply chain as we expand our solar footprint in the robust Arizona market, which now surpasses 1.5 GW of operating or under construction projects,” said Paul Gaynor, CEO of Longroad Energy.”

The 214 MWac / 855 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) will be provided by U.S.-based energy storage platform provider Powin. The BESS will include SMA inverters and cells from AESC, which will be integrated into Powin’s Modular and Scalable Centipede Energy Storage Platform.

Nextracker is supplying trackers for the project and Sungrow is supplying the solar inverters.

Operations and maintenance (O&M) services for the project will be provided by NovaSource Power Services and Longroad’s affiliate Longroad Energy Services. Longterm O&M services for the BESS will be provided by Longroad, in conjunction with Powin and NovaSource Power Services.

Arizona Public Service (APS) will be the offtaker of electricity from the plant through a long-term power purchase agreement. The project will generate enough electricity to power roughly 61,000 Arizona homes.

“APS is widely regarded for providing top-quality, reliable service to our customers, and solar plus storage resources like the Serrano project bring value to Arizonans,” said Brian Cole, APS Vice President of Resource Management. “Our investment in cost-effective, renewable projects enhances our diverse energy mix, providing customers with power that is reliable, affordable and clean.”

Serrano is the fourth large-scale solar facility in Arizona being built by McCarthy for Longroad and is expected to employ over 300 people during the construction process. McCarthy is using registered apprentices and reports it will be paying prevailing wage to all workers on the project, in accordance with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Longroad estimates that the solar produced by Serrano represents over 330,000 metric tons of avoided CO2 emissions annually, or the equivalent of taking approximately 75,000 gas-powered cars off the road. Additionally the project is expected to contribute more than $25 million in revenue for Arizona schools and communities through its long-term Right of Way grant with the Arizona State Land Department and tax remittances.

Debt financing was led by CIBC and Societe Generale and included ANZ, PNC, Commerzbank AG, and U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance. CIBC acted as Coordinating Lead Arranger, Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Green Loan Coordinator. Societe Generale acted as Coordinating Lead Arranger. U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance served as Joint Lead Arranger and Depositary Bank. Athene Annuity and Life Insurance Company, an affiliate of Apollo Global Management, is the project’s tax equity investor and was advised by Apterra Infrastructure Capital.

“Our continued role in supporting Longroad in the build out of their development pipeline is one example of CIBC’s commitment to the U.S. renewable energy and energy transition space as we work towards enabling a more sustainable and inclusive economy,” said Peter O’Neill, head of U.S. project finance and infrastructure at CIBC.

Longroad Energy Holdings has developed or acquired 5.4 GW of renewable energy projects across the U.S. and raised over $14.5 billion of equity, debt, and tax equity to support completion of its portfolio. Serrano expands Longroad’s solar footprint in Arizona to more than 1.5 GW of operating or under construction projects.

Clean energy investment and green jobs: Since passage of the IRA, over $240 billion has been invested in clean energy manufacturing and infrastructure projects. This includes over $86 billion invested in nearly 300 new solar, wind and battery energy storage projects, according to a recent report from Intersolar North America and Energy Storage North America. In addition, over 170,000 direct jobs have been created since IRA and the Intersolar report forecasts as many as 1.5 million new jobs in clean energy can be expected by 2030.

Battery prices tumble: From July 2023 through summer 2024, battery cell pricing is expected to plummet by over 60% due to a surge in EV adoption and grid expansion in China and the U.S. Driven by these price declines, grid-tied energy storage deployment has seen robust growth over the past decade, a trend that is expected to continue into 2024. The U.S. is projected to nearly double its deployed battery capacity by adding more than 14 GW of hardware this year alone.

Another California misstep: California missed another opportunity when the California Public Utilities Commission asserting in its proposed decision on the Community Renewable Energy Act that the Net Value Billing Tariff outlined in the Act “conflicts with federal law and does not meet the requirements” of the bill. Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA, a national trade association and the bill’s sponsor, said the CPUC missed an opportunity to become a national leader in community solar.

IRS final guidance on elective pay for clean energy tax credits: The IRS issued its final guidance on the elective pay rules for clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act. The guidance removes any temporary regulations and enacts the final rules. The IRS provided updated elective payment frequently asked questions, which includes a step-by-step guide on how to become eligible for direct pay or credit transfers, and how to file these transactions.

New York bill would increase rooftop solar tax credit to $10,000:  Senate Bill S3596B aims to increase the maximum state income tax credit for those who install residential solar projects at their residence. Since 2006, New York’s Solar Tax Credit has been capped at $5,000 per household installing solar. The new bill would double that cap to $10,000, allowing customers to offset state income taxes with a credit. For eligible low- to moderate-income residents, the tax credit would also be available to be collected as a tax refund.

Massachusetts expands net metering: Bucking the national trend of squashing net energy metering, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts instead expanded access, showing a commitment to distributed energy. It used to have an exemption for small systems of 10 kW or less, but this cap is now lifted to 25 kW, and behind the meter systems over 60 kW, and up to 2 MW are now exempt from the cap. The Department of Public Utilities expects to save ratepayers $10 million with the regulatory change.

Solar now accounts for over 50% of new electricity capacity added to the U.S. grid  Looking back at the first full year since passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. Solar Market Insight, Year-in-Review 2023 shows that the legislation has skyrocketed the industry and will have a lasting economic impact in terms of energy, jobs and investment opportunity.

Battery heavyweights reaffirm commitment to solid-state technology Only weeks after Chinese battery and car manufacturers united as part of a government-led initiative to commercialize solid-state battery technology, South Korea’s Samsung SDI has confirmed its readiness to start mass production of its all-solid-state battery technology with an energy density of 900 Wh/L.

Battery prices collapsing, grid-tied energy storage expanding  From July 2023 through summer 2024, battery cell pricing is expected to plummet by over 60% (and potentially more) due to a surge in EV adoption and grid expansion in China and the U.S.

California community solar market lies in limbo The California Public Utilities Commission issued a proposed decision that the Net Value Billing Tariff conflicts with federal law, leaving to question the future of the potentially burgeoning community solar market.

IRS releases final rules for clean energy tax credit direct pay and transferability The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released its final guidelines for the direct pay and credit transfer market created by the Inflation Reduction Act.

People on the move: Mission Solar Energy, Navisun, Birch Creek Energy, and more Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.

People on the move: Mission Solar Energy, Navisun, Birch Creek Energy, and more  Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.

Solar panel manufacturer Mission Solar Energy announced Sam Martens as it next president.

Navisun announced Jason Spreyer as chief executive officer. Navisun LLC is a solar independent power producer (IPP) headquartered in Massachusetts.

The Natural Resources Defense Council has announced Yamide Dagnet as international senior vice president. Dagnet will lead the organization’s International Department with significant focus on global environment and climate treaties, and international finance.

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Grid operators in California and Texas earn “B” grades, others score poorly With two million megawatts of generation and storage projects awaiting interconnection studies across the U.S., a report gives grid operators grades for their interconnection processes ranging from B to D-.

Off-grid solar kit for EV pickup trucks Worksport announced a solar kit for pickup trucks that can be used a portable power source for leisure activities or as a temporary backup to recharge electronics or small appliances during power outages

MIT research provides roadmap to perovskite passivation In previous work, research teams developed methods for passivation, but there wasn’t clear understanding of how the process works. The new MIT study provides details on how to passivate the material’s surface so that the perovskite no longer degrades so rapidly or loses efficiency.

Calculating potential impact of EPA’s $7 billion Solar for All program  Solar for All can jumpstart the solar market and expand the benefits of solar far beyond the initial five years of the program. Clean Energy States Alliance notes that after the award decisions are announced, additional states will be evaluating strategies and more households will benefit from this funding over time.

Solar generated 5.5% of U.S. electricity in 2023, a 17.5% increase  Solar generation grew by 17.5% compared to 2022, albeit at a lower rate, adding just over 33 TWh of generation compared to the 40 TWh added in 2022.

Cadmium telluride solar cell based on indium gallium oxide emitter achieves 17.2% Developed by the University of Toledo, the cell achieved the highest efficiency ever reported for flexible cadmium telluride solar cells to date. The device reached an open-circuit voltage of 861 mV, a short-circuit density of 27.8 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 71.7%.

Shell to sell 25% of its U.S. solar assets, said Reuters Reuters reported that the oil major is continuing to draw back from renewable energy investment.

Sunnova announced the appointment of Paul Mathews to Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately.

Soltec has appointed Mariano Berges as the COO of the Soltec holding company. With over 20 years of experience, Berges has held various positions in renewable energy companies since 2005.

New Energy Equity, national developer and financier of community and commercial solar projects, welcomed Jackie Chambers to its leadership team as chief investment officer. Chambers will be responsible for shaping project finance strategy and the execution of monetizing and financing New Energy Equity’s pipeline of projects.

Boston-based solar and energy storage developer BlueWave announced that James Haley to the role of CFO and a as a member of their senior executive team. He will be leading BlueWave’s finance, treasury, and accounting operations and brings with him a background in financial leadership at both private and public companies in the manufacturing, biotechnology, and technology industries.

The board of trustees of the Puerto Rico Green Energy Trust appointed Nellie M. Gorbea Díaz as its first President and chief executive officer. The Puerto Rico Green Energy Trust is an independent, nonprofit organization created to foster and fund research, development and infrastructure projects that promote clean and renewable energy in Puerto Rico.

Jupiter Power LLC, a leading developer and operator of grid scale energy storage, appointed Jesse Campbell as its new chief financial officer (CFO). Jesse brings a wealth of experience in financial management and executive leadership, making him a valuable addition to Jupiter Power’s team.

Jobs provided by EnergeiaWorks:

• Rick Kilbourne started a new position as vice president, community solar project origination and development at SolarStone Partners, LLC
• Leo Fajardo started a new position as director of project development at 174 Power Global
• Robb Jetty started a new position as chief executive officer of REC Solar
• Spiros Corcokios started a a new position as vice president of business development at Prevalon

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $366 million for 17 projects across 20 states and 30 tribal nations and communities, to build resilience and energy security in rural and remote areas across the country.

This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is intended to support community-driven energy projects, such as microgrids for community health centers, which strengthen energy security and delivers economic opportunities in rural and remote regions.

Rural and remote communities face a unique set of energy challenges and often have higher electric bills, unreliable energy supplies and some have no access to electricity at all. For example, 21% of Navajo Nation homes and 35% of Hopi Indian Tribe homes remain unelectrified, according to a 2022 report by DOE’s Office of Indian Energy. Low-income residents consistently face an energy burden three times higher than other households, according to the DOE.

The projects are part of DOE’s Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) program, which is managed by the DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED).  The selected projects cover a range of clean energy technologies, from solar, battery storage systems and microgrids to hydropower, heat pumps, biomass, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Of the 17 funded projects, 12 are solar and 11 of those include energy storage. At least 12 projects will support tribal communities, such as the Navajo and Hopi Nations, who plan to install solar and battery energy storage systems to provide electricity for 300 homes. Another project expects its proposed tribal clean energy projects to save every Taos Pueblo household in its service area an estimated $700 per year by transitioning to clean energy.

Examples of projects selected for award negotiation include:

• The Solar + Storage Microgrids for Rural Community Health Centers Project: (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee): The CHARGE Partnership plans to build energy resilience in Community Health Centers to improve access to reliable health care in low-income, rural communities across eight states in the southeast. The clean, resilient energy systems developed through this project will benefit up to 175 health center sites, ensuring energy reliability and continuity of care during emergencies and power outages. DOE estimates that participating health centers could save up to $45 million in energy costs, avoid millions in losses due to closures, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and create a scalable, replicable model for remote health care providers, strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities.
• Resilience and Prosperity in Rural Northern Wisconsin (24 sites across Red Cliff Band Tribal Lands and Bayfield County, Wisconsin): This project seeks to increase regional energy reliability with the deployment of 23 microgrid systems. Wisconsin’s Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy (OSCE) will promote local workforce development. OSCE also aims to deploy solar power, battery storage, smart controls to enable islanding, and electric vehicle charging stations.
• Energizing Rural Hopi and Navajo with Solar Powered Battery-Based Systems (Navajo and Hopi communities in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah): This project plans to install 2.5 kW off-grid solar and battery storage systems to electrify 300 tribal homes, enhancing energy resilience and increasing electrification rates within the community. The project lead, Native Renewables Inc., is committed to an Indigenous-led workforce and has developed a program to increase the number of tribal solar-installation professionals. They will also host training and education for participating households on solar electric energy systems and best practices to ensure the longevity of battery storage systems. his electrification project will fulfill essential household power needs.

Learn more about the 17 projects selected for award negotiation here.

First Solar, Inc. commissioned an economic analysis of the vertically integrated solar manufacturer’s value chain in the United States. The company is unique in the U.S. solar manufacturing landscape because it offers vertically integrated solar manufacturing facilities capable of production across the entire supply chain.

The study, conducted by the Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, analyzed First Solar’s actual and forecast U.S. spending in 2023 and 2026 when the company expects to have 14 GW of annual nameplate capacity across Alabama, Louisiana and Ohio.

Manufacturing

First Solar produces thin film solar modules in a single process that allows the company to transform a sheet of glass into a fully functional solar panel in approximately four hours. At the end of 2023, First Solar had over 6 GW of operational manufacturing capacity in the U.S., and that figure will grow as new facilities become operational.

In addition to expanding its Ohio footprint to over 7 GW of annual nameplate capacity in 2024, the company expects to invest over $2 billion in new manufacturing facilities in Alabama and Louisiana, which are expected to come online in 2024 and 2026, respectively. First Solar is also investing up to $450 million in R&D infrastructure in Perrysburg, Ohio, expected to be operational in 2024.

Between 2016 and 2026, First Solar expects to have invested approximately $4 billion in manufacturing and research and development infrastructure in the U.S.

Jobs

The study found that in 2023 First Solar supported an estimated 16,245 direct, indirect, and induced jobs across the country, representing $1.59 billion in annual labor income.

“This report reflects the real value of solar technology made in America for America, with materials sourced from businesses across the country, and not simply assembled here using imported components,” said Mark Widmar, chief executive officer, First Solar. “We know that our investments, catalyzed by the Inflation Reduction Act, are enabling jobs and bringing prosperity to communities in places such as Lawrence County, Alabama, Iberia Parish, Louisiana, and Crawford County, Pennsylvania, and this report helps quantify the extent of our contribution to the US economy in real terms.”

As part of First Solar’s manufacturing expansion, the report said that the company supported a total of 16,245 direct, indirect, and induced jobs in 2023, or nearly $1.6 billion in labor income in the U.S. economy. Furthermore, its operations are support nearly $2.8 billion in value added and almost $5.3 billion in total output, when including indirect and induced economic effects., according to the report.

Looking toward the future, the report says that the company’s expansion will provide more than 30,000 jobs and nearly $2.8 billion in labor income. By 2026 it is expected that First Solar will support nearly $5 billion in value added and over $10 billion in output to the U.S. economy.

Overall, assuming that the company achieves its 14 GW of nameplate capacity in the U.S. in 2026, it is forecast to add an estimated $4.99 billion in value and $10.18 billion in output to the U.S. economy in 2026 alone. In two years, First Solar is expected to directly employ 4,100 people, and with 7.3 jobs supported for every First Solar job, the report concludes that this represents an estimated total labor income of $2.78 billion including direct, indirect, and induced effects.