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Final Rules Implement SEIA’s Solutions to Lower Fees and Streamline Renewable Energy Development on Public Lands

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published final rules to govern leasing and rental rates for renewable energy projects on public lands. The final rules closely follow recommendations from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) to streamline clean energy development on federal lands.

The new rules will:

  • Reduce rents and fees for renewable energy projects through 2035 and eliminate duplicative payments for renewable energy developers;
  • Extend lease terms for renewable projects to 50 years;
  • Remove competitive leasing requirements in priority development areas; and  
  • Make it easier to develop standalone energy storage projects on public lands.  

Following is a statement from Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of SEIA on BLM’s final rules: 

“Today the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) codified SEIA’s recommendations to make it faster, easier, and cheaper to build clean energy projects on public lands. We need to pull every lever we can to efficiently deploy clean energy, and our nation’s public lands remain an untapped resource. BLM’s new rules are a smart step forward and will help to reverse decades of preferential treatment for fossil fuel interests.

“We commend BLM for working alongside the solar and storage industry to deliver thoughtful rules that will help us strengthen the grid and deliver reliable clean energy to more consumers. We will continue to push for pragmatic solutions that will help us achieve our ambitious clean energy goals.”

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Solar Energy Industries Association Names Gizelle Wray as General Counsel

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) today announced the addition of Gizelle Wray to serve as vice president and general counsel. Wray previously served as SEIA’s senior director of regulatory affairs and counsel and has over a decade of experience in legal and regulatory roles across the energy sector.

“I’m thrilled to welcome such a sharp legal mind and fierce solar advocate like Gizelle Wray back to the SEIA team,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. “Gizelle brings the energy expertise and leadership qualities we need to tackle the challenges in our way to becoming the dominant source of electricity on the grid.”

Wray will oversee the organization’s legal and governance work as well as its consumer protection initiatives. As solar installations grow by the millions, Wray is leading SEIA’s work to ensure the industry operates with integrity and that every installation is safe, reliable, and meets customer expectations.

“I am honored to rejoin SEIA as we embark on the second half of the Solar+ Decade and continue to lead America’s energy transition,” said Wray. “The solar and storage industry is experiencing historic growth, but we must ensure this critical infrastructure is brought online in a safe, secure, reliable, and cost-effective manner that is accessible to all Americans. As SEIA’s first female general counsel and legal strategist, my top priority is to implement these principles to bring prosperity to our nation’s people and businesses while reaching our carbon reduction and climate goals.”

Prior to her return to SEIA, Wray led regulatory affairs activities for utility-scale solar and energy storage developer Savion, a Shell portfolio company, where she led federal and state legal and regulatory advocacy. Wray successfully oversaw and led Savion’s first fully constructed and operational solar plant in Madison County, Ohio. Prior to Savion, she led the international portfolio at the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners and served as Enforcement Counsel at the North America Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).

Learn more about SEIA’s vision for the Solar+ Decade and its commitment to protecting and empowers consumers.

CategoriesAlternative Energy
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America’s Solar and Storage Boom on Display in 2024 State of the Union

Following is a statement from Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), on President Biden’s State of the Union address: 

“Tonight, the president made clear that generating electricity from diversified energy sources is the only way we’ll be able to meet America’s increasing demand for electricity.

“Last year, more than half of the electricity added to the grid capacity came from solar, the first time in 80 years that a renewable energy source accounted for a majority of annual capacity additions.

“Nearly half of all solar capacity on the grid today has been installed in the last three years, generating over $120 billion of private investment and thousands of jobs across all 50 states.

“Pro-business, pro-growth clean energy laws passed under this administration have done more for domestic solar manufacturing than any program or policy in U.S. history. If we stay the course with these policies, solar deployment will quadruple, and America’s solar manufacturing workforce will grow to 100,000 jobs over the next decade. We have the laws in place we need to break free from our reliance on imports and build a strong, American-made energy future that helps us breathe cleaner air and lead healthier lives.

“The transition to clean energy is an opportunity to create jobs, build up the middle class, reverse decades of environmental injustice and build a more inclusive energy economy. The solar and storage industry will add over half a trillion dollars to the economy over the next decade, and we are focused on ensuring every American benefits from this economic boom.

“We have more work to do to fully realize a future powered by renewables. We support President Biden’s clean energy vision and look forward to continuing this work throughout 2024 and beyond.”

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Why You Don’t Need to Worry About Broken Solar Panels

Recent news of a severe hailstorm damaging a solar farm in Texas included headlines stating that broken panels could pose a threat to the environment. This is false. The truth is that solar panels are safe and a necessary power source as America works to meet ever increasing demand for electricity.

First, let’s tackle why solar panels are safe.

Solar panels are generally designed and tested to withstand hail that is roughly one inch in diameter. While the Fighting Jays solar farm was hit with even larger golf ball-sized hail, many modules survived the storm, which is significant considering they weren’t built to withstand hail of that size.

There are rumors swirling that the broken solar panels contain cadmium telluride. This is categorically false. The Fighting Jays solar farm was built using crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, which do not contain that material.

Silicon is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust. It is everywhere and is most commonly found in sand and quartz — yes, the same stones used in glassware, countertops, and toys. Silicon is a natural material that’s all around us and is not an environmental concern.

Additionally, even if the panels did contain harmful levels of toxic substances, “leakage” is not possible.

The panels at Fighting Jays solar farm are laminated between two sheets of sealed transparent plastic. This is the same kind of plastic as footwear and other consumer goods, and it serves as the first barrier between the cells and the outside world. The panels are also covered in tempered glass, fitted with another layer of plastic or glass on the back, and framed in aluminum.

Even if the glass breaks and is left untouched or unrecycled, it would take decades to extract any type of substance from the broken panels.

Fighting Jays can and should rebuild. In the meantime, all broken solar panels can be recycled. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has a vetted network of solar panel recyclers that can handle 10 million panels per year.

Going forward, the industry is working on mitigation strategies to withstand increasingly intense storms. This includes using thicker front glass in hail-prone areas, as well as using software to automatically rotate solar panels to reduce the angle of impact during hailstorms.

Solar panels are not immune from natural disasters. No energy technology is. Natural gas pump stations and coal piles can freeze, power plants can flood, and storms can force nuclear facilities to shut down for weeks at a time.

The benefit of solar is that we know when the sun is going to shine, and the growth of energy storage is helping grid operators keep things running smoothly if a project goes offline. The irony here is that as talking heads claim this hailstorm proves solar is somehow unreliable, the Fighting Jays solar farm is reportedly still producing power at partial capacity.

As we increasingly electrify our day to day lives and America’s demand for electricity grows, we need all power sources to help keep the lights on, including solar.

Let me be clear — if you live near a solar project, you are safe. Obviously, if you hit something hard enough it will break, but as storms continue to intensify, solar is a critical part of ensuring a secure, reliable energy economy.  

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200 Clean Energy Companies Urge Congress to Pass Siting, Permitting, and Transmission Reform Before 2024 Election

Today nearly 200 solar and storage companies sent a letter to congressional leaders calling for legislation to improve permitting, project siting, transmission, and public lands access for solar and solar plus storage projects.

Market forecasts show that a range of policy and economic outcomes will determine the volume of solar deployment over the next decade, including regulatory factors and the pace of transmission capacity buildout. Companies across the solar and storage value chain are calling on lawmakers to put forward permitting and siting reforms that can sustain the industry’s growth trajectory.

“There are hundreds of billions of investment dollars that depend on our ability to get clean energy projects sited, permitted and efficiently connected to a modern transmission system,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). “Lawmakers in both parties understand the importance of getting new energy infrastructure built quickly and efficiently. Now is the time for policy action to strengthen America’s energy industry and support local economies with jobs and private investments.”

The 200 companies recommend the following reforms:

  • Modernize Federal Energy Permitting: Streamline and standardize the permitting process at the federal level, while supporting environmental safeguards. 
  • Create Project Siting Partnerships at All Levels of Government: Encourage federal, state and local authorities to work together to identify and designate appropriate sites for clean energy development, including on underutilized and disturbed lands. 
  • Build Out Transmission Capacity: Invest in transmission planning, build out, and grid modernization efforts to maximize transmission capacity and unlock the full potential of solar energy, especially in remote regions with abundant solar resources. 
  • Enable Administration to Reach Public Lands Goals: Simplify the process for clean energy generation and transmission projects to access public land leases while maintaining environmental conservation standards. 
  • Foster Interagency Collaboration: Empower federal agencies with siting authority — like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Bureau of Land Management, and Department of Energy — to create a central clearinghouse for permit applications to ensure a streamlined approval process for critical transmission infrastructure. 

According to forecasts from Wood Mackenzie, the solar industry could reach 673 GW by 2034, but there is a 200 GW difference between the high- and low-case solar deployment forecasts.

If Congress fails to act on permitting and siting reform, communities could lose out on billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs.

“Permitting reform at the federal level and significant transmission system investment are essential to our national energy security,” said Amanda Smith, vice president for external affairs for AES’ U.S. renewables business. “AES has more than 50 gigawatts of clean energy projects in our U.S. development pipeline. Many of these projects are ready to move forward and will generate critical economic investment and create jobs in local communities across the country, but they require swift permitting action and transmission infrastructure upgrades to ensure we can advance a clean, reliable energy future.”

“Our current laws are not set to enable our nation to build generation and transmission at the scale needed to support our economic growth,” said Virinder Singh, vice president of regulatory and legislative affairs for EDF Renewables. “For example, the Western U.S. needs more solar on federal lands to meet its reliability needs. We can do it, and while heeding environmental and community priorities. But we need federal leadership to match the moment.”

“A lack of transmission capacity is the biggest barrier to the continued growth of the renewable industry,” said David Mindham, director of regulatory affairs for EDP Renewables North America. “The proposed reforms will remove these barriers, creating thousands of new American manufacturing jobs and supporting local economies.”

“Pine Gate calls upon Congress to improve energy infrastructure permitting as we prepare to invest billions of dollars to advance positive economic growth and support local communities across the country,” said Maggie Sasser, vice president of government and external affairs for Pine Gate Renewables. 

Read the letter and the list of companies urging Congress to act on siting and permitting reform.

CategoriesAlternative Energy Solar
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Clean Energy Industry Groups Issue Statement on New AD/CVD Petitions

Today, petitions were filed with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission requesting imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules imported from Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand.

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), American Clean Power Association (ACP), Advanced Energy United (United), and American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) issued the following statement on the petitions: 

“Today’s filing creates market uncertainty in the U.S. solar industry and poses a potential threat to the build-out of a domestic solar supply chain.

“America’s energy security relies upon building a strong domestic solar supply chain, which our members strongly support, and the Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit and incentives are working to drive historic investments in U.S. solar manufacturing that are building domestic capacity for a U.S. solar supply chain.

“We are deeply concerned the AD/CVD petitions will lead to further market volatility across the U.S. solar and storage industry and create uncertainty at a time when we need effective solutions that support U.S. solar manufacturers. We need constructive actions, like the Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit and other policies, to expand domestic solar manufacturing and deploy clean energy at scale and speed to serve growing electricity demand.

“America’s clean energy industry is urging the Biden administration to consider alternative solutions to address the petitioners’ concerns so that we can uplift American manufacturers and maintain a thriving clean energy economy across the value chain.”

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Solar and Storage Industry Statement on Potential Trade Actions

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following is a statement from Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): 

“This is Washington’s worst kept secret. SEIA has been leading the effort to develop smart trade solutions that support American solar manufacturers in the near-term.

“American solar manufacturers have been rightly sounding the alarm bell about deteriorating market conditions for months now and the need to take corrective actions.

“While we won’t take a formal position on any filings until we work through the details of the petition and its impact on the industry, we need to support American solar manufacturers before it’s too late.

“We firmly believe that we need to build out domestic solar manufacturing capacity and reduce our reliance on global imports.”

CategoriesAlternative Energy
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Department of Energy Makes Moves to Lead Reviews for Transmission Infrastructure Projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the U.S. Department of Energy issued a new rule that would simplify and speed up the permitting review process for certain federal transmission projects. The rules would establish the U.S. Department of Energy as the lead agency for approving these projects and create a two-year deadline for project approvals.

In October 2023, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) urged the U.S. Department of Energy to create a centralized process for approving transmission infrastructure, and these new rules follow the trade association’s guidance.

Following is a statement from Ben Norris, vice president of regulatory affairs at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): 

“Under our current regulatory system, it could take more than a decade to get new transmission lines approved and built. Time is a luxury we simply don’t have. Coupled with updating grid infrastructure and resolving the growing interconnection queue, streamlining transmission approvals is an urgent, near-term priority for the U.S. solar and storage industry.

“These new rules will streamline a process that normally includes over a dozen agencies. In addition, the rules would implement a two-year deadline for approving projects, creating much needed accountability for all parties involved. These fixes will ultimately help us build out and modernize our transmission capacity, leading to greater grid reliability, lower electricity costs for all ratepayers, and new economic opportunities in communities across the country.

“SEIA and its partners have been calling for federal agencies to create smart solutions that improve the approval process for building out new transmission projects. We commend the Energy Dept. for listening to industry and putting forward thoughtful reforms that help us meet our clean energy goals.”

CategoriesSolar
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Solar and Storage Industry Commends Treasury Dept. for Finalizing Tax Credit Transferability Rule

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued new guidance on Section 6418 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that allows clean energy tax credits to be monetized by directly transferring the credit to a taxpaying entity.

Following is a statement from Ben Norris, vice president of regulatory affairs at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA):

“Expanded clean energy tax credits are supercharging America’s energy economy. The solar and storage industry appreciates Treasury’s efforts to quickly finalize complex rules around tax credit transferability, helping to provide the flexibility many clean energy companies need to move forward with billions of dollars in investments.

“These rules allow solar, storage, and manufacturing companies of all sizes to efficiently monetize various tax credits without the need for large, complex, and costly tax equity structures. The rules will strengthen existing transfer markets and add much needed liquidity for clean energy businesses as they navigate high interest rates and other economic headwinds.

“With the transferability provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) fully implemented, we continue to call on the Biden administration to revise proposed Basel III rules on tax equity capitalization requirements. The U.S. solar and storage industry is expected to add over half a trillion dollars to the U.S. economy over the next decade, and the proposal as written threatens to blunt the impact of the IRA’s transferability provisions.”