This Week in Climate & Clean Energy Wins: Week of 9/25/23

This week, companies made ground on some of the largest solar and wind projects in the country to date. Pending a loan from the Department of Energy, Maxeon Solar Technologies will build one of the biggest solar panel factories in the U.S. by 2025 in New Mexico – set to produce 3 gigawatts’ worth of solar panels in just one year. Xcel Energy announced plans for a solar expansion in Minnesota that will allow for an astounding 710 MW of solar generation by 2025, replacing the Sherco coal plant nearby. Dominion Energy received the green light to begin construction on the largest offshore wind project currently under development in the U.S., off the coast of Virginia. The project will produce enough carbon-free electricity for 660,000 Virginia homes and generate expected fuel savings of more than $3 billion for customers during the project’s first 10 years of operation.

In the past two years, solar power capacity has increased by nearly 50%, and electric vehicle sales have increased by 240% – restoring hope for climate and clean energy goals. U.S. grid-scale energy storage installations added 5,597 MWh in Q2 this year, hitting a new quarterly record and putting the market on target for a record year. In North America, home energy bills are projected to be cut in half by 2050, thanks to a $12 trillion infusion in the clean energy sector spurred by President Biden’s clean energy plan. U.S. offshore wind energy project development reached a potential generating capacity of 52,687 MW in May, with an additional 5,039 MW on the way.

The Department of the Interior (DOI) announced that the Biden Administration is on track to complete an ambitious offshore wind leasing schedule on time next year – with four of seven lease sales finalized and the remaining three set for 2024. President Biden has committed to installing 30 gigawatts (GW) by the end of this decade. The Department of Energy announced up to $325 million in funding for 15 projects to accelerate the development of long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies.

Lastly, Governor Gretchen Whitmer launched MI Healthy Climate Corps last Friday, Michigan’s version of President Biden’s new American Climate Corps. In Alabama, Solar trackers and racking solutions manufacturer OMCO Solar is investing $10 million in a new factory. In Colorado, a long-duration energy storage project in Pueblo and two research projects at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are receiving  $44 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In Kentucky, Ascent Elements and TES are building a new $65 million electric vehicle (EV) recycling facility that will create 60 jobs in the state. 

Private Sector

• Maxeon Solar Technologies will build one of the biggest solar panel factories in the U.S. by 2025, pending a loan from the Department of Energy. [Canary Media, 9/26/2023]
  • The company has selected Albuquerque, New Mexico for the new factory that will produce 3 gigawatts’ worth of solar panels in a year. 
• Xcel Energy laid plans for a solar expansion in Becker, Minnesota, set to become one of the biggest solar projects in the country. [Solar Power World Online, 9/21/2023]
  • The expansion will allow for 710 MW of solar generation by 2025 and will help the company triple the amount of solar on its Upper Midwest system by 2028.
• Southern Power acquired a 200MW solar project in Texas. [PV Tech, 9/22/2023] 
  • The project, on track to be complete by 2025, has the potential to upgrade power capacity to 500MW. 
• Dominion Energy received the regulatory green light to begin construction on their offshore commercial wind project off the coast of Virginia. [PR Newswire, 9/25/2023]
  • As the largest offshore wind project under development in the U.S., CVOW will produce enough carbon-free electricity for 660,000 Virginia homes and generate expected fuel savings of more than $3 billion for customers during the project’s first 10 years of operation.

New Reports

• Solar power capacity increased by nearly 50% in the last two years, and electric vehicle (EV) sales increased by 240%, restoring hope for climate goals. [Associated Press, 9/26/2023]
  • Solar and EV market growth aligns with achieving emissions reduction targets that will help cap warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
• U.S. grid-scale energy storage installations hit a new quarterly record, putting the market on target for a record year. [Reuters, 9/25/2023]
  • Across all segments of the industry, the U.S. energy storage market added 5,597 MW hours in Q2 this year.
  • Grid-scale energy storage is essential in helping regulate energy supply in a grid increasingly reliant on intermittent wind and solar power. 
• Home energy bills in North America are projected to halve by 2050 in the U.S. and Canada with a $12 trillion infusion into the clean energy sector. [Recharge, 9/25/2023]
• U.S. offshore wind energy project development and operational pipeline reached a potential generating capacity of 52,687 MW at the end of May 2023. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 9/25/2023]
  • There is an additional 5,039 MW of potential capacity in the planning stage.

Biden Administration

• The Biden Administration is on track to complete its ambitious offshore wind leasing schedule on time next year. [Reuters, 9/25/2023]
  • President Biden has committed to installing 30 GW by 2030, including offering lease sales in seven U.S. regions before 2025 – four of which have already occurred, with the remaining three scheduled for 2024.

• DOE announced up to $325 million in funding for 15 projects across 17 states and one tribal nation to accelerate the development of LDES technologies. [DOE, 9/22/2023]
  • The projects will increase community control of local power systems, mitigate risks associated with grid disruptions, and help communities develop reliable and affordable energy systems. 

State-Level  

• Governor Gretchen Whitmer launched MI Healthy Climate Corps last week, Michigan’s version of President Biden’s new American Climate Corps.  [Cap Con, 9/22/2023]
  • It will start with 30 members, who will provide critical support to communities fighting climate change in Michigan. 
• Solar trackers and racking solutions manufacturer OMCO Solar is investing $10 million in a new factory in Alabama. [Renewables Now, 9/22/2023]
• Colorado received $44 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to support a long-duration energy storage project in Pueblo and two research projects at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. [Office of Senator Michael Bennet, 9/25/2023]
  • This funding was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is part of a $325 investment in long duration energy storage projects in 15 states.
• Ascent Elements is partnering with TES on a new $65 million EV battery recycling facility to create 60 jobs in Kentucky. [Associated Press, 9/26/2023]
  • Construction will begin in November 2024 and be completed in January 2025.