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Good morning and happy Friday,
As southern and midwest states reel in the aftermath of deadly storms and flooding – with more bad weather on the way – the Administration cut funding and staff for the National Climate Assessment, the flagship report on how global warming is affecting the country.
The President also signed a slew of executive orders designed to revive America’s coal industry, potentially even forcing utilities to keep coal plants running regardless of the cost. It’s unclear how much these actions will reverse coal’s decline; ironically, a day after the orders were signed, Trina Solar signed a patent licensing agreement for perovskite-based PV products, which could mean it’s “game over for coal.”
And, several new studies were released. Resources for the Future says solar and wind will grow substantially to account for up to 74% of global generation by 2050; that’s good, because the National Electrical Manufacturers Association says U.S. electricity demand will increase 2% annually and 50% by 2050, much of that driven by e-mobility.
Meanwhile, Ember’s annual Global Electricity Review finds that more than 40% of the world’s electricity came from low-emission sources in 2024; renewables alone made up 32% of that. On a less positive note, Wood Mackenzie cut its 5-year U.S. Wind Energy Outlook by 40%.
Read on for more.
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Power Struggle
In a “sweeping executive order” this week, President Trump “declared war” on state climate policies, putting states with aggressive RPS programs, initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, or legislation that seeks to make polluters pay for the cost of climate impacts in the DOJ’s crosshairs. But is this order “toothless”? Here are some points to ponder:
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The order, Protecting American Energy From State Overreach, directs the Department of Justice to identify and stop enforcement of state and local laws “purporting to address ‘climate change’” “that are or may be unconstitutional, preempted by Federal law, or otherwise unenforceable.”
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The directive appears to target states with robust RPS programs, as well as policies that penalize atmospheric pollution, characterizing them as “fundamentally irreconcilable with my Administration’s objective to unleash American energy.”
- Critics leapt to point out the hypocrisy of the order vis a vis states’ rights, a belief that is apparently “falling out of the pantheon of Republican Party orthodoxy.” Governors Hochul (NY) and Grisham (NM) lead the U.S. Climate Alliance and issued a joint statement saying “The federal government cannot unilaterally strip states’ independent constitutional authority.”
⚡️ The Takeaway
No force of law. According to legal experts, the order “was essentially a news release with no legal authority” since the administration and the DOJ “lack legal grounds to overturn most state climate laws.” But that’s cold comfort for governors and states’ attorney generals who could be faced with drawn-out, costly court battles if the feds decide to intervene in their backyards. Yet another reason to double down on messaging about the economic benefits of made-in-America clean energy.
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High Voltage Politics
Michigan’s 2023 Clean Energy and Jobs Act was landmark clean energy legislation that sought to ensure communities remain involved in project siting decisions while putting the state on track to achieve 80% clean energy by 2035 and 100% by 2040. So far, two elements of the package – Public Acts 233 and 235 – have come under attack. Here’s a closer look:
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Public Act 233 gives developers facing local pushback the ability to directly petition the Public Service Commission. Local authorities have a say in what happens in their communities, but can be overruled if they enact overly restrictive ordinances that effectively ban clean energy.
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Last November, just weeks before PA 233 went into effect, 70 townships filed a lawsuit against it; in March, several organizations responded by filing briefs and amicus briefs in support of the legislation.
- Separately, House Bills 4027-28 seek to repeal parts of Public Act 235. House Bill 4027 removes the requirement that zoning ordinances be subject to the increased RPS, and House Bill 4028 amends the ability of the state to certify certain wind, solar, and energy facilities.
⚡️ The Takeaway
Overcoming opposition. As one observer commented, Michigan’s clean energy legislation ensures that the state “remains a top destination for investment and innovation in wind, solar, and battery storage projects while protecting landowner rights and infusing much-needed revenue into communities." Let’s hope economics and a desire for “energy dominance” prevail.
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Let’s Hear It for the Ladies
Soluna is a data center company with a unique mission – solving the issue of stranded renewable energy assets: when transmission constraints prevent some or all of the clean energy from wind, solar or hydro projects from being delivered to end users, the asset is “stranded,” and its power (or potential power) goes to waste.
Soluna’s solution is to co-locate data centers near renewable energy assets affected by transmission constraints, so that the clean energy that would otherwise go to waste is put to use for “productive computational work.” The company “bring(s) demand directly to the source, helping power plants increase revenue while contributing more megawatts to the grid.”
Last month, Soluna signed an offtake agreement with EDF Renewables and Masdar for the 166 MW Las Majadas wind project in Texas, and elsewhere in the state it plans to build Project Rosa, a data center with 187 MW of load, near a 240 MW wind farm.
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Notably, all of Soluna’s data centers are named after “women who have made significant contributions to science and technology” and have helped “catalyze major innovation”:
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Project Rosa is named after Rosalind Franklin, a chemist whose work was central to understanding the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, and viruses.
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Project Dorothy is named after Dorothy Vaughan, an African American mathematician and “human computer” who worked for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and NASA in 1939.
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Project Kati is named after Kati Kariko, a Hungarian scientist who was instrumental in the development of mRNA-based protein therapies that help form today’s modern mRNA vaccines.
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Project Sophie is named after Sophie Wilson, who helped invent and deploy ARM technology, unlocking the mobile and custom chip revolution.
We love it – let’s hear it for the ladies, and for finding ways to ensure no green electrons go to waste.
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Building American power requires a powerful team. |
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