Illinois is switching to a new solar net billing structure on January 1, 2025.<\/p><\/div>\n
Commerce to tariff solar imports from Southeast Asia, some by as much as 300%<\/strong> After an affirmative determination from the U.S. International Trade Commission in June that the U.S. solar panel manufacturing industry is being materially injured by imports of silicon solar cells and panels from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, Commerce announced its preliminary tariff amounts<\/a>. They range from less than 1% to nearly 300% and are expected to increase further in the final determination.<\/p>\n Treasury updates proposed rules for IRA low-income bonus credit<\/strong> The Dept. of the Treasury released updated rules for the IRA’s low-income solar bonus credit, including additional selection criteria<\/a> to ensure at least 50% of allocations in each category support projects owned by tax-exempt entities. A recent Treasury report found the bonus credit kick-started 800 solar projects on affordable housing developments<\/a> in 2023.<\/p>\n Senate bill would expand low-income access to community solar U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n of New Mexico introduced the Community Solar Consumer Choice Act<\/a> to make community solar more accessible to low-income residents. The bill would expand existing grant, loan and financing programs to include community solar programs and require each electric utility to offer a community solar program that provides all ratepayers with equitable access.<\/p>\n Colorado revives automated solar permitting grant program The Colorado Energy Office announced it will reopen its Automated Permit Processing for Solar (APPS) grant program<\/a> and award $1 million in funding, with Alamosa County and Boulder County receiving the initial round of grants. Depending on the population of the applicant\u2019s jurisdiction, they can apply for maximum awards between $40,000 and $100,000.<\/p>\n Illinois moving to \u201cSmart Solar Billing\u201d in 2025 Smart Solar Billing is set to begin in Illinois on January 1, 2025,<\/a> and the solar industry has launched a new website for consumers and companies to learn about the new billing system. Energy credits from surplus power will now be applied to the supply portion of a customer\u2019s energy bill rather than the entire bill, as is currently the case under full retail net metering.<\/p>\n Illinois democrats introduce bill to set new 8.5-GW energy storage goal<\/strong> On the three-year anniversary of Illinois’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, democrat state representatives introduced a bill<\/a> to set a goal of 8.5 GW of energy storage. A recent study found that to meet CEJA\u2019s goals, Illinois must build at least that much energy storage to avoid an energy capacity shortfall beginning in the 2030s.<\/p>\n California storage installation licensing rule put on hold as trial continues A California court ruled in favor of a solar + storage coalition to pause the Contractors State License Board’s new rule<\/a> requiring contractors to have C-10 Electrical Contractor licenses to work on certain energy storage systems. The new requirement was slated to go into effect on October 1 but will now be paused as the trial to determine if it goes against state law continues.<\/p>\n Gov. Newsom vetoes bill that would have reversed CPUC\u2019s multi-meter solar rules<\/strong>
\nWashington, D.C.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nWashington, D.C.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Washington, D.C.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Denver, Colorado<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Springfield, Illinois<\/em><\/p>\n
\nSpringfield, Illinois<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Sacramento, California<\/em><\/p>\n
\nSacramento, California<\/em><\/p>\n