Latest news with #SolarEnergyIndustriesAssociation
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Homeowner stunned after receiving first 'surprise' electric bill since installing solar panels: 'Is this normal?'
Solar panels are a big, on-trend deal in the energy world. According to a 2024 statistic shared by the Solar Energy Industries Association, the United States produces approximately 248 gigawatts of solar energy annually, enough to power around 41 million households. This is largely because implementing solar energy sources in a home is a clean and green way to protect our planet while saving consumers loads of cash on energy bills. One Reddit user, for example, was shocked by their low first electric bill since installing solar panels. They shared their experience on the r/Solar subreddit. The scoop "Surprise," they titled their post, "first electric bill after a full month of service." The poster shared a screengrab of their bill, which showed impressive natural energy overproduction. The consumer, whose home has an area of 2,600 square feet, used 425 kilowatt-hours of energy and put 800 kWh back into the grid. They were credited with around 400 kWh for use on less sunny days. Their usage charge was only $15.53. This high energy production and low bill are reasons enough to go solar, and those looking to make the switch could use resources like EnergySage, which offers consumers tools for solar installation and quote comparison. "I'm not complaining but is this normal?" the Reddit poster mused. Commenters informed the poster that this can be pretty typical, although cloudy or snowy months may show a higher bill. How it's helping Consumers can save up to $1,500 a year by going solar. Solar panels can potentially lower energy bills to $0, but government incentives are in place that can save consumers money on solar installations. What would it take for you to get rid of your gas stove? I'd pay for it myself Give me the new stove for free I'd need at least $2K I already have an electric stove Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Those considering going solar should act sooner rather than later, as the currently implemented 30% Investment Tax Credit is now scheduled to end after 2025, and projects must be fully installed, which can take about 12 weeks. One resource that is not going anywhere, however, is EnergySage. The company's free quote comparison service has reportedly saved consumers up to $10,000 on solar installations. While solar-using consumers save money, they also lower their carbon footprints and indirectly impact the environment by reducing the production of greenhouse gases in their households, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. What everyone's saying Many commenters were happy for the poster and related to them about their energy output with solar panels. "Good work," one commenter said, "the longer days are paying off. For me, Jan solar was 42kWh over grid used, and Feb was 340kWh solar over grid." Another said: "This is amazing—glad it's working so well for you!" Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Homeowner stunned after receiving first 'surprise' electric bill since installing solar panels: 'Is this normal?'
Solar panels are a big, on-trend deal in the energy world. According to a 2024 statistic shared by the Solar Energy Industries Association, the United States produces approximately 248 gigawatts of solar energy annually, enough to power around 41 million households. This is largely because implementing solar energy sources in a home is a clean and green way to protect our planet while saving consumers loads of cash on energy bills. One Reddit user, for example, was shocked by their low first electric bill since installing solar panels. They shared their experience on the r/Solar subreddit. The scoop "Surprise," they titled their post, "first electric bill after a full month of service." The poster shared a screengrab of their bill, which showed impressive natural energy overproduction. The consumer, whose home has an area of 2,600 square feet, used 425 kilowatt-hours of energy and put 800 kWh back into the grid. They were credited with around 400 kWh for use on less sunny days. Their usage charge was only $15.53. This high energy production and low bill are reasons enough to go solar, and those looking to make the switch could use resources like EnergySage, which offers consumers tools for solar installation and quote comparison. "I'm not complaining but is this normal?" the Reddit poster mused. Commenters informed the poster that this can be pretty typical, although cloudy or snowy months may show a higher bill. How it's helping Consumers can save up to $1,500 a year by going solar. Solar panels can potentially lower energy bills to $0, but government incentives are in place that can save consumers money on solar installations. What would it take for you to get rid of your gas stove? I'd pay for it myself Give me the new stove for free I'd need at least $2K I already have an electric stove Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Those considering going solar should act sooner rather than later, as the currently implemented 30% Investment Tax Credit is now scheduled to end after 2025, and projects must be fully installed, which can take about 12 weeks. One resource that is not going anywhere, however, is EnergySage. The company's free quote comparison service has reportedly saved consumers up to $10,000 on solar installations. While solar-using consumers save money, they also lower their carbon footprints and indirectly impact the environment by reducing the production of greenhouse gases in their households, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. What everyone's saying Many commenters were happy for the poster and related to them about their energy output with solar panels. "Good work," one commenter said, "the longer days are paying off. For me, Jan solar was 42kWh over grid used, and Feb was 340kWh solar over grid." Another said: "This is amazing—glad it's working so well for you!" Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Washington Post
17-07-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Interior Secretary Burgum must personally approve all wind and solar projects, a new order says
WASHINGTON — All solar and wind energy projects on federal lands and waters must be personally approved by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum under a new order that authorizes him to conduct 'elevated review' of activities ranging from leases to rights of way, construction and operational plans, grants and biological opinions. The enhanced oversight on clean-energy projects is aimed at 'ending preferential treatment for unreliable, subsidy-dependent wind and solar energy,' the Interior Department said in a statement Thursday. The order 'will ensure all evaluations are thorough and deliberative' on potential projects on millions of acres of federal lands and offshore areas, the department said. Clean-energy advocates said the action could hamstring projects that need to be underway quickly to qualify for federal tax credits that are set to expire under the tax-cut and spending bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4. The law phases out credits for wind, solar and other renewable energy while enhancing federal support for fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. 'At a time when energy demand is skyrocketing, adding more layers of bureaucracy and red tape for energy projects at the Interior Department is exactly the wrong approach,'' said Stephanie Bosh, senior vice president of the Solar Energy Industries Association. 'There's no question this directive is going to make it harder to maintain our global (artificial intelligence) leadership and achieve energy independence here at home.'' In the legislation, Trump and GOP lawmakers moved to dismantle the 2022 climate law passed by Democrats under President Joe Biden. And on July 7, Trump signed an executive order that further restricts subsidies for what he called 'expensive and unreliable energy policies from the Green New Scam.' That order was part of a deal the Republican president made with conservative House Republicans who were unhappy that the tax-cut bill did not immediately end all subsidies for clean energy. A group of Republican senators, including Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Utah Sen. John Curtis, had pushed to delay phaseout of some of the credits to allow currently planned projects to continue. Trump has long expressed disdain for wind power , describing it at a Cabinet meeting last week as an expensive form of energy that 'smart' countries do not use. Even with the changes approved by the Senate, the new law will likely crush growth in the wind and solar industry and lead to a spike in Americans' utility bills, Democrats and environmental groups say. The law jeopardizes hundreds of renewable energy projects intended to boost the nation's electric grid as demand is set to rise amid sharp growth from data centers, artificial intelligence and other uses, they said. 'This isn't oversight. It's obstruction that will needlessly harm the fastest growing sources of electric power,'' said Jason Grumet, CEO of the American Clean Power Association, an industry group. He called the move 'particularly confounding' as lawmakers in both parties seek to streamline permitting for all sources of American energy. The Interior Department said Thursday that Burgum's order will 'level the playing field for dispatchable, cost-effective and secure energy sources,' such as coal and natural gas 'after years of assault under the previous administration.″ 'American energy dominance is driven by U.S.-based production of reliable baseload energy, not regulatory favoritism towards unreliable energy projects that are solely dependent on taxpayer subsidies and foreign-sourced equipment,' said Adam Suess, the acting assistant secretary for lands and minerals management. While Democrats complain the tax law will make it harder to get renewable energy to the electric grid, Republicans say it supports production of traditional energy sources such as oil, gas and coal, as well as nuclear power, increasing reliability. In the Senate compromise, wind and solar projects that begin construction within a year of the law's enactment are allowed to get a full tax credit without a deadline for when the projects are 'placed in service,″ or plugged into the grid. Wind and solar projects that begin later must be placed in service by the end of 2027 to get a credit. The law retains incentives for technologies such as advanced nuclear, geothermal and hydropower through 2032. About 10% of new solar power capacity under development is on federal lands, said Sylvia Leyva Martínez, a principal analyst at the Wood Mackenzie research firm. Those projects could be delayed or canceled if Burgum does not issue permits for them, she said. Related projects such as transmission lines could be affected, too, she said. While only about 1% of the combined capacity of pending wind projects are on federal lands, delays could affect nearby infrastructure that supports renewable projects, said Wood Mackenzie analyst Diego Espinosa. ____ Associated Press writer Matthew Brown in Billings, Montana, contributed to this report.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Interior Secretary Burgum must personally approve all wind and solar projects, a new order says
All solar and wind energy projects on federal lands and waters must be personally approved by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum under a new order that authorizes him to conduct 'elevated review' of activities ranging from leases to rights of way, construction and operational plans, grants and biological opinions. The enhanced oversight on clean-energy projects is aimed at 'ending preferential treatment for unreliable, subsidy-dependent wind and solar energy," the Interior Department said in a statement Thursday. The order "will ensure all evaluations are thorough and deliberative" on potential projects on millions of acres of federal lands and offshore areas, the department said. Clean-energy advocates said the action could hamstring projects that need to be underway quickly to qualify for federal tax credits that are set to expire under the tax-cut and spending bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4. The law phases out credits for wind, solar and other renewable energy while enhancing federal support for fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. 'At a time when energy demand is skyrocketing, adding more layers of bureaucracy and red tape for energy projects at the Interior Department is exactly the wrong approach,'' said Stephanie Bosh, senior vice president of the Solar Energy Industries Association. 'There's no question this directive is going to make it harder to maintain our global (artificial intelligence) leadership and achieve energy independence here at home.'' In the legislation, Trump and GOP lawmakers moved to dismantle the 2022 climate law passed by Democrats under President Joe Biden. And on July 7, Trump signed an executive order that further restricts subsidies what for he called 'expensive and unreliable energy policies from the Green New Scam.' That order was part of a deal the Republican president made with conservative House Republicans who were unhappy that the tax-cut bill did not immediately end all subsidies for clean energy. A group of Republican senators, including Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Utah Sen. John Curtis, had pushed to delay phaseout of some of the credits to allow currently planned projects to continue. Trump has long expressed disdain for wind power, describing it at a Cabinet meeting last week as an expensive form of energy that 'smart' countries do not use. Even with the changes approved by the Senate, the new law will likely crush growth in the wind and solar industry and lead to a spike in Americans' utility bills, Democrats and environmental groups say. The law jeopardizes hundreds of renewable energy projects intended to boost the nation's electric grid as demand is set to rise amid sharp growth from data centers, artificial intelligence and other uses, they said. "This isn't oversight. It's obstruction that will needlessly harm the fastest growing sources of electric power,'' said Jason Grumet, CEO of the American Clean Power Association, an industry group. He called the move 'particularly confounding' as lawmakers in both parties seek to streamline permitting for all sources of American energy. 'Level the playing field' The Interior Department said Thursday that Burgum's order will 'level the playing field for dispatchable, cost-effective and secure energy sources,' such as coal and natural gas 'after years of assault under the previous administration.″ 'American energy dominance is driven by U.S.-based production of reliable baseload energy, not regulatory favoritism towards unreliable energy projects that are solely dependent on taxpayer subsidies and foreign-sourced equipment,' said Adam Suess, the acting assistant secretary for lands and minerals management. While Democrats complain the tax law will make it harder to get renewable energy to the electric grid, Republicans say it supports production of traditional energy sources such as oil, gas and coal, as well as nuclear power, increasing reliability. In the Senate compromise, wind and solar projects that begin construction within a year of the law's enactment are allowed to get a full tax credit without a deadline for when the projects are 'placed in service,″ or plugged into the grid. Wind and solar projects that begin later must be placed in service by the end of 2027 to get a credit. The law retains incentives for technologies such as advanced nuclear, geothermal and hydropower through 2032. About 10% of new solar power capacity under development is on federal lands, said Sylvia Leyva Martínez, a principal analyst at the Wood Mackenzie research firm. Those projects could be delayed or canceled if Burgum does not issue permits for them, she said. Related projects such as transmission lines could be affected, too, she said. While only about 1% of the combined capacity of pending wind projects are on federal lands, delays could affect nearby infrastructure that supports renewable projects, said Wood Mackenzie analyst Diego Espinosa. ____
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump administration order requires interior secretary to sign off on all wind and solar projects
WASHINGTON (AP) — All solar and wind energy projects on federal lands and waters must be personally approved by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum under a new order that authorizes him to conduct 'elevated review' of activities ranging from leases to rights-of-way, construction and operational plans, grants and biological opinions. The enhanced oversight on clean-energy projects is aimed at 'ending preferential treatment for unreliable, subsidy-dependent wind and solar energy," the Interior Department said in a statement Thursday. The order "will ensure all evaluations are thorough and deliberative" on potential projects on millions of acres of federal lands and offshore areas, the department said. Clean-energy advocates said the action could hamstring projects that need to be underway quickly to qualify for federal tax credits that are set to expire under the tax-cut and spending bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4. The law phases out credits for wind, solar and other renewable energy while enhancing federal support for fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. 'At a time when energy demand is skyrocketing, adding more layers of bureaucracy and red tape for energy projects at the Interior Department is exactly the wrong approach,'' said Stephanie Bosh, senior vice president of the Solar Energy Industries Association. 'There's no question this directive is going to make it harder to maintain our global (artificial intelligence) leadership and achieve energy independence here at home.'' In the legislation, Trump and GOP lawmakers moved to dismantle the 2022 climate law passed by Democrats under President Joe Biden. And on July 7, Trump signed an executive order that further restricts subsidies what for he called 'expensive and unreliable energy policies from the Green New Scam.' That order was part of a deal the Republican president made with conservative House Republicans who were unhappy that the tax-cut bill did not immediately end all subsidies for clean energy. A group of Republican senators, including Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Utah Sen. John Curtis, had pushed to delay phaseout of some of the credits to allow currently planned projects to continue. Trump has long expressed disdain for wind power, describing it at a Cabinet meeting last week as an expensive form of energy that 'smart' countries do not use. Even with the changes approved by the Senate, the new law will likely crush growth in the wind and solar industry and lead to a spike in Americans' utility bills, Democrats and environmental groups say. They say it jeopardizes hundreds of renewable energy projects intended to boost the nation's electric grid as demand is set to rise amid sharp growth from data centers, artificial intelligence and other uses. 'Level the playing field' The Interior Department said Thursday that Burgum's order will 'level the playing field for dispatchable, cost-effective and secure energy sources,' such as coal and natural gas 'after years of assault under the previous administration.″ 'American energy dominance is driven by U.S.-based production of reliable baseload energy, not regulatory favoritism towards unreliable energy projects that are solely dependent on taxpayer subsidies and foreign-sourced equipment,' said Adam Suess, the acting assistant secretary for lands and minerals management. While Democrats complain the tax law will make it harder to get renewable energy to the electric grid, Republicans say it supports production of traditional energy sources such as oil, gas and coal, as well as nuclear power, increasing reliability. In the Senate compromise, wind and solar projects that begin construction within a year of the law's enactment are allowed to get a full tax credit without a deadline for when the projects are 'placed in service,″ or plugged into the grid. Wind and solar projects that begin later must be placed in service by the end of 2027 to get a credit. The law retains incentives for technologies such as advanced nuclear, geothermal and hydropower through 2032. Matthew Daly, The Associated Press
