“[The Build Public Renewables Act is] a historic win for the climate and for clean jobs,” said Lee Ziesche, organizer with Public Power New York, a coalition that has been fighting to pass the legislation for the past four years. “It’ll create a model of public power for the whole country, and it’s really showing that our energy should be a public good.”
CLEAN ENERGY
Must Be Equitable
The EV transition must be unionized. The EV battery startup Sparkz signed a deal with the United Auto Workers union agreeing not to hinder any unionization efforts at its new facility, the latest win around ensuring the growing battery supply chain employs organized labor. The Detroit Free Press reports this is the second union agreement Sparkz has made, following a deal last year to recruit and retrain dislocated miners with the United Mine Workers at its West Virginia plant. But organized labor faces an uphill battle: Reuters writes UAW President Shawn Fain recently joined Senator Bernie Sanders to blast a GM battery plant in Ohio for paying its workers (who voted to join the union but have not finalized a contract agreement yet) less than those at its assembly plant. (Detroit Free Press, Reuters)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is Affordable
Want tax credits? Lease your EV. New federal tax credit guidance means that just 12 EV models qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act’s full $7,500 incentive when purchased outright. However, leasing an EV, no matter what model, will let customers benefit from the full tax credit because these vehicles are categorized differently. Analysts say vehicle leasing rates may triple, becoming the dominant way for American drivers to make the switch to clean cars and trucks. (Bloomberg $)
CLEAN ENERGY
Has Many Benefits
EVs create new opportunities for electricians. As Minnesota’s fleet of electric cars and trucks grows, electricians are a hot job market as EV owners seek out residential electrical upgrades to charge their cars at home. The local branch of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers has trained and certified more than 400 electricians over the last two years alone to install EV chargers along state and federal highways, but demand for residential charger installations is growing quickly. For the handful of electricians and companies specializing in residential charger installations, it’s been a huge business opportunity. (Energy News Network)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is Replacing Fossil Fuels
New York takes a big step toward a clean energy grid. This week New York state passed new legislation set to significantly boost renewable energy production — and do it with union labor. The bill requires the state’s public power provider to generate all its electricity from clean power sources by 2030 and empowers its public energy agency, the New York Power Authority (NYPA), to build and own renewable energy while phasing out its fossil fuel plants. The bill will also require NYPA to offer its low- and moderate-income customers discounted energy bills while delivering fully renewable energy to municipally owned properties by 2035. (The Guardian)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is A Good Investment
Climate investments are a smart business move. In a recent panel hosted by TIME, investors and executives at major companies made the case that investing in clean energy technologies is a powerful way for companies to shore up finances amid a looming recession. They explain that energy efficiency upgrades — including shifting fleets to EVs — can help drive down energy costs for companies, and investing directly in clean energy can reduce businesses’ vulnerability to volatile fossil fuel prices. With state-backed climate policies helping the energy transition move faster, making investments early can help keep companies ahead of the pack. (TIME)
Oklahoma is about to get a huge solar factory. Enel North America announced it will bring its 3 gigawatt solar panel and cell factory to the state, where it already has an office and a $3 billion portfolio of wind projects. Production is expected to begin in 2024, and by the time the plant is fully up and running it is expected to create 1,500 jobs. Enel executives noted the support from the Inflation Reduction Act has been pivotal in their decisions to build out a U.S. solar supply chain. (Electrek)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is Challenging
GOP stunt could cost clean energy jobs. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill last week that would revoke tax incentives tied to the Inflation Reduction Act — a move that analysts and advocates say could reduce investment and job growth tied to clean energy industries. Even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a longtime ally of GOP economic goals that initially opposed the Inflation Reduction Act, called for the incentives to remain in place. While the bill is unlikely to reach President Biden’s desk, the threat may be contributing to a new split in the GOP base by turning conservative-led clean energy company leaders to reject the party line. (Reuters)
MULTIMEDIA
Video: How renewable energy waste is being recycled
