It’s now up to Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to decide the fate of a bill passed in the state legislature to cut the compensation for solar power users in Arkansas. Approval came in the House of Representatives even though commercial and industrial electric customers opposed Senate Bill 295. Some of the opposition came …
Category: Solar Energy in Oklahoma
Arkansas senate okays bill to eliminate solar power net metering
The stage is set for a fight in Arkansas where the state senate this week passed a bill to dismantle the state’s net metering policy and give credit to solar customers for power produced at a lower wholesale rate. The Arkansas Times reports the measure, Senate Bill 295, would curtail the state’s booming solar …
More U.S. power capacity to come from wind and solar
All of those wind farms in Oklahoma helped increase the amount of planned new electric-generating capacity from wind, solar and battery storage in the U.S. this year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports the three technologies account of 825 of the new, utility-scale generating capacity that developers plan to bring online in the nation. …
Texas governor says solar and wind projects need not apply for state tax breaks
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is 100% behind a new state program to give tax breaks to businesses but not for wind and solar energy projects. “I support [the program] not providing economic incentives for renewables,” Abbott said during a news conference in Austin. “There’s already federal incentives for renewable projects, and those will continue …
GOP governors push for energy diversification
It would appear Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt’s call for more energy diversification, one he made in his early February State of the State address to the state legislature, isn’t a lone call in the wild. Other Republican governors have made similar calls even as GOP legislators are pushing anti-ESG acts and laws. Bloomberg recently …
State House committee to take up HOA bans of residential solar systems
Ardmore Rep. Tammy Townley’s bill to bring an end to Home Owners Association’s from banning the installation of solar energy systems goes before a state House committee on Thursday. The House Utilities Committee will meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Capitol to consider3 bills, including HB1023 by Rep. Townley. The House member explained recently …
Quick energy reads
** President Biden may be close to issuing the first veto of his presidency as Congress is expected to pass a resolution disapproving of a Department of Labor (DOL) rule allowing retirement plan managers to factor environment, social and governance (ESG) into their investment decisions. ** Power from zero-carbon sources made up a full 41% of the …
NextEra’s plans for solar and battery project denied in Enid
Renewable energy firm, NextEra, a company with wind farm operations throughout the state, was turned down this week in its effort to build a solar and battery storage operation near Enid. The Enid News and Eagle reports the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission voted to deny NextEra’s petition to use land southeast of Enid for …
Consumers group opposes PSO’s $2.5 billion renewable energy plan
When Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners meet Tuesday, they will deal with at least two subjects that could prompt some compelling comments and discussion. One involves the $2.47 billion renewable energy plan proposed by Public Service Company of Oklahoma in which it is asking Commission approval of its cost recovery plan. The project involves PSO’s acquisition …
Report shows Oklahoma wind power grew in 2022 but solar power was another matter
A new national report on wind and solar power generated in the U.S. showed Oklahoma ranked second nationally for new wind power added in 2022, but its solar generation was stagnant. The report by Climate Central shows national wind and solar capacity grew 16% last year compared to 2021. Getting political about it, Climate Central …