A bill in the Oklahoma legislature to end housing restrictions against residential solar panels is still alive. HB1023 by Ardmore Rep. Tammy Townley was assigned to the House Utilities Committee which has yet to consider the measure. As OK Energy Today reported earlier in February, Townley’s bill was fashioned after a bill passed in …
Category: Solar Energy in Oklahoma
Solar and wind projects—waiting to join the grid
The development of more wind and solar power projects in the U.S. has been so great, there is a major obstacle for them….they can’t join the electric grids. More than 8,100 such projects waited for permission to connect to electric grids at the end of 2021 reported The New York Times. Click here for …
Solar power industry has fight on its hands in Arkansas legislature
A solar fight is underway before the Arkansas legislature and it involves attempts to reduce reimbursements for solar users. The cause of the fight is House Bill 1370, a measure with the goal “to prevent cost-shifting and ensure fairness to all ratepayers.” The authors say it would reduce compensation to solar users for the …
Electricity fight underway in Kansas legislature
A proposed bill in the Kansas legislature to allow churches and schools and hospitals to directly acquire electricity from solar arrays is being fought by at least four utilities, including the largest in the state, Evergy. Evergy, along with Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Wheatland Electric and Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative oppose the bill that would …
New Mexico makes another renewable energy move
New Mexico is closer to adopting a move to create a new state renewable energy office. The state’s House of Representatives voted last week to pass a bill to institutionalize renewable energy production at the New Mexico Land Office reported the Los Alamos Daily Post. Click here for Daily Post
Opposition grows to some renewable energy projects
As the federal government under the direction of the Biden administration encourages renewable energy growth across the U.S. it is also resulting in increased opposition to some of the projects. Fierce battles have broken out over solar and wind farms and carbon capture projects. It happened in Oklahoma years ago when wind farm …
Groups join forces to fight anti-solar bill in Arkansas
More than 90 Arkansas businesses, farm groups, cities and counties joined in their opposition to a legislative bill that would eliminate net metering for renewable energy. The organizations came out against newly filed HB 380 that they contend would raise electric bills and kill thousands of solar industry jobs reported the Arkansas Times. They …
Energy briefs
** Ford Motor announced Monday that it’s partnering with a Chinese company to build a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan, a move sure to spark backlash from Republican lawmakers. ** Republicans are scrutinizing the administration’s billions of dollars in low-carbon energy incentives for signs that money could benefit companies tied to Beijing. ** Recently …
State Senator wants renewable energy land leases unitized to be more equitable
A bill before the Oklahoma legislature would unitize wind and solar farm leases much the way unitization is implemented for oil and gas production. It might result in changes to the way Oklahoma landowners are paid for such renewable energy leases. SB770 was filed by Oklahoma City Democratic Sen. Carri Hicks and if approved, …
Governor calls for diversification of Oklahoma’s energy grid
In his State of the State address Monday to the Oklahoma legislature, Gov. Kevin Stitt spoke of protecting Oklahomans and promoting freedoms and for more steps to promote excellence in education. He touched on energy a few times in his speech to the 59th Legislature. At one point, the governor said, “Let’s continue to …