Fwd: SUN POWER!
JBL
From: Bob Donnan <donnanl...@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 15, 2025, 8:31 AM
Subject: SUN POWER!
To:
Lots of hype and spin around US Senator Dave McCormick’s (one of Trump’s ‘Yes men’) Energy Conference at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) being held today, amongst protests scheduled for midday.
There was a petition to move the conference, but it's likely that CMU didn’t wish to become the next Harvard in the president’s crosshairs.
The university is proud of their diversity and inclusion, yes, with two of those dreaded letters bookending DEI:
“The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion is the manifestation of 50 years of tireless effort and advocacy within the campus community. This work has been guided by ideals greater than representation alone. A view of diversity and inclusion as a cornerstone for innovation and global impact must be embedded in all aspects of research, teaching and engagement.” Source
No word yet if there will be an ICE RAID to cap off the day.
# # #
Over recent months and years, there's been near panic over our 13-state energy grid (PJM) not having enough electricity for everything we already have. Now, enter these huge energy hogs: DATA CENTERS. Suddenly, they're the next best thing to sliced bread!
PJM Interconnection Opens Next Electric Capacity Auction – Hold Your Breath!
What Can We Expect?
John Quigley, Senior Fellow at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, said, “I think we should brace ourselves for continued high energy prices and more cost increases.
“PJM remains overly dependent on fossil fueled generation.
“Solar and battery storage today are still well under 10% of generation system-wide, and the clean energy interconnection backlog persists.
“On top of that, the recently passed Federal reconciliation bill alone will raise Pennsylvania electricity costs by a projected 8% over the next four years and will intentionally constrain renewable generation growth and boost the most expensive generation of all - coal.
“Unconstrained LNG exports will raise domestic natural gas prices by at least 30% by 2050, further increasing electricity costs.
“Plus, there's a backlog on new gas turbines that stretches well into the 2030's, and tariffs will make all construction more expensive.
“So, electricity prices are going nowhere but up.”
We have an 8.97kWh rooftop solar system with net metering, where excess electricity production goes back on the grid for our neighbors. Home usage is primarily from a heat pump that keeps the house at 74F to 75F (during recent hot and humid weather), plus the charging of our electric vehicle for approximately 1,000 miles per month. We also sold two SRECs (Solar Renewable Energy Certificates = 1 SREC for every 1kWh of production) for approximately $45 with those proceeds easily covering both the May and June electric bills.
June bill: $25.19
SRECs: ~$45.00 credit
Left in pocket: ~$8.39
BOSSONG REPORT
SUN DAY CAMPAIGN (founded
1992)
8606 Greenwood Avenue, Suite #2
Takoma Park, MD 20912-6656
301-588-4741
sun-day-...@hotmail.com
For Week Ending Friday – July 11, 2025
Ken Bossong, editor
News Story Headlines:
New Studies & Data on
Sustainable Energy and Climate Change
Note: News story headlines and excerpts provided below do not necessarily reflect the views of the SUN DAY Campaign or any of its respective members.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
WEEKLY NEWS STORY HEADLINES
NEW STUDIES, DATA, AND RESOURCES:
Mixed and/or Cross-Cutting:
With ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ U.S. to Reverse Course on Clean Energy:
E360 Digest, July 7, 2025
https://e360.yale.edu/digest/big-beautiful-bill-renewable-energy-china
The Republican spending bill will reset the course for the U.S. energy sector. The loss of federal support is expected to curb the buildout of wind and solar by more than 70-GW by 2030, driving up household energy costs by $165 per year, according to a new analysis from Princeton University. The loss of the EV tax credit could lead to roughly 8 million fewer plug-in cars sold this decade, according to an earlier Princeton analysis. The U.S. can now expect emissions to drop by just 3 percent by the end of this decade, according to an analysis from CarbonBrief. The U.S. had previously aimed to cut emissions by 40 percent.
============================
The Permitting Crisis for Renewables:
Heatmap News, by Robinson Meyer & Charlie Clynes, July 7, 2025
https://heatmap.news/politics/laws-restricting-renewable-energy
One in five U.S. counties now restricts or bans wind and solar projects, according to new data from Heatmap - nearly double the number since 2022. Local opposition has led to outright bans or heavy zoning limits in 605 counties, covering 17% of U.S. land.
===============================
Load Growth - The Impending Grid Apocalypse Giving Utility Operators Nightmares:
Solar Power World, by Todd Olinsky-Paul, July 7, 2025
Recent estimates forecast a 15.8% increase in summer peak electricity demand by 2029 (relative to 2024). Translation: the U.S. needs about 118-GWh of additional generation capacity, along with enough new transmission and distribution capacity to deliver it…and it is needed fast. The sudden spike in electricity demand is due, primarily, to a combination of three factors:
*Data centers, which serve the fast-growing AI industry, operate around the clock and suck down obscene amounts of electricity to feed burgeoning server farms.
*Resurgent domestic manufacturing, fed by federal grants, import tariff, and state economic development efforts.
*Electrification of the transportation and building sectors, a keystone in many state plans to transition to a cleaner energy future.
========================================
Unpacking the Impacts of the Trump Budget Bill:
Latitude Media, by Maeve Allsup, July 8, 2025
https://www.latitudemedia.com/news/how-obbb-will-impact-the-power-grid
Thanks to Trump’s new budget bill, U.S. clean energy deployment is projected to crater, grid reliability is on track to fall, and China may snag a win. New modeling from Princeton’s REPEAT Project shows the bill could reduce U.S. solar and wind buildout by a combined 300-GW by 2035. That’s a 30% reduction to projected clean generation capacity. The bill will increase U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 190 million metric tons per year in 2030, and 470 million tons in 2035. Similarly, Energy Innovation projects the bill will cut new generation capacity by a whopping 340-GW by 2035. The brunt of that cut will be borne by wind and solar, with 200-GW less new wind, and 150-GW less new solar coming online. Reliability is expected to worsen and residential energy costs are on track to increase 13% as 820-TWh of clean power - more than the current annual output of US nuclear or coal - disappears from the grid. It also projects a 25% increase in wholesale electricity prices by 2030 and a 74% rise by 2035
==============================
A Heat Wave Hit New England's Grid but Clean Energy Saved the Day:
Canary Media, by Sarah Shemkus, July 8, 2025
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/northeast-heat-wave-solar-battery-benefits
During New England’s hottest day of the year, solar panels and distributed batteries stepped in to prevent blackouts - likely saving consumers over $20 million in the process. On June 24, rooftop solar met 4.4-GW of demand - about 22% of total load - helping offset spiking prices and grid strain as power plant outages pushed wholesale rates past $1,000/MWh. Vermont’s Green Mountain Power tapped its 72-MW VPP to avoid high-cost purchases and trim peak capacity fees - moves projected to save customers $3 million this year alone.
===============================
Trump Calls Wind and Solar Bad for the Power Grid but Texas Shows Otherwise:
Reuters, by Tim McLaughlin, July 10, 2025
Trump claims that rapid adoption of solar and wind power has made U.S. electricity unstable and expensive. But, according to regulatory filings and price data reviewed by Reuters, reliability has improved dramatically in the grid with the most renewable energy – in Texas - and electricity prices there are below the national average. At the same time, some grids that rely primarily on fossil fuel generation have experienced reliability issues and surging prices. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas forecasts only a 0.30% chance of rolling blackouts during peak energy demand in August, according to its June 6 reliability assessment. That is a vast improvement from the 12% chance it predicted for August 2024. Electricity prices for Texas residential customers and businesses are about 10 cents per kilowatt hour, 24% below the national average
==============================
IRENA Says Renewables Growth Gap Widens Across Regions of the Globe:
Renewables Now, by Plamena Tisheva, July 10, 2025
https://renewablesnow.com/news/renewables-growth-gap-widens-across-regions-irena-says-1278313
and
In its “Renewable Energy Statistics 2025” report, the International Renewable Energy Agency says Asia accounted for 71% of renewable energy capacity growth in 2024, while regions such as Africa lagged far behind. Asia was followed by Europe and North America, which represented 12.3% and 7.8%, respectively, of global additions. Renewables capacity grew by over 15% in 2024, with 582-GW added, including 453-GW of solar and 114-GW of wind. This is still short of the speed needed to reach the global tripling target of 11.2-TW by 2030. At this annual growth rate, the world will only reach 10.3-TW. Nonetheless, renewables are closing in on fossil fuels in terms of share of installed capacity, accounting for 46.2% compared to fossil fuels' 47.3%. Renewable electricity grew by 5.6% year-over-year in 2023, while non-renewable power grew by only 1.2%. Renewable energy sources accounted for 29.9% of global electricity generation in 2023.
==============================
51% of U.S. Grid Operators Have Renewable Aspirations Despite Challenges:
Meteomatics, July 10, 2025
https://www.meteomatics.com/en/energy-industry/2025-weather-data-trends-in-energy-report-part-2
As extreme weather, from heatwaves to hurricanes, grow increasingly volatile, 68% of U.S. grid operators are experiencing major fluctuations in energy production. And the area this challenge is affecting the most is renewable energy. However, according to Meteomatics’ “Weather Data Trends in Energy” report, this is not deterring utilities' shift to renewables. In fact, 51% of energy leaders still plan to increase reliance on renewables in the next decade. To properly manage fluctuations, they are also looking to increase investment in energy storage (52%) and advanced weather forecasting (49%) solutions.
===============================
Renewable Energy Project Cancellations Spike in Texas:
Institute for Energy Research, July 10, 2025
Texas has seen a spike in the cancellation of renewable energy projects and batteries over the past two months due to Trump’s tariffs and uncertainty regarding the future of their tax credits.
Four gigawatts of battery storage systems, 3.5-GW of solar farms, and nearly 2-GW of natural gas power plants have been canceled, according to a recent analysis of Electric Reliability Council of Texas data. Battery storage projects are especially vulnerable to cancellation because nearly all battery cells used in those systems come from China, which is being heavily tariffed. Despite the cancellation of projects in May, the growth of energy on the ERCOT grid has not stopped as companies are still requesting to build more megawatts of new power plants and battery storage.
===============================
The Interconnection Queue Could Make Qualifying for Tax Credits Next to Impossible:
Heatmap News, by Matthew Zeitlin, July 10, 2025
https://heatmap.news/energy/interconnection-queue-obbba-pjm
Wind and solar projects are required to start construction within 12 months and achieve operations by end-2027 to qualify for tax credits under the Big Beautiful Bill, but doing so may be impossible in some areas due to interconnection delays. The average interconnection wait time in the U.S. has ballooned from two years in 2008 to nearly five years in 2023. In PJM Interconnection's network alone, 44.5-GW worth of proposed energy projects have interconnection agreements, including 39-GW of wind, solar and storage. Another 63-GW are sitting in the queue without an agreement.
===============================
The World Is Investing More in Clean Energy Than Fossil Fuels:
Canary Media, by Dan McCarthy, July 11, 2025
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/global-investment-fossil-fuels-2025
The International Energy Agency reports that the world is expected to invest more than $2.2 trillion in clean energy and electrification in 2025, compared to just $1.1 trillion for fossil fuels - but it’s still not enough. Solar is expected to dominate global energy investment this year.
===============================
Republicans’ Megalaw Complicates Trump’s Plans to Quickly Ax Renewable Credits:
EE News, by Benjamin Storrow, July 7, 2025
https://www.eenews.net/articles/megalaw-complicates-trumps-plans-to-quickly-ax-renewable-credits
and
Many planned solar and wind projects slated to go online by 2030 may still qualify for Biden-era credits under the new law. The legislation creates a complicated system for phasing out the investment tax credit and production tax credit available to wind and solar projects. Many projects could still see financing for years to come — though confusion reigns over which ones will qualify. Projects already under construction are effectively able to claim the credits if they enter operation through 2030. That threshold is met by roughly a third of onshore wind development projects and more than a quarter of solar projects, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration figures.
===============================
Solar:
Solar Becomes the Top Source of Electricity in California:
PV-Magazine, by John Fitzgerald Weaver, July 9, 2025
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/07/09/solar-becomes-top-source-of-electricity-in-california
Over the past year, solar generation surpassed natural gas to become California’s leading source of electricity, a milestone expected to persist. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, processed by Ember’s “U.S. Electricity Data Explorer,” shows that in the 12 months ending April 2025, solar generated 83.1-TWh of electricity, compared to 81.6-TWh from natural gas. During that period, California generated a total of 244.9-TWh, with solar accounting for 33.9% of the state’s electricity and gas contributing 33.3%.
===============================
EIA Projects Solar Generation to Rise by a Third This Summer:
UtilityDive.com, by Robert Walton, July 10, 2025
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/solar-generation-grows-despite-Trump/752677
The U.S. Energy Information Administration says solar is expected to account for 7% of total U.S. generation in 2025 and 8% in 2026. The electric power sector will generate 124 billion kWh from solar this summer, 34% more than it did during the June-September 2024 period. According to EIA’s “Short Term Energy Outlook,” by summer 2026, we forecast solar generation will grow by another 19% to 147 BkWh, which means solar would surpass wind to become the leading source of renewables generation during the summer.”
==============================
Solar Is No Longer Alternative Energy - It's the New Default:
Environment & Health News, July 10, 2025
https://www.ehn.org/solar-is-no-longer-alternative-energy-it-s-the-new-default
and
Around the globe, solar power is scaling up at a breakneck pace, reshaping energy systems, economies, and even geopolitics. People are now putting up a gigawatt’s worth of solar panels, the rough equivalent of the power generated by one coal-fired plant, every fifteen hours. Solar and wind are now the fastest-growing energy sources in history, with global solar capacity doubling in just two years and new projects supplying most of the world’s electricity demand. Last year, ninety-six per cent of the global demand for new electricity was met by renewables, and in the U.S. ninety-three per cent of new generating capacity came from solar, wind, and an ever-increasing variety of batteries to store that power. China, India, South America, Africa, and even U.S. states like Texas are turning to renewables for affordability, reliability, and resilience in the face of extreme weather and rising fossil fuel costs.
==============================
Bioenergy:
Total U.S. Biofuel Capacity at 24.878 Billion Gallons in April:
Biomass Magazine, by Erin Krueger, July 9, 2025
https://biomassmagazine.com/articles/eia-total-us-biofuel-capacity-at-24878-billion-gallons-in-april
According to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. fuel ethanol capacity fell slightly in April, while biodiesel and renewable diesel capacity held steady. Feedstock consumption was down when compared to the previous month. Total U.S. operable biofuel capacity was at 24.878 billion gallons in April, down 122 MMgy when compared to the 15 billion gallons of capacity reported for the previous month, but up 769 MMgy when compared to the 24.109 billion gallons of capacity in place as of April 2024.
==========================
EIA Predicts Biomass Power Capacity Will Be Unchanged in 2025 and 2026:
Biomass Magazine, by Erin Krueger, July 10, 2025
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest “Short-Term Energy Outlook,” biomass is expected to account for 1.96% of U.S. renewable electricity generation this year, falling to 1.77% in 2026. Biomass accounted for 2.16% of U.S. renewable electricity generation last year. Biomass was used to generate 20.5 billion kWh of electricity in 2024. That level of production is expected to be maintained in 2025 but fall to 20.3 billion kWh in 2026.
=============================
EIA Maintains 2025 and 2026 Production Forecasts for Biobased Diesel:
Biomass Magazine, by Erin Krueger, July 10, 2025
In its latest “Short-Term Energy Outlook,” the U.S. Energy Information Administration has maintained its forecast for 2025 and 2026 biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel production. Renewable diesel production is currently expected to average 210,000 barrels per day this year, expanding to 250,000 barrels per day next year. Both forecasts were unchanged from last month. Renewable diesel production averaged 210,000 barrels per day in 2024.
=============================
Storage:
WoodMac Says World Needs 1.4-TW of Grid-Forming Batteries by 2034:
PV-Magazine, by Max Hall, July 7, 2025
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/07/07/woodmac-world-needs-1-4-tw-of-grid-forming-batteries-by-2034
The data company Wood Mackenzie says investments of $1.2 trillion in battery energy storage systems (BESS) will be required to support the installation of over 5.9-TW of new wind and solar capacity globally through 2034. Predicting the world will require $1.2 trillion of BESS investment through 2034, to back the more-than-5.9-TW of new solar and wind generation capacity expected to come online during that time, WoodMac says the use of advanced BESS with grid-forming technology will be crucial. While that would cost around 15% more than conventional grid-scale sites – thanks to the need for upgraded inverters, controls, and software – WoodMac said falling technology costs have seen average battery energy storage prices fall 10% to 40% worldwide over the last year.
=============================
Storage Growth to Continue Under Trump’s Tax Bill:
Energy Storage News, by Andy Colthorpe, July 9, 2025
According to BloombergNEF, energy storage projects in the U.S. are expected to maintain momentum under new tax credit rules. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act allows energy storage to qualify for a 30% investment tax credit until 2033, while solar and wind face shorter timelines. The act also introduces stricter rules on material sourcing from foreign entities of concern and could prompt a rush to start projects before the end of 2025.
=============================
Electric Vehicles:
EV Charging Is More Stable Than Ever:
CleanTechnica.com, by Carolyn Fortuna, July 6, 2025
According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, there were about 55,200 fast chargers in the U.S. in May, up from 42,200 just a year earlier. Further, according to JD Power, in the first three months of 2025, overall EV charging failure rates fell to 16%, the biggest improvement since the surveys began in 2021.
=============================
ICCT Study Shows Electric Cars Are 73% Cleaner:
CleanTechnica.com, by Steve Hanley, July 12, 2025
https://cleantechnica.com/2025/07/12/electric-cars-are-73-cleaner-icct-study-shows
and
https://insideevs.com/news/765337/ev-cleaner-gas-emissions-lifetime
A new study from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) indicates EVs are responsible for 73% (or more) fewer total emissions than gas-powered cars. The study follows an EV from the cradle to the grave and boldly claims that, on average, EVs produce 73% fewer emissions over the vehicle's lifespan versus gasoline counterparts even though EVs have higher production emissions. The study found that EVs produce 40% higher emissions during the initial production of the vehicle and its components. However, after the first 10,500 miles, EVs crossed the critical threshold where the lack of tailpipe emissions quickly outpaced the increased output of gas-powered cars.
=============================
Energy Efficiency:
Cities Push Building Decarbonization as Federal Support Shrinks:
ESGDive.com, by Robyn Griggs Lawrence, July 14, 2025
and
https://widgets.givingcompass.org/article/a-roadmap-to-decarbonizing-buildings-while-cutting-costs
Climate Mayors and Veolia have released a roadmap for municipal building decarbonization as Trump policies eliminate federal tax incentives and slash efficiency programs. The road map helps city officials establish baselines, set goals aligned with the Paris Agreement and state climate targets, secure funding and partnerships, create policy incentives and develop and train a work force that can help meet decarbonization objectives. Buildings account for 40% of global energy-related CO2 emissions.
=============================
CLIMATE CHANGE:
U.S. Power Pollution Climbs on Higher Coal Use:
Reuters, by Gavin Maguire, July 1, 2025
https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/us-power-pollution-climbs-higher-coal-use-2025-07-01
Power sector emissions just hit a three-year high - with no signs of slowing down. According to data from Ember, over the first five months of 2025, U.S. power sector emissions from the burning of fossil fuels rose 5% to about 640 million metric tons. The trend is expected to continue this year after the U.S. experienced record-breaking heatwaves in the second half of June. Further hot spells are predicted for July, August, and September.
===============================
Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Blows U.S. Emissions Goal by 7 Billion Tons:
CarbonBrief.org, July 4, 2025
https://www.carbonbrief.org/chart-trumps-big-beautiful-bill-blows-us-emissions-goal-by-7bn-tonnes
The U.S. is on track to miss its Paris Agreement emissions target by 7 billion tons following the rollback of clean energy policies and passage of Trump’s budget bill. Instead of slashing emissions 50% from 2005 levels by 2030, U.S. emissions are now projected to fall just 20% over that time period - a mere 3% drop from today. Most of that shortfall stems from gutted tax credits for renewables, EVs, and clean manufacturing. The emissions gap carries a $1.6 trillion global climate cost, with U.S. energy prices forecast to rise 7% by 2026 due to slower capacity growth.
==============================
Investment in Climate Tech Is Down in the First Half of 2025:
Latitude Media, by Lisa Martine Jenkins, July 9, 2025
According to the latest report from Net Zero Insights, global investment in climate tech was down in the first half of 2025, by 19% compared to the first half of 2024. That said, non-dilutive funding is projected to hit an all-time high in 2025, suggesting that the market is more stable than the drop in total funding might suggest. But in the slowing market, the U.S. outlook remains strong despite policy uncertainty, accounting for 51% of global climate tech funding. These deals amounted to $21.4 billion, and projections for the full year anticipate a 12% growth in the market compared to 2024.
==============================
Coal Investment Is on the Rise, Despite Phaseout Promises:
Axios, by Ben Geman, July 9, 2025
https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-generate-064a0590-5c0d-11f0-930f-0b927496caf6.html
According to a new report from Urgewald, global bank financing for coal projects rose about 6% annually to $130 billion in 2024, notwithstanding lofty promises at the 2021 Glasgow climate summit to phase down coal. China led with $248 billion in coal financing over the past three years, while U.S. banks came in second at $51 billion. Even Citi, the only major U.S. bank still publicly committed to a coal phaseout, increased its exposure post-Glasgow.
=============================
June 2025 Was Earth’s Third Warmest on Record:
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, July 12, 2025
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/global/202506
June 2025 recorded the third-highest June global surface temperature in NOAA's 176-year record, which dates back to 1850. The temperature anomaly for June 2025 was 0.98°C (1.76°F) higher than the 20th-century average. This June was cooler than June 2023 (second warmest) and June 2024 (warmest). All ten warmest Junes on record have occurred since 2016, and June 2025 extended the streak of consecutive Junes with above-average global temperatures to 49 years. The most significant high temperature anomalies, exceeding 1.0°C (1.8°F) above average, were observed over parts of North America, Europe, central Asia, western and eastern Antarctica, and the northern Pacific Ocean.
=============================
Nuclear Power:
The Nuclear Energy Industry's Costs Are Holding It Back:
Politico, by Debra Kahn, July 9, 2025
It’s not policy that’s holding nuclear back: It’s the industry. All the incentives and permitting reforms the government can muster won’t change the basic economics that have led to just three new nuclear plants getting built in the U.S. this century: It takes too long, is too expensive and is only getting pricier. The average cost of large-scale solar has fallen 84 percent since 2009, to $58 per megawatt-hour, while nuclear power has risen 47 percent, to $180, according to Lazard’s latest analysis of energy sources’ levelized costs. For most technologies, the cost comes down as time goes down. Nuclear power is pretty much the only technology whose cost increases with time.
# # #
Just in from my car salesman at SUN CHEVROLET in McMurray, PA:
“This is Andrew from Sun Chevrolet and I wanted to
quickly reach out to let you know about the EV Deals ending soon. Right now if
you qualify for the Federal EV Tax Credit of $7,500 on new vehicle mixed with
this months current savings, you can get a total of $11,000+ off a
new EV!
The Tax Credit does end
come September 30th. I'll link options below for our current EV
Inventory. Let me know when you would like to stop down for a test drive and to
check out our inventory!
Current EV Inventory:
https://www.sunchevy.com/searchall.aspx?q=ev
(Some of the images on their website this morning)
Link to EV Tax Credit Website:
https://www.irs.gov/clean-vehicle-tax-credits
*Offered based on Equinox EVs. Must have a none GM vehicle in household, Costco
for past 60 days, and Qualify for EV Tax Credit*
Sincerley,
Andrew Carpenter
Sales Professional
Sun Chevrolet
www.sunchevy.com
724-941-5160
# # #