This Week in Solar

Listen to today’s episode here, or on: * YouTube * Apple Podcasts * Spotify PosiGen Halts Most Operations What’s new: Residential solar installer PosiGen has ceased most U.S. operations, laying off nearly all of its roughly 500 employees nationwide (though the exact number hasn’t been confirmed). They attributed the move to “significant financial difficulties,” including a missed interest payment...

Show Notes: Spenser Meeks is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Apex Presentations , where he’s helped more than 1000 clean energy leaders get everything they can out of their speaking engagements. Going to be at RE+ on September 8th? He’s moderating a panel on storytelling. Pack the seats. If you like today’s episode, DM him on LinkedIn. Expect to learn: * Why storytelling (not statistics) m...

Quick note: I’ve designed today’s episode to be an overview that you can send to friends and family to show them the policies of this administration that affect solar energy, all in one place. Enjoy! When we’re plugged into the news cycle, it can be easy to get angry about something and then forget it. Especially since so much is coming at us daily, and so much news isn’t related to clean energy....

Show Notes: Dara Bortman is a Returned Peace Corps Response Volunteer and former co-owner and Senior VP of Marketing & Sales at Exact Solar. Over 15 years, she helped grow Exact Solar into one of the most respected solar installers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, building a company culture rooted in honesty and advocacy. Here’s her LinkedIn . Expect to learn: * How Exact Solar grew from a sing...

EnergySage Reports Busiest Month Ever What’s new The solar lead generation platform EnergySage says July was their busiest month since their founding in 2009. Homeowners working with installers on their site jumped 205% from last year, and questions from shoppers through the platform hit an all-time high. Why it matters The rush started after Congress passed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” declarin...

Show Notes: Nico Johnson is the founder and host of  SunCast , where he’s interviewed more than 800 clean energy leaders about the future of solar, storage, and electrification. A two-decade solar veteran, Nico has worked in markets from South Carolina to Chile and has become one of the most trusted voices in renewable energy. Here’s his LinkedIn . Expect to learn: * Why clean energy will still th...

EPA Trying to Cancel Solar for All Funding What’s new The Environmental Protection Agency is drafting letters that would void $7 billion in Solar for All grants the agency awarded last year to 60 states, tribes, and nonprofits. Why it matters That money was earmarked by the Inflation Reduction Act and intended to bring rooftop and community solar projects to more than 900,000 low-income households...

PJM Capacity Auction 22% Higher Than Last Year’s What’s new: PJM Interconnection’s latest capacity auction cleared at its $329.17 per MW-day price cap. This is a 22 percent jump over last year’s auction, already a record-setting price increase across the 13-state grid. Why it matters: Because of this auction, electricity bills in PJM’s 13-state region (which includes PA and NJ) will rise by a furt...

UN Declares “Energy Transition is Unstoppable” What’s new: Two companion reports issued by UN agencies and the International Renewable Energy Agency conclude that global clean‑energy deployment has crossed “a positive tipping point” in cost and scale. Why it matters: Renewables are now more affordable than fossil fuels. In 2024, renewables provided 74 percent of the increase in electricity generat...

U.S. Opens National‑Security Probe Into Solar‑Grade Polysilicon What’s new The Trump administration, in collaboration with the Bureau of Industry and Security, the Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, and the Commerce Department, launched a Section 232 investigation into whether imported polysilicon and its downstream products threaten national security.  The inquiry (which was qu...

What’s new On July 7, President Trump signed an executive order that does two things: * Directs the Treasury to tighten the “begin-construction” safe-harbor rules and accelerate foreign-entity (FEOC) guidance within 45 days, instead of the December 2026 deadline set in the new budget law. * Directs the Department of the Interior to review whether any policies “favor” wind or solar on public lands....

Senate Passes OBBB, Scales Back Solar Tax Credits What’s new On July 3rd, the House passed the One Big, Beautiful Bill into law 218-214, after Speaker of the House Mike Johnson managed to flip several holdouts. The new bill removes a proposed 50% excise tax on solar projects using FEOC components, but locks in phase-outs of the ITC/PTC. What the bill changes for 48E and 45Y (Commercial and utility...

Record-Breaking Battery Deployment in Q1 What’s new: The U.S. battery market rang in 2025 with its strongest first quarter on record. Developers added more than 2 GW of capacity between January and March, most of it utility-scale. Residential batteries contributed 458 MW of that total. Why it matters: Rising electricity demand has grid planners scrambling for fast, flexible capacity to store power...

What's New: Republican lawmakers in the Senate released their draft of the "One Big, Beautiful Bill" this week. They kept most of the House's clean-energy rollbacks and made some minor changes. For residential and commercial solar installers, however, the bill is virtually unchanged. Why it Matters: Their draft, released June 16, still eliminates the residential solar credit six months after enact...

If you’ve been enjoying This Week In Solar, please share today’s episode with a friend! Solar Industry Leaders Show Up in Washington What’s new: Yesterday, solar leaders from every corner of the country descended on Capitol Hill on June 11th for a high-stakes lobby day as the Senate races to finalize its reconciliation bill before July 4. Among them were representatives from Pennsylvania companies...

What's new The clean energy industry is holding its breath as we wait for the Senate’s version of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” Five Republican senators are voicing support for clean energy tax credits as the Senate considers repealing key parts of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). These are: * Thom Tillis * Lisa Murkowski * Jerry Moran * Susan Collins * John Curtis Remarks we've heard from thes...

This week, the solar world is on edge as we wait for the Senate to come back next week and write their version of the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Call your senators and advocate for the Inflation Reduction Act’s Clean Energy Tax Credits. In the meantime, I wanted to highlight some positive developments for the solar industry this week. I think we all need it. 1. Texas anti-solar bills die in House, and...

Enjoying This Week In Solar? Please share with a friend! What’s new: A lot has happened in the last week, alongside the Republican-led House trying to dismantle the Inflation Reduction Act. Here’s an overview of the timeline: May 16 The House Budget Committee blocked the initial draft budget bill. Five Republicans joined Democrats to stop the bill from advancing. One of their reasons? Some Freedom...

House Advances a Bill to Roll Back Clean Energy Credits The House GOP passed their draft budget on Tuesday, targeting clean energy provisions from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Senate Republicans say the bill is only a starting point and that key changes will be needed. What the House bill does: The draft legislation from the Ways and Means Committee would: * Eliminate the residential solar t...

Clean Energy Tax Credits in the Balance What’s new: * The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to mark up a budget reconciliation bill on Tuesday, May 13th. The final text is not yet public, but draft language could be released as early as this weekend. * A vote on the full reconciliation package could come before Memorial Day. Key concerns: * The 45X tax credit may remain, but with a foreig...

Republicans Back Community Solar in Multiple States What’s new: Republican lawmakers in Iowa, Ohio, Georgia, and Missouri have introduced or supported bills to expand community solar. * Supporters cite economic benefits, property rights, and local energy savings as their reasons for backing these bills. * Some GOP-aligned groups backing these bills include Americans for Prosperity, Walmart, and th...

Chinese-Backed Southeast Asian Solar Manufacturers Hit With Steep Duties What’s new: The U.S. Department of Commerce finalized high tariffs on solar cells and panels from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. * Cambodia was hit hardest: one group of companies faces a 3,521% total tariff. * These tariffs target Chinese-owned and Chinese-backed manufacturers accused of bypassing existing tariff...