New solar and storage installations supported by the Dept.’s Loan Programs Office. of Energy, will improve grid security for Puerto Rico.
LPO announces $861 million loan guarantee for Puerto Rico’s solar and storage portfolio
Washington, DC
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office announced an $861.3 million loan guarantee to finance the construction of two solar and storage facilities and two standalone battery energy storage systems in Puerto Rico. The borrower is Clean Flexible Energy, an indirect subsidiary of The AES Corporation and TotalEnergies Holdings USA.
ITC is quick to ignore Commerce’s aluminum extrusion tariffs
Washington, DC
Recently imposed trade tariffs on aluminum extrusion imports were reversed by the U.S. International Trade Commission on October 30. After a year-long investigation by the Commerce Department, in which the department found that 14 countries were dumping and/or receiving foreign government assistance to produce cheaper aluminum extrusions, a majority of the ITC determined that the U.S. market was not harmed by the countries examined.
The production of solar wafers is eligible for 25% CHIPS ITC
Washington, DC
Under the final rules, silicon ingot and wafer manufacturing activities for the solar industry can benefit from the 48D Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (CHIPS ITC) created in the CHIPS and Science Act. Although the law is intended to support the general semiconductor market, it does include solar wafer production.
Treasury Department Announces Final Rules for 45x Tax Credits for Domestic Manufacturing
Washington, DC
The U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released final rules for the Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit (45X) in October to fuel continued growth in U.S. clean energy production. The final rules are largely consistent with the proposed regulations published in December 2023, but ensure that DC optimizers and multi-module microinverters are also eligible for tax benefits.
Maryland Energy Administration is offering new subsidies for immediate solar adoption
Annapolis, Maryland
The Maryland Energy Administration has launched a grant program to help counties, cities, towns and other local jurisdictions adopt the SolarAPP+ instant solar software platform. The Brighter Tomorrow Act of 2024 mandated the use of automated solar permitting software for Maryland jurisdictions.