SOLAR MANUFACTURING CAPACITY QUADRUPLED SINCE IRA: Manufacturing capacity for solar panels has increased nearly fourfold since the Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2022 and now exceeds 31 gigawatts, according to a joint report released by the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie analyzing the industry’s third quarter.
Since the IRA, the solar industry has added 75 gigawatts of new capacity to the grid — representing 36% of all solar capacity.
Why that’s important: The fast growth of the solar industry comes as solar and wind are expected to lead the growth of power generation for the next two years and as the Biden administration has prioritized domestically producing solar to compete with Chinese solar companies. However, America’s manufacturing capacity continues to lag significantly behind China, with the communist state’s capacity set to reach 1,100 GW per year by the end of 2024. Furthermore, a second Trump administration could throw a wrench in further solar investment as the former president has pledged to halt all spending under the IRA.
“The solar and storage industry is turning federal clean energy policies into action by rapidly creating jobs and powering economic growth in all 50 states, particularly in battleground states like Arizona, Nevada and Georgia,” SEIA President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper said in a written statement. “We are now manufacturing historic amounts of solar energy in America, and soon, we will have enough domestic module production to supply nearly all U.S. demand for years to come.”
Residential solar, however, has seen a continued decline, with only 1.1 gigawatts installed in the second quarter — a decrease of 10% quarter-over-quarter and 37% year-over-year. California is driving this decline due to policy changes in the state, along with nationally high interest rates. Read more from Nancy here.
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AN EV BILL DURING HOUSE GOP’S CHINA WEEK: House Republicans are dedicating this week to voting on bills that are tough on China – and that includes a measure to prevent Chinese-sourced electric vehicles from receiving federal incentives.
Some background: In May, the Treasury and Energy Department finalized regulations that would offer reprieve for car manufacturers on mineral sourcing requirements – acknowledging that producers would need years before they could compete with Chinese companies. Although the regulations would leave only 20% of EVs qualifying for the incentive, a number of China hawks slammed the Biden administration for what they argue are loopholes that would allow China to receive U.S. federal funds.
A bill introduced by Rep. Carol Miller would look to close these loopholes. Specifically, the legislation would deny credits to EVs made with battery components from a foreign entity of concern – which includes countries such as China, Russia, or North Korea. The measure will also require the Treasury Department to align its definition of a FEOC with the Commerce Department’s. Republicans argue the Treasury’s definition was more favorable to China, and that a foreign billionaire could benefit from the EV subsidies so long as their ties to China’s Communist party or other governments weren’t made official.
The bill will be considered in the House Rules Committee on Monday, and is expected to be considered later this week.
OIL MAJORS IN GULF PREPARE FOR FRANCINE: Oil and gas producers in the Gulf of Mexico are evacuating staff and limiting drilling in preparation for Tropical Storm Francine, as the weather system blows through the South.
The companies that are changing course: According to Reuters, Exxon Mobil said it halted output and has moved staff from its Hoover offshore production platform. Shell announced that it would be stopping drilling operations at its Perdido and Whale offshore platforms as the storm rides through the area. Chevron and Occidental Petroleum also announced plans in preparation for the storm.
Why that matters: The storm is moving through Texas and Louisiana at threatening speeds – and would put facilities and liquified natural gas export plants in danger. Offshore facilities in the Gulf account for about 15% of total U.S. crude oil and 2% of natural gas production. Read more here.
EXCLUSIVE – CASSIDY AND CAPITO TO BE HONORED AT LAMP SUMMIT: Republican Senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia are set to be awarded this week with the Joseph Rainey Empowered Leadership Award, a lifetime achievement award, during the LAMP National Summit hosted by the Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy.
The awards come as both senators have pushed legislation regarding energy security and energy independence while in Congress. Capito is the current ranking member of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, while Cassidy currently serves on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Several other notable guests are expected to attend this week’s summit, including South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, former EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler, tech founder Nate Morris, Utah county commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner, and Republican Reps. Debbie Lesko of Arizona and Chuck Edwards of North Carolina.
Sarah Hunt, president of the Rainey Center, said that Cassidy and Capito “have worked tirelessly on behalf of the principles that we believe in.”
SPOTTED: BILL ON THE HILL: Cassidy is looking to shore up support for his foreign pollution fee measure by issuing a new video highlighting voter concerns about China, as the bill struggles to find Republican support.
The deets: The Louisiana Republican talked to local Washington voters about his bill, which would impose a fee on products imported from high GHG-emitting countries – namely China – and is aimed at protecting domestic manufacturers from competition from China and other nations with more lax environmental standards. While explaining his bill to voters, he framed the measure as combating jobs from flowing overseas, reducing emissions, and hitting China economically to prevent them from beefing up their military.
“My Foreign Pollution Fee [Act] begins to hold China accountable for their lack of environmental standards,” Cassidy said. “It will even the playing field, bring the jobs back to the U.S., and give China less money to build up its military. It is a win, win, win instead of a lose, lose, lose.”
The reactions: The people featured in the video seemed supportive of the measure,
“This is wonderful – I don’t know one person that wants more jobs going to China,” said one voter.
However: Cassidy will also need the support of his Republican colleagues to help move the bill along. But a number of conservatives are skeptical of any measure that could be characterized as a carbon tax, which they argue would increase costs and contradict Republican messaging on inflation.
While this is the first GOP proposal that would intertwine climate change policy with trade through carbon-adjustment fees, Cassidy has insisted that it is not a carbon tax.
The one other Republican that’s on the bill: Sen. Lindsey Graham.
RUNDOWN
Washington Post The TVA helped electrify the South — but now its plans are sparking backlash
Bloomberg How Trump Could Turn a $400 Billion Green Bank Into a Fossil Fuel Lender
Axios Biden’s race to spend billions of climate bucks
Callie Patteson contributed to this newsletter.