<[link removed]> AUGUST NEWSLETTER Labor Day Weekend Closes Busy August Welcome to the Energy Choice Coalition’s monthly newsletter. What happened to August? A month that’s supposed to be quiet was instead full of news. There was lots of coverage on the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and its potential to accelerate the pace of the domestic energy transition. The Atlantic Council has a good piece on how the law is driving consumers’ clean energy purchasing decisions <[link removed]> . It also has a full analysis of the IRA <[link removed]> on its website. The law has driven a river of private capital and federal loans flowing into clean energy projects. Doug Lewin over at the Texas Energy and Power Newsletter <[link removed]> writes that in its first year in Texas alone, the IRA created more than $10 billion in investment and nearly 9,000 jobs. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) finalized its ruling on Improvements to Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements <[link removed]> . While the new first-ready, first-served interconnection process is designed to get more clean energy resources connected to the grid, clearing the existing backlog will require additional efforts. If you’re looking for good beach reading this Labor Day weekend, the energy experts at the R Street Institute are out with a report <[link removed]> with six recommendations to increase competition in electricity markets in the Midwest. Enjoy! Have a happy and safe Labor Day holiday weekend. Robert Dillon, Executive Director Recent Noteworthy Posts <[link removed]> Commentary: How Private Monopolies Fuel Climate Disaster and Public Corruption <[link removed]> Nearly two-thirds of Americans get their electricity from for-profit corporations granted a monopoly over electricity distribution. In theory, state regulation protects those consumers from the excesses of these private companies. In practice, weak laws, poor oversight, and the swelling power of consolidation allow state-sponsored utility monopolies to cut corners and choke off competition in order to maximize profits. This behavior has made us more vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, through power outages, wildfires, and other calamities. At the same time, monopoly utilities have been a persistent obstacle to the clean-energy transition that we urgently need to stop climate change from getting worse. Read More <[link removed]> <[link removed]> California PUC is back with another dumb idea to undermine solar adoption <[link removed]> The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has released a proposed decision <[link removed]> that would undermine the value of rooftop solar for renters in multifamily housing, farms and schools if enacted. The proposal poses a serious threat to California’s climate and energy equity pledges and risks putting solar power out of reach for the state’s nearly 17 million renters. The proposed rule would establish limits on how much electricity produced by rooftop solar systems can be used at multi-meter properties. The policy effectively forces customers to sell solar-generated electricity to the local investor-owned utility and then makes them buy it back at higher rates. Read More <[link removed]> What We’re Reading Right Direction The Clean Energy Future Is a Battle for Hearts and Minds <[link removed]> . A broad, and sometimes quixotic, retail effort to win the fight against global warming is playing out one person at a time, with nary a mention of climate change – New York Times. Michigan Democrats call for the swift passage of a bill package that aims to improve residents’ access to solar <[link removed]> , including through community solar projects and lifting caps on utility distributed generation programs – Michigan Advance. Also in Michigan, Detroit representatives proposes ban on secret money from DTE, other utilities to politicians. The bills are aimed at curbing the special interest influence of secret money from the state’s utilities <[link removed]> – Fox News Detroit. The Texas PUC approves two Tesla virtual power plants <[link removed]> for Powerwall owners in the Houston and Dallas areas. The pilot project aims to test the use of consumer-owned energy devices to strengthen grid reliability – Electrek. Clean energy officials say a Western regional transmission organization will keep costs in check, facilitate wind and solar deployment and help the grid withstand extreme heat <[link removed]> – Utility Dive. A West Virginia solar installer <[link removed]> and three Arizona battery factories <[link removed]> are among many examples of states benefiting from the federal climate law despite opposition from Republican elected officials – NPR, Arizona Daily Star. Prince William County, Virginia, has had some of the region’s highest fees and longest delays for solar panel permits <[link removed]> , but that’s starting to change after frustrated stakeholders confronted officials – Energy News Network. Wrong Direction Idaho advocates urge regulators to reject a utility’s proposal to slash compensation for rooftop solar <[link removed]> , saying it would disincentivize residents from installing it – Idaho Capital Sun. FirstEnergy customers say the small payments they’re receiving as part of a bribery settlement <[link removed]> with the utility come with significant restrictions on how they’re spent – ABC 5. Wyoming Lawmakers use power bill increase to targetrenewable energy. <[link removed]> Fossil fuels are the primary culprit behind rising electrical costs, utility says, yet lawmakers will consider measures to limit renewables, preserve gas and coal – WyoFile. California solar installers say new net metering policies render rooftop solar financially infeasible <[link removed]> without energy storage – Los Angeles Times. A proposal to drastically cut solar’s value for apartments, schools and farms <[link removed]> could undermine California’s climate and energy equity pledges, opponents say – Canary Media. Biden admin slaps more tariffs on several Chinese solar manufacturers. The Commerce Department has concluded its probe of Chinese solar firms’ tariff evasion. The ruling could derail the rapidly growing, import-dependent U.S. solar industry <[link removed]> – Canary Media. In an op-ed in In Georgia’s Newnan-Times Herald <[link removed]> , R Street’s Marc Hayden writes that Georgia’s new nuclear reactors are a cautionary tale for the energy transition. “Mega projects subsidized by the government and underwritten by electric monopolies’ captive ratepayers are fraught with problems,” Hayden writes. “Rather than rushing to help finance massively wealthy energy companies’ nuclear ambitions, the government should reassess whether the actual—not estimated—costs and delays are worth it” – Newnan-Times Herald. A proposed ERCOT rule in Texas would require renewable energy generators to upgrade tech or disconnect by 2025 for grid stability during issues <[link removed]> . Concerns arise about resource retirements due to the timeline. The ERCOT subcommittee delayed the vote as developers sought grid reliability and industry adaptability revisions – E&E News. The Energy Choice Coalition's mission is to promote consumer-first policies that lead to greater competition and choice in retail electricity markets. We stand up for free-market principles against a legacy monopoly system that has outlived its usefulness and is blocking the creation of a cleaner, more affordable electricity system. Our objective is to separate the generation and transmission of electricity in states where utilities still retain monopoly control over both services to allow true competition to flourish. Are you ready for energy freedom? Send us an email to join our coalition or to find out more about the benefits of competition. Contact us at: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> . Follow us on Twitter <[link removed]> and LinkedIn <[link removed]> . <[link removed]> Energy Choice Coalition 25 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 820 Washington, DC 20001 United States Powered by Squarespace <[link removed]> Unsubscribe <[link removed]>