GOLDEN CRESCENT AND 1000 ISLAND NEWS

It’s the feel-good story of the week, if you don’t mind taking joy from others’ misfortunes. When it comes to the wind and solar energy grifters, I don’t mind a bit taking joy from their misfortunes. The last few days bring the news that apparently the majority of the remaining wind and solar electricity projects still in development in New York State are under imminent threat of cancelation. At this point the details are sketchy, and nobody is attributing the news to any named source as far as I can find. Nevertheless, the story is sufficiently widely-reported from normally reliable sources that I’m ready to give it credit. The Albany Times-Union appears to have been the first with the story in a piece from April 12 with the headline  “Clean energy projects in NY on hold as battle over costs escalates.”   The gist is that the developers of some two dozen “clean energy” (wind and solar) projects in upstate New York have approached the State and demanded more money above agreed...

  Speed running deployment US states are moving to establish a pipeline of large-scale renewable energy projects that can qualify for billions of dollars in expiring federal tax credits. California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York, New Jersey and Oregon are among the states  expediting renewable energy projects  eligible for a 30% investment tax credit. Those subsidies can help lower power prices as soaring electricity bills become a top issue in the 2026 elections and data centers drive up energy demand.  But solar and wind farms need to start work by July 4 of this year and have four years to complete construction in order to qualify. Mountains stand beyond solar modules in California . “It is critical to get projects that qualify for these credits, primarily for customer affordability,” said William Walsh, vice president for energy procurement and management at utility Southern California Edison Co. The California Public Utilities Commission earlier this year ordere...

  The landscape for U.S. solar and storage tax credits has shifted dramatically following the implementation of  Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) restrictions . In a recent Currents podcast hosted by Norton Rose Fulbright, partner Keith Martin detailed  the three-pronged nature of these restrictions, which are designed to systematically decouple the U.S. renewable sector from Chinese involvement.   The framework consists of distinct hurdles that can disqualify a project from claiming technology-neutral tax credits under Sections 48E and 45Y. These include a material assistance limit on equipment  provided by prohibited foreign entities,  a ban on U.S. taxpayers with excessive Chinese equity or debt participation , and a  prohibition on projects that enter into contracts giving majority Chinese-owned entities effective control over project aspects . The rules target projects placed in service in 2025 or later . Martin clarified ...

  By  Dustin Bleizeffer   One of the key driving forces behind the expansion of wind turbines in Wyoming is gutting plans for future renewable energy projects. Rocky Mountain Power’s parent company, PacifiCorp, updated its  long-range planning document  in March, shifting its previous upward trajectory for new wind and solar throughout its six-state service region to flatline status.   The electric utility  has no plans to add more wind or solar facilities in Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and California  from 2027 through 2045.   “ Changes in this update are largely driven by the July 4, 2025, repeal of major portions of the Inflation Reduction Act,”  the company says. “The repeal was enacted through the (“One Big, Beautiful Bill Act”), which, significantly, phases out or eliminates highly impactful tax benefits, primarily for renewable solar and wind generation resources.”   Rocky Mountain Power is Wyoming’s largest electric utility. Pacifi...

  ALBANY — Regulations that took effect in January and govern the chemical compounds used in refrigeration systems and air conditioners are increasingly placing financial stress on residential customers as well as businesses that often face potentially crushing costs if they are forced to replace the cooling systems. Watch More In response, legislation that has bipartisan support at the state Capitol would require the state Department of Environmental Conservation to claw back the regulations it imposed under the provisions of  the 2019 Climate Act , and instead align them with a federal law that does not require states to follow similar rules until 2036.   State Assemblyman William Conrad III, a Buffalo-area Democrat who is a member of the Energy and Environmental Conservation committees, is a lead sponsor of the legislation that would walk back New York’s restrictions on hydrofluorocarbons, which come in various forms and are notorious for contributing to gree...

  ALBANY   — Nearly two dozen of New York’s clean energy projects may be scrapped because they are financially impractical, a possible outcome that would exacerbate the state’s struggling efforts to meet increasing power demands while also ensuring the electric grid becomes less dependent on fossil fuels.  Watch More   The stalled wind and solar projects would power roughly 2 million homes, but the developers want to renegotiate state contracts to reflect tariffs and rising labor costs not factored in when their deals were struck between 2023 and early 2025. Without more revenue, the projects won’t be economically viable and will need to be canceled, according to a trade organization representing them.    The New York State Energy Research Development Authority has informed the developers it will only allow them to move forward under the terms of earlier agreements.   The authority “expects its developers to honor their commitments,” spokeswoman Deanna...