This Week in Solar
A weekly look at what's new in solar, brought to you by Exact Solar. Clean energy news, policy updates, and stories that matter. exactsolar.substack.com
Episodes
Trade Court Okays Retroactive Tariffs on 2022–24 Solar Imports
What’s new:
The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that President Biden’s 2022 two-year pause on AD/CVD collections for solar cells/modules from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam was unlawful.
The court cleared U.S. Customs and Border Protection to assess retroactive duties on entries between Apr. 1, 2022, and June 6, 2024.
Why it matters:
The decision could tr...
Quick Note:
Due to technical difficulties during the interview, today’s episode will be available as audio only. You can still listen to this episode as a podcast right here on Substack, on Apple Podcasts, or on Spotify. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the interview!
Show Notes:
Liz Robinson is the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Solar Energy Association and a 40-year veteran of Pennsylvania’s clean energy movement.
She spent...
Listen to today’s episode here, or on:
* YouTube
* 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 that triggered a lender cash freeze and ...
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) moves audiences, especially in B2B.
*...
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.
So I’ve decided to take today’s epi...
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 single (almost accidental) pool heating projec...
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,” declaring that solar energy systems must be in...
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 thrive without tax incentives.
* How shiftin...
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. Funding was briefly frozen in Februa...
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 further 1.5-5% in 2026-27. This price hike...
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 generation and accounted for 92.5 percent ...
U.S. Opens National‑Security Probe Into Solar‑Grade Polysilicon
What’s newThe 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 quietly initiated on July 1, but not re...
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.
Both agencies are required to report...
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-scale):
* Commercial and utility-sca...
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 for times of need. Batteries, like ...
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 enactment and bars installers from claiming...
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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 who delivered a letter to Pennsylva...
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 these five senators so far:
Sen. Thom Tillis (N...
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 Texas passes bill to fast-track ho...
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 Caucus members believed it didn't go...
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