NICO JOHNSON 🎙️

Community solar stands as a beacon of hope for equitable clean energy. 🌞 But, is it living up to its promise? As recent insights from Wood Mackenzie's "US Solar Market Insight: 2022 Year in Review" have shown, solar energy isn't just about sustainability; it's about equity. With climate change disproportionately impacting marginalized communities, access to clean energy is a justice issue that demands our attention. A glance at studies like those by Sunter et al. (2019) and Lukanov & Krieger (2019) reveals stark disparities in solar adoption. The affluent have long benefited, while lower-income households face barriers. Thankfully, community solar projects offer a ray of hope, with innovative models proliferating across the US. Community solar has the potential to democratize energy access, as NREL's work suggests. It's not just about installing panels on rooftops; it's about co-creating solutions that consider the socioeconomic fabric of communities. By enabling shared benefits from solar generation, we empower those who've been sidelined in the clean energy revolution. Moreover, studies like Heeter et al. (2021) and Forrester et al. (2023) underscore the urgent need for policies that ensure these projects genuinely serve low and moderate-income families. What's critical now is continued advocacy, informed policy-making, and committed action to translate potential into tangible outcomes for all. Let's pivot towards a future where clean energy is not a privilege but a right - a tool for leveling the playing field. Participate in the dialogue, stay informed, and let's harness shared solar as a vehicle for environmental and social equity. #CommunitySolar #CleanEnergyAccess #EnergyEquity

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How Our Uncertainty Can Help Save the Earth - How can skillful uncertainty advance clean energy? How can industry leaders better navigate rising unpredictability in the climate by leaning into unsureness? Tune in Wednesday from 11-12 ET as I appear on the "Influential Minds" podcast from Edison Electric Institute, the main U.S. trade association for investor-owned electric companies. Erratic weather patterns, growing levels of climate emergencies, deepening debates over threatened natural resources - these are the complex, shifting challenges that face the energy/sustainability sectors. In this time of flux and angst, skillful uncertainty gives us the edge as we work to save the earth from our own species' hubris! I look forward to my talk with Influential Minds host, EEI's Lawrence Jones. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eMP8aHJ3 #climatechange #uncertainty #cognition #cleanenergy

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Microgrids can significantly transform our energy system by enhancing resilience, supporting economic growth, and promoting environmental sustainability. They offer a reliable power supply during disasters, stimulate local economies by creating green jobs, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, thus lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This multifaceted impact makes microgrids a crucial component in the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient energy

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New pivotable report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) "Strategies for Affordable and Fair Clean Energy Transitions," highlighting that in key sectors clean energy technologies are cheaper and more affordable then current fossil fuelled technologies creating net savings for countries and users. For the shift to a net-zero economy investments in a low-carbon energy supply must triple from $1 trillion to $3.5 trillion. These investment make business sense, help the climate and global development. There are solutions, the climate crisis does not allow us to delay implementing these solutions #NetZeroBuildings #NetZeroTransport #NetZeroEnergy #TransformativeIndustries #ClimateTech #cleanenergy https://lnkd.in/eZvWdBzg

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"The Cleantech Revolution: It’s exponential, disruptive, and now" by RMI By 2030, we will install 1,000 GW of solar and sell 6,000 GWh of batteries annually. This will 3x renewable capacity, 2x electrification rates, and boost efficiency by over 3% yearly. The fossil fuel era is ending. With 75% of fossil fuel demand at risk from cleantech, stranded assets are inevitable. Investment in #cleantech is accelerating, with the second trillion coming in just four years. Cleantech costs drop by 20% with every doubling in deployment, falling up to 80% in a decade. China leads driving half of cleantech growth, joined by robust expansion across the OECD and Global South. Source: Kingsmill Bond, Sam Butler-Sloss, Daan Walter from RMI

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Great #solar stats as the energy sector continues to diversify #powergeneration by adding #renewable assets.

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The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has allocated $7 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act for the Solar for All grants, supporting 900,000 households with residential solar projects. The program targets solar access for low-income and disadvantaged communities by addressing challenges in siting, permitting, and interconnection. The grants will save families $8 billion in energy costs and contribute to cleaner air and climate change mitigation. #SolarForAll #SustainableEnergy #CleanEnergy #EPA #InflationReductionAct https://lnkd.in/e-y28Uhx

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A New Report  Highlights Potential Strategies to Dramatically Reduce Carbon Emissions for the United States and Canada Aluminum Industry The Aluminum Association has released a groundbreaking roadmap detailing pathways to achieve significant carbon emission reductions in alignment with the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Net Zero by 2050 goals. Key findings and strategies include: Significant Head Start: North America's aluminum products have a carbon footprint approximately 50% lower than the global average, thanks to the use of low carbon primary aluminum, increased recycling, and voluntary emission reduction efforts. Aggressive Targets: Achieving net zero by 2050 will require aluminum production emissions to decline by: 24% by 2030 63% by 2040 92% by 2050 (compared to 2021 levels) Projected Growth: Aluminum output is expected to increase by 80% to meet the growing demand for sustainable metal across various sectors. Key Pathways: Technology and Efficiency: Innovations like inert anode smelting and energy efficiency improvements. Alternative Fuels and Carbon Capture: Transition to green hydrogen and electrification of furnaces. Grid Decarbonization: Use of clean energy technologies supported by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Enhanced Recycling: Optimizing scrap utilization to cut emissions significantly. Investment Needed: Achieving these goals will require substantial investment—estimated at $60 billion for North America alone—to meet global net-zero climate targets in the primary aluminum production segment. Charles Johnson, president & CEO of the Aluminum Association, emphasizes the industry's vital role in the clean energy transition, noting, “Achieving these ambitious targets by mid-century will require an all-of-society approach to decarbonization. The aluminum industry won’t be able to do this alone.” This research underscores the necessity of decarbonizing the energy sector to ensure broader industrial decarbonization. The North American aluminum industry is positioned to lead globally, but collaborative efforts and significant investments are critical to meeting the net-zero targets by 2050. https://lnkd.in/e_h_5q_5 #aluminium‍ #CLEANENERGY

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What a great program from GridLab. Taking the plunge into entrepreneurship can be daunting. Don’t let the fear win out. Support like this in the beginning is a great way to help with the transition. Kudos to GridLab

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This Earth Day, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the selection of 60 #SolarforAll recipients under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grant competition! Funded by the #InflationReductionAct as part of the Investing in America agenda, the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund has allocated $7 billion to the Solar for All program. These 60 selectees will spearhead efforts to deliver solar power to more than 900,000 low-income and disadvantaged households across the nation, marking a crucial milestone in the pursuit of environmental justice and climate action. This program aims to provide states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and nonprofits with the resources needed to develop sustainable solar programs that empower underprivileged communities to embrace and benefit from residential solar installations. A noteworthy allocation is the $156 million designated for the Virginia Department of Energy, which will drive the SFA: Virginia Energy Program (SAVE). Congratulations to the dedicated team for their hard work on the submission! “The SFA: Virginia Energy Program (SAVE) will seek to enable energy savings and increase resilience by expanding access to solar and solar plus storage funding for low-income and disadvantaged communities. SFA funds will be used to transform the low-income solar market in Virginia by leveraging additional private capital and supporting solar business formation and expansion. SAVE will address existing market barriers to solar development by reducing upfront costs, enabling broader access to leasing and power purchase agreements, increasing access to financing for low-income homeowners, and removing barriers to interconnection. SAVE will channel funds through multiple options to incentivize direct ownership, third-party ownership, and subscriber-based solar energy programs." #GGRF #SolarforAll #Virginia #Energy https://lnkd.in/gqe5xYJe

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☑️ U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is making moves towards revolutionizing interconnection processes for renewable energy projects. 🌞 ☑️ DOE's proposed "Interconnection Innovation exchange" (i2X) program promises 35 formidable solutions to improve the interconnection process. 💡 ☑️ Central to these proposals is the encouragement of workforce development and the potential benefit of enabling interconnection customers to fund and carry out their own studies. 📚 The solar industry is in a period of evolution as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) works to revolutionize the interconnection process for renewable energy projects. Interconnection process allows a solar array or solar power plant to connect to the broader electricity grid, creating a mutually beneficial cycle of energy exchange. Over time, the surge in interconnection requests has necessitated a more efficient and streamlined process. In response, the DOE presents its Interconnection Innovation exchange (i2X) program. This ambitious ‘roadmap’ suggests 35 solutions to expedite and improve the process. One prominent proposal is the "connect and manage" approach, successfully implemented in Texas, likely to drastically accelerate interconnections. Moreover, a recommendation in the roadmap is to enable interconnection customers to finance and implement their studies, thereby promoting self-reliance and expediting project completions. Significantly, the plan emphasizes the need for workforce development, especially in higher education. This shift seeks to boost the number of trained professionals in the solar industry and thus hasten the transition to clean energy. For more information on selling solar virtually across the USA visit www.tstpros.com 📈🌎🔆

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According to a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report, accelerating the transition to clean energy is key to improving affordability and relieving cost of living pressures. The report highlights that investing in clean energy technologies like solar, wind, and electric vehicles reduces global energy system costs and offers significant savings for consumers. #CleanEnergy #Sustainability #EnergyTransition #RenewableEnergy #AffordableEnergy #IEAReport #GreenFuture https://lnkd.in/eM7ZhunU

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The latest data from Canary Media reveals a remarkable surge in clean energy investment in the U.S.!  In Q1 2024, private investors injected $71 billion into clean energy and EVs, marking a 40% increase from the previous year. 🔍Retail sales took the lead, with $31 billion in households and businesses purchasing zero-emissions vehicles, solar, and storage. 🔍Deployment of clean energy and industrial decarbonization followed closely, boasting $24 billion in investments, majorly driven by utility-scale solar and storage projects. 🔍Emerging technologies like hydrogen, carbon capture, and sustainable aviation fuels received a substantial boost, attracting $6.3 billion in total investments, a significant increase from previous years. 🔍In the manufacturing sector, there has been a $17 billion surge in investment in clean manufacturing, with the EV supply chain dominating and accounting for 85% of investments.

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