Two utilities in Kentucky, US, have received approval from the Kentucky Public Service Commission (KPSC) to add 1GW of solar PV and energy storage to replace a 600MW coal plant by 2027.
As distributed energy resources such as residential solar rooftop increase in the next decade, its use for virtual power plants could save US utilities up to US$35 billion, according to a study from consultancy The Brattle Group.
Demand is soaring in the US for residential solar and storage, driven by a desire for energy resilience and sustainability, but traditional utilities are hampering progress.
Net meting for rooftop PV is ending in Indiana through a policy change that critics have warned will make solar uneconomic for most families and businesses in the US state.
Florida lawmakers have passed a bill that will remove credits for households with PV systems, amid warnings that the legislation could undercut the state’s rooftop solar sector.
Proposed changes to California’s net metering (NEM) incentive programme will severely reduce residential PV’s value proposition in the state, cutting its solar market in half by 2024, Wood Mackenzie has warned.
A coalition of 347 organisations has warned that potential changes to California's policy support for rooftop solar could set back climate change progress and harm low-income access to solar energy.