Author Archives Laura Arnold

IURC Nominating Committee to interview candidates 2/6/18

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   January 31, 2018  /   Posted in Uncategorized  /   No Comments

State Capitol winter scene

IURC Nominating Committee to interview seven (7) candidates  2/6/18 including Rep. Dave Ober

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Nominating Committee announced today that on Tuesday, Feb. 6 it will interview seven candidates to fill the commissioner vacancy created when Jim Atterholt retired.

The candidates to be interviewed are:

  • Eric Hand
  • Stefanie Krevda
  • Allen Mounts
  • Rep. David Ober
  • Michael Shaver
  • Marcus Turner
  • Tristan Vance

Following the interviews, the committee will present Gov. Eric J. Holcomb a list of three qualified candidates from which he will select one to fill the remainder of Atterholt’s term. Commissioner Atterholt’s term expires Jan. 31, 2020.

The nominating committee will conduct interviews in the Indiana Government Center South Building in Conference Room 2, 401 W. Washington St., Indianapolis.

Members of the nominating committee are Committee Chairman Allen Paul, Eric Scroggins, John Blevins, Bill Davis, Jeb Bardon, Greg Server and Johnathan Little.

IndianaDG NOTE: Several new members of the IURC Nominating Committee have been appointed including former State Rep. Bill Davis (R) and Rep. Jeb Bardon as well as former State Senator and IURC member Greg Server (R). Also Johnathan Little is a new member.

Kentucky anti-solar bill surfaces, HB 227 hearing 1/25/18

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   January 23, 2018  /   Posted in solar, Uncategorized  /   No Comments

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ANTI SOLAR KENTUCKY HOUSE BILL 227 JUST PUBLISHED - WORSE THAN WE COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED - READ AND CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IMMEDIATELY - WE HAVE NO TIME.

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/Find%20…/Find%20Your%20Legislator.html

HB 227 was lodged this evening in a procedural rush with a clear intention to push this through rapidly and avoid the overwhelmingly negative response from solar homeowners seen last year to SB214, which halted that bill in its tracks.

The bill is attached but key points proposed are:

1:1 Net Metering is dead: Excess energy production which is now credited at retail (1:1) for later use will now only be credited for cash or equivalent at the end of each billing period.

Excess energy production (often banked for use later in the year) will at the 'electric suppliers sole discretion' be paid out in cash or equivalent or credited to the next bill (no guarantee) at a rate of around 2.7 cents/kWh - 3.5 cents kWh NOT 9 cents/kWh.

Supporting utility presentations state that only 2% of homeowners energy is exported or credited for use later. The actual figure is 60+%.

No value at all is given to solar production when numerous state and independent Public Service Commission studies show it to have a value closer to or greater than retail. Even Indiana just valued it at wholesale + 25%

HB 227 proposes to make these changes and kill our solar future, skilled jobs and young industry in just 173 days on July 15th. Even Indiana just gave a 5 year transition period.

Existing systems will be grandfathered in but no assurance is given that it will be at their current retail 1:1 retail rates.

Grandfathered Net Metering systems cannot transfer to successors or subsequent home owners reducing the value of the solar investment to 0$.

This bill makes it first appearance in Frankfort at 08:00 this Thursday 25th January Rm 171 in the Natural Resources & Energy Committee. We need to turn up in numbers and push back strongly through all channels. More details closer to the day.

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/18RS/HB227.htm

Governor’s Office Releases Names of Applicants for IURC

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   January 23, 2018  /   Posted in Uncategorized  /   No Comments

Governor’s Office Releases Names of Applicants for IURC

The Applicants to fill the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) seat vacated by Jim Atterholt, as released by the Governor's Office Sunday night (1/21/18), are:

  • Eric Hand is a Utility Analyst for the OUCC
  • Stephanie Krevda is the Executive Director of External Affairs for the IURC.
  • Allen Mounts is the Director of Evansville Water and Sewer Utility.
  • David Ober is the Chair of the House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee. Ober's profile.
  • Marcus Turner is a Principle Analyst for the IURC.
  • Michael Shaver is the President of Wabash Scientific, Inc.
  • Tristan Vance is the Director of the Indiana Office of Energy Development.

No further information is available regarding the IURC Nominating Committee. There are vacancies on the Nominating Committee due to the expiration of the terms of Win Moses, Jr. and Michael Mullett. No word yet on who their replacements might be.

Further details will be shared as they become available. Most political observers believe that Rep. Ober will become the new IURC member and Chair.

 

pv Magazine: JinkoSolar looks to set up Florida factories

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   January 19, 2018  /   Posted in solar  /   No Comments

JinkoSolar looks to set up Florida factories

A source has revealed to pv magazine that the Chinese PV behemoth is the company negotiating with the city of Jacksonville, Florida.

 CHRISTIAN ROSELUND AND FRANK ANDORKA

There is more evidence that JinkoSolar is the company which is currently in negotiations with the city of Jacksonville, Florida, over incentives to establish manufacturing there. This week a source close to the deal revealed that the Chinese PV module maker is the company code-named “Project Volt” in Jacksonville city documents.

This follows on a January 8 article by the Jacksonville Daily Record which notes that JinkoSolar fits the description of the company, referencing two advertisements by the company for human resources jobs in Jacksonville.

According to Jacksonville City Council records, “Project Volt” plans to set up its first U.S. manufacturing in Jacksonville, as well as establishing its national headquarters in the city. JinkoSolar currently operates a U.S. office in San Francisco through a subsidiary.

JinkoSolar is seeking a total incentive package of tax refunds, credits, and grants from Jacksonville and the State of Florida for a total of $54 million. This includes state grants for hiring veterans.

On Wednesday night the Finance Committee of the Jacksonville City Council approved with amendments a resolution for the first $28 million in incentives from the city and the state, which will be sent back to the council for a final vote.

If JinkoSolar and Jacksonville are able to work out a deal, construction on new factories would begin by the end of June and should be completed by the end of 2019, although it is unclear when the company would start ramping production.

The factories and U.S. headquarters would cost $410 million and employ 800 workers. It is also not clear whether they would make cells, modules or both; however cells are expected to be a bottleneck under any tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

JinkoSolar did not respond to pv magazine requests for comment.

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