Global green energy growth seen weathering Donald Trump storm

A federal rule governing solar and wind energy development on public lands, including those in Utah, has been finalized, according to a news release issued by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, who said the rule will support existing policies of the Bureau of Land Management. Combined, Microsoft said it was tapping into about 237 megawatts of wind power, which brings its total investments in US wind to more than 500 MW.

But possible policy changes under Trump should not dampen investment in clean energy for now, investors said.

GM worked with Altenex, an Edison Energy Company and an independent renewable energy advisor, to identify renewable energy projects in the Texas market and execute the deal.

BLM Director Neil Kornze said: “The completion of these projects is further proof that America’s shift toward clean, renewable energy is underway”. Both were set to expire at the end of a year ago, prompting a surge in investments as companies raced to get in under the deadline. Thus, should support for the further proliferation of solar in the U.S. fall, ultimately lowering the cost of energy in the U.S., while also ushering in an economic advantage vis-à-vis lower electricity prices for the scores of companies that produce domestically, we believe contagion would spread.

In addition, environmentalists point to Trump’s record of unpredictability, optimistically arguing that it’s not yet clear whether the president-elect intends to govern as he campaigned. Renewable energy technologies are today’s cheapest options when comparing new investment – as has been stated by independent organizations, such as the International Renewable Energy Agency.

“It assumes current gas generation in South Australia will exit the market, something that is not forecast by AEMO – Gas will be a key lower emissions fuel to support the transition to a carbon constrained future energy supply”.

Duke Energy, a primary supplier of power to the Upstate, announced plans to purchase or own 8,000 mW of renewable energy capacity by 2020.

“The current US incentive programs … were passed jointly by Democrats and Republicans in Congress”, said Pierre-Pascal Urbon, chief executive of Germany’s SMA Solar, which makes almost half of its sales in the Americas region. Renewable-energy advocates say Trump never explicitly called for eliminating the tax credits and could find it hard to garner the congressional support required to do so.

He’s promised to repeal two rules for every new one created and said all regulations would have to benefit American workers in order for his administration to write them. State leadership on clean energy is important for so many reasons. Clean energy project developers – wind in Iowa, solar in Arizona, carbon capture in Texas and nuclear in Georgia – are going to continue to build this important USA industry and look for a partnership with Washington, D.C., in doing so.

“The things that could have a more lasting, long-term effect are the things that are hard and unlikely to be done”, said Andy Roberts, a researcher at Wood Mackenzie, speculating that Trump could push more environmental regulation to the states or roll back longstanding, health-based environmental policies.

A rule meant to streamline renewable energy development on federal lands was finalized by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) last week – one of several climate and clean energy regulations expected to be released by the Obama administration before president-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. “Renewable developers weren’t building a business model premised on the CPP”, Serota says.

So, what impact will the U.S. Presidential election have on electric utilities?

Harris says Enova is also helping customers make big savings on their bills, by identifying rebates that many low income families were unaware they could receive (they make up one quarter of their customer base) and by encouraging them to tap into government incentives to install energy efficient appliances.