Starbucks goes for community solar projects: Global coffee chain, Starbucks Coffee Company has entered an 'innovative' multi-year facility with sustainable infrastructure company Generate Capital to source solar power from 23 New York State community solar projects. In a statement, Generate said it has commissioned the initial 6 projects (24 MW) of the list of 23 facilities (90 MW) and that these projects will supply solar power to local Starbucks stores as well as for up to 24,000 households, small businesses, nonprofits, churches, universities and stores in multiple geographies, including those designated as under-served communities. Under its partnership with Generate Starbucks said it has committed $97 million tax equity to the community solar projects, and it will also receive renewable energy credits from the projects that will help it offset over 70% of its electricity usage within the state. Generate added that these projects represent some of the 1st community solar and storage projects in the community solar market of New York.
In June 2019, LevelTen Energy said it helped Starbucks sign up to procure 146 MW solar and wind power capacity for the US grid to serve more than 3,000 company stores and communities (see Starbucks Contracts 146 MW RE).
Hawaiian Electric wants more rooftop solar: Hawaiian Electric has sought stakeholder comments for its strategy to increase rooftop solar and similar customer energy resources (CER) to meet the state's clean energy benchmarks. It has filed the document with the Public Utilities Commission titled Customer Energy Resources for Hawaii; A Customer-First CER Strategy for a 100% Clean Energy Future. It is now soliciting feedback from all interested stakeholders. "We simply do not have enough open land to sustainably balance renewable energy with other vital needs such as housing and local food supply. It's critical that all customers participate in this energy transformation in a fair and equitable way, even if they're unable to install rooftop solar," said Hawaiian Electric Senior Vice President for Customer Service and Public Affairs, Shelee Kimura and laid stress on customer-cited resources as rooftop solar and batteries, electric vehicles and emerging management technologies.
ACORE report on transmission ITC: The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) has released a report listing the benefits of a transmission Investment Tax Credit (ITC) in the US, if cleared. Stating the benefits it would lead to, the authors see it enabling an additional 30 GW of renewable energy capacity while creating more than 650,000 good-paying jobs and mobilizing over $15 billion in private capital investment in the near term. It would also lead to $2.3 billion in energy cost savings for the lower 80% of income brackets. The report titled Investment Tax Credit for Regionally Significant Electricity Transmission Lines builds on the transmission ITC proposed in the US Senate and the House of Representatives and also includes in the federal government's American Jobs Plan.
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