Broken solar panels could get new life in Florida

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SOLAR

• Florida startup OnePlanet raises $7 million to build a first-of-its-kind solar panel recycling facility, which could be a key source of copper, silicon, and other materials as tariffs loom. (Canary Media)

• Dominion Energy plans to build a 3 MW solar farm on a Virginia landfill. (WVIR)

• A company launches commercial operations at a 127 MW solar farm in Louisiana. (news release)

RENEWABLES

• A growing number of renewable energy developers are delaying projects due to uncertainty about tax credits and Trump’s tariffs. (Houston Chronicle)

• Texas lawmakers advance a bill to place new restrictions on wind, solar, and battery development despite opposition from rural residents who say the legislation would restrict their property rights. (Houston Chronicle)

FOSSIL FUELS

• Texas regulators deny loans to companies building 162 MW and 900 MW gas-fired projects from the state’s $5 billion loan fund for such projects, spurring criticism of the program. (Houston Chronicle)

• Trump is cutting health and safety programs for coal miners even as he signs executive orders with the goal of spurring more production of ​“beautiful, clean coal.” (Washington Post, Reuters)

• Trump and West Virginia officials are pushing for utilities to use more coal, but some residents are moving to solar and natural gas due to coal’s rising cost in the state. (NPR)

WIND

• San Antonio, Texas’ municipal utility reaches an agreement with renewable energy producer Avangrid to double the power produced by a wind farm to 320 MW as it ramps up wind production to reduce carbon emissions and replace aging coal and gas plants. (Houston Chronicle)

UTILITIES

• A Virginia electric cooperative proposes consumer protections from data center expansion by charging data centers and other big users a monthly rate based on how much capacity they require, as well as an upfront cost for equipment installation. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

• The Tennessee Valley Authority issues a request for proposals for power projects ranging between 50 MW to 1,000 MW of gas, nuclear, hydro, or coal power as it seeks to add a total of 6,300 MW to meet anticipated power demand. (news release)

CLIMATE

• A Texas climate center resumes operations after briefly halting operations last week after its federal funding lapsed. (KXAN)

COMMENTARY

• Trump’s tariffs have created uncertainty for global oil demand, pushing down prices and affecting U.S. producers, writes a columnist. (Forbes)