I am thrilled to share an exciting update on our collective efforts to harness the transformative power of solar energy for the benefit of Arkansas. Through diligent collaboration with HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation), we have successfully secured a near $100 million intent to award from the Solar for All initiative. This significant achievement ensures that these funds, contributed by our taxpayers, are reinvested right here in Arkansas, rather than being left unclaimed. This was a fiscal victory for Arkansans.

While negotiations are still ongoing with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and many details regarding the program design and implementation specifics are yet to be finalized, I want to assure you that we are committed to sharing these details with our membership soon as they become available.

This initiative is not just about immediate economic relief and activity but is a strategic move towards long-term benefits, offering lower energy costs, increased reliability, and enhanced resiliency for low-income Arkansans, particularly in our rural communities.

However, it's important to note that our current net metering policies, which will see the 1:1 rate structure for legacy projects expire on September 30, 2024, are not ideally suited to best optimize these incoming funds. This presents our state's leadership with an opportunity to reflect on Arkansas's current regulatory environment and consider potential revisions in order to maximize the benefits of this program and others for all Arkansans.

To ensure you remain informed and engaged in this pivotal phase of our energy journey, I encourage those who are not yet members of the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association (AAEA) to join us. Membership not only keeps you in the loop on funding opportunities such as these but also supports our ongoing advocacy and educational efforts. You can become a member by visiting our membership page.

I extend my sincere gratitude to all who were involved in this process from our staff to our external partners who submitted letters of support. Thank you. This is a win for Arkansas taxpayers and Arkansas's economy.

All my best,

Arkansas will receive a federal grant of $93.6 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Solar for All program, aimed at boosting rooftop solar power in rural areas and promoting energy independence through a partnership with Hope Enterprise Corp. and the Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation. (Arkansas Business)

“Arkansas stands at a pivotal moment to diversify and secure our energy portfolio, and ultimately enhance our energy independence and economic stability for our most vulnerable populations,” Waldrip said. “This is an opportunity for policy makers to reflect on Arkansas’s current regulatory environment and hopefully make revisions that will allow our state to capitalize on this and other programs.”

AAEA & AAEF Updates

Website Update

We're excited to announce the launch of our newly updated website! With a fresh design and enhanced navigation, our website offers an even more engaging experience. Visit us now to see the improvements firsthand. Let us know what you think!

Committees

Our committees are gearing up to progress advanced energy initiatives in the state. Join us in shaping the future by contributing your expertise and passion to our committees, driving meaningful progress forward in the realm of advanced energy. Click here to read about our committees and sign up!

Our Members in the News

NextEra Energy Resources commissioned Big Cypress Solar Energy Center, a 20-megawatt solar facility with the capacity to generate up to 180 megawatts in West Memphis, Arkansas, creating 300 jobs during construction and expected to add $7.9 million in tax revenue for Crittenden County over the next 35 years. (NextEra Energy Resources, Action News 5, News Channel 5 WREG)

• Sunnova is expanding its virtual power plant network to allow customers in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Texas to earn compensation for providing grid services with their battery storage systems. (Utility Drive)
• Entergy Arkansas' energy efficiency program has earned the 2024 ENERGY STAR® Excellence in Marketing Award for the sixth consecutive year. (Magnolia Banner News)

• The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration is offering $10 million in grants to utilities and energy companies to prevent electric outages and strengthen the state's electric grid, with an additional $5 million expected to become available in late 2024. (Arkansas Business & Talk Business & Politics)
• Eight Arkansas companies have been awarded a total of $307,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Energy for America Program. (Arkansas Democrat Gazette)
• Southwest Power Pool (SPP) of Little Rock filed a tariff with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for its Markets+ day-ahead electricity market in the western U.S., marking a significant milestone in the development of this market that was designed collaboratively with western stakeholders. (Arkansas Business)

• The Arkansas Department of Transportation has awarded $15 million in federal funds to build 19 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the state, with the funding coming from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program. (Arkansas Business & Arkansas Democrat Gazette)

• The Ash Grove Cement plant in Foreman, Arkansas is participating in a U.S. Department of Energy program to test a carbon-capture system as part of a $189 million initiative to develop carbon-capture and storage technologies. (The Arkansas Democrat Gazette)
• The recent solar eclipse in Arkansas highlighted the important role of nuclear energy, which accounts for over 71% of Entergy Arkansas' total energy production, in meeting climate goals alongside the growth of renewable sources like solar power. (Entergy News Room)
• Rusty Tractor Vineyards in Pulaski County, Arkansas became the state's first 100% solar-powered winery after receiving a USDA Rural Energy for American Program (REAP) grant in 2019 to install solar panels and make energy efficiency improvements. (KATV)

• The Little Rock Board of Directors authorized pursuing up to $12 million in short-term financing tied to the construction of one or more solar arrays during a meeting on Tuesday. (Arkansas Democrat Gazette)
• The Batesville School District in Arkansas was recognized as a 2024 recipient of the Green Ribbon School District Sustainability Award for its environmental, health, wellness, and educational initiatives. (Arkansas Democrat Gazette)

Solar for All in the News

• The Hope Enterprise Corporation received $93.67 million from the EPA's Solar for All grant program to fund residential solar projects that benefit low-income and disadvantaged communities in Arkansas. (Talk Business & Politics)

• The Biden-Harris Administration announced that Arkansas' Hope Enterprise Corporation will receive over $93 million to deliver residential solar, lowering energy costs and advancing environmental justice in the state. (epa.gov News Releases)

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a guidance memorandum on integrating climate change adaptation considerations into the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action process. (Mitchell Williams)

• The EPA has announced $20 billion in grants aimed at addressing climate justice and supporting clean energy projects in low-income communities and communities of color across the United States. (Triple Pundit)

• The Inflation Reduction Act provides billions in public subsidies for new clean technology investments, including setting up "green bank" financing programs focused on disadvantaged communities. (Triple Pundit)
• According to a new study by CLASP, a non-profit focused on energy efficiency, national appliance efficiency standards have prevented between 1,900 and 4,400 pollution-related deaths in 2017, and the current administration's upcoming updates to these standards can continue to save energy, lower utility bills, and save lives. (Utility Drive)
• The U.S. Department of Energy has released a National Blueprint for the Buildings Sector that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from residential and commercial buildings through improved energy efficiency and decarbonization efforts. (Courthouse News Service)

• Installing solar on rooftops of large commercial buildings could provide one-fifth of the power needed by disadvantaged communities and help bring renewable energy to people who can least afford it. (Grist)

• The U.S. Department of Energy released a report stating that the transition from coal to nuclear power can provide economic benefits for communities, including increased jobs, income, and revenue. (Utility Drive)
• Virtual power plants (VPPs) are becoming more sought after as they allow utilities to harness the collective power stored in distributed batteries to help balance electric grid demand, providing benefits to both customers and utilities. (Energy News Network)

• Grid interconnection queues in the U.S. jumped 27% in 2023 to 2.6 TW, led by a surge in solar, battery storage, and wind projects. (Utility Drive)
• Congressional Democrats are urging the Treasury Department to ensure tax credit for nuclear power plants is implemented as intended by the Inflation Reduction Act to support the existing nuclear reactor fleet. (Utility Drive)

• Heliene and Suniva, two solar companies, have entered into a $400 million, three-year deal to manufacture solar panels and cells entirely in the U.S., which will enable customers to qualify for lucrative tax credits and incentives. (The Cool Down)

This month April Ambrose participated in two events in DC: the National Skills Coalition and Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships’ discussion on state policy strategies to build a clean energy workforce; and the Workforce Matters’ Further Together: Advancing Equity Through Workforce Philanthropy Conference as part of a session titled: "New approaches to advance equity in apprenticeship and work-based learning." Here is her reflection:

As I write this I am sitting near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Two organizations shared costs to bring me here to talk about the success of the programs I’ve developed and the vision that I hold for equitable, quality, family-sustaining jobs in our industry. When working in Arkansas, a primarily rural and highly impoverished state, it can often feel like I’m not doing enough for those that need so much. In seeing the whole ecosystem, it’s overwhelming at how much there is to do compared to how much need there is. As companies and individuals tell me their needs, I can easily see whole sector solutions, but it takes time for ideas to come to fruition. However, sitting in our nation’s capital with people from around the country assembled to discuss strategies and learn what works, my greatest recognition is that I am a significant thought leader in this space. My vision is highly valued, my words are inspiring, my programs are being developed at a comparatively break-neck speed, and my impact is extraordinary for my short time in the industry. While the Lincoln Memorial is powerful for marking an extraordinary time in our country’s history, it is simultaneously very emotional because it reminds us that this is not new work. Equity, true equity, is actually unfinished business. This is a new industry, with the same historical undertones shaping its future. Like AI, which unwittingly encodes historical bias, green jobs could end up the same if we adopt old workforce models to encode our emerging future. But now, after convening nationally with others doing the work, I am returning to Arkansas renewed, reinvigorated, and determined to stay the path, welcome new partners and collaboration, and fight for what I feel is right. I can imagine how our industry founders may have felt; I m aligned with a shared vision on the cutting edge of a burgeoning industry. I feel the inspiration and the call to solve a workforce issue much larger than myself. I am elated to sound the call for a conscious advanced energy jobs movement and to be standing shoulder to shoulder with each of you doing the same. This is our industry. This is our time. This is our responsibility and this is our opportunity!

April Ambrose

AAE Engagements: The Month in Motion

In April, Arkansas Advanced Energy hosted and participated in a dynamic lineup of events showcasing our commitment to promoting advanced energy and energy efficiency.

• The month kicked off with our Q2 Board Meeting on April 9.
• On April 10, we hosted the first Quarterly Charge of the year, drawing in around 30 participants who discussed energy efficiency issues including state and federal programs, regulations, and grants.
• AAEA collaborated with Clean Grid Alliance and presented Wind 101, an informative session in Marianna on the evening of April 10, promoting the benefits of wind energy.
• Executive Director Lauren Waldrip represented Arkansas Advanced Energy at the RE+ Southeast conference in Atlanta, delivering an update on advanced energy developments in Arkansas to an enthusiastic audience.

Welcome to our newest member, Little Rock Port Authority!

Located at the Port of Little Rock, the Little Rock Port Authority operates America’s Best Connected Inland Port by providing multi-faceted, international companies with seamless and nimble logistic channels from the heart of the United States. These businesses have limitless possibilities to access customers and new markets through multiple points of connectivity, including a flood-controlled, ice-free channel, major interstates, Class I railways and national runways.

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

EnerVenue, a clean energy company, has developed a nickel-hydrogen battery technology that is more affordable, durable, and safer than lithium-ion batteries, and can be used in a variety of energy storage applications. (Triple Pundit)

RESOURCES

The IRS has released procedural guidance for the second year of the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program under Section 48(e) of the Internal Revenue Code, which provides an increase in the investment tax credit for qualified solar and wind facilities installed in low-income communities or on Indian land. (JD Supra)

Membership in AAEA is an opportunity to be a part of a growing and influential organization that is leading the way for advanced energy development in Arkansas.

AAEA is dedicated to growing Arkansas’s economy through expanded utilization of advanced energy technologies, including energy efficiency, solar, wind, hydro, nuclear, electric vehicles, alternative fuels and smart grid. These are innovations that make our energy supply more secure, clean and affordable.

AAEA engages in policy advocacy at the federal, state and regulatory levels; industry policy group briefings; targeted outreach to other businesses and policymakers in Arkansas and across the country and regular communications with our members.

Click below to apply to be a featured member in our newsletter!