1 FREE NABCEP CEU – How We Got Here: A (Riveting!) History of DER Interconnection in the U.S. If you’ve ever hit a wall on a solar or storage project because of interconnection delays, confusing utility procedures, or regulations that seem to make no sense – this new course is for you. HeatSpring just launched a new, free… Continue reading “1 FREE NABCEP CEU – How We Got Here: A (Riveting!) History of DER Interconnection in the U.S.”
How Tax Credit Deadlines Are Overwhelming Utility Interconnection Queues The Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits were designed to accelerate clean energy deployment. With tax credits prematurely winding down, solar professionals are having to juggle multiple critical timelines with their projects. That’s because the customer tax credit eligibility doesn’t just… Continue reading “How Tax Credit Deadlines Are Overwhelming Utility Interconnection Queues”
Why DC-Coupled Solar Plus Storage Is Finally Ready to Take Off For years, DC-coupling was the way off-grid systems worked. Then AC-coupling took over. Now, interconnection bottlenecks and new tax incentives are bringing DC-coupling back – this time at commercial scale. HeatSpring instructor Wes Kennedy walks through the economics and engineering:… Continue reading “Why DC-Coupled Solar Plus Storage Is Finally Ready to Take Off”
Solar & Storage Conferences Happening in 2026 The 2026 conference circuit isn’t slowing down, despite the market and policy challenges facing the industry. These events remain one of the most direct ways to see new products, understand policy changes, and connect with the people driving the market… Continue reading “Solar & Storage Conferences Happening in 2026”
How Does Energy Bidding Work for Battery Systems in Power Markets? Understanding how battery systems participate in power markets can seem complex at first, but the fundamentals are surprisingly straightforward. The basics of energy bidding are essential knowledge for anyone working in the utility-scale energy storage space – from entrepreneurs and… Continue reading “How Does Energy Bidding Work for Battery Systems in Power Markets?”
Why Does EV Charger Energization Efficiency Matter & What Challenges Can Local Government Address? The U.S. will need nearly 28 million charging ports by 2030 to meet projected EV adoption – a massive expansion from today’s charging network. Local governments play a critical role in ensuring this infrastructure can be deployed quickly and efficiently.… Continue reading “ Why Does EV Charger Energization Efficiency Matter & What Challenges Can Local Government Address?”
IREC’s New Courses on EV Charging Infrastructure I’m hyped up about a new partnership between HeatSpring and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) to help utilities and local governments deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure more efficiently. The journey from planning to powering up can make or break… Continue reading “IREC’s New Courses on EV Charging Infrastructure”
What Your Nonprofit Customers Need to Know About the Latest Solar Policy This blog was originally posted on CollectiveSun and has been adapted for HeatSpring with permission. The recent passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OB3) rapidly phases out solar tax benefits and adds new restrictions for nonprofits who want to… Continue reading “What Your Nonprofit Customers Need to Know About the Latest Solar Policy”
New Free Course: “Changes to Solar Policy: What Nonprofits Need to Know to Go Solar Now” The solar landscape has shifted dramatically for everyone in recent months, including nonprofits, and staying informed has never been more critical. That’s why we’re excited to announce our brand-new free course: “Changes to Solar Policy: What Nonprofits Need to Know… Continue reading “New Free Course: “Changes to Solar Policy: What Nonprofits Need to Know to Go Solar Now””
We Need More Utility-Scale Solar PV Designers Engineers…we need you. You can spend your whole career working in solar energy and never get bored. Climate change is the biggest problem you could tackle and you’ll never have trouble finding interesting work to do. Let’s zoom out and… Continue reading “We Need More Utility-Scale Solar PV Designers”
An Incubator for Home Performance Contractors “Boosting Contractor Capacity to Meet Home Performance Demand” is a live webinar that will happen on Wednesday August 14th @ 1pm eastern (USA). The edited presentation will then be available here as a free course. We are going to present a… Continue reading “An Incubator for Home Performance Contractors”
REAP Grants Can Cover 50% of Eligible Solar Project Costs – So Who’s Eligible? For solar sales professionals, it’s essential to stay informed about the various incentives and programs available to help your customers make the switch to solar energy. One program that is particularly beneficial for farmers and rural small business owners is… Continue reading “REAP Grants Can Cover 50% of Eligible Solar Project Costs – So Who’s Eligible?”
What is the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)? The Inflation Reduction Act provided many incentives for clean energy adoption across the United States. Included in the legislation was a major boost to the already existing Rural Energy for America Program (also known as REAP). REAP helps agricultural producers… Continue reading “What is the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)? “
FERC Orders 1920 and 1977 – What’s the Bottom Line? The recent buzz in the electric transmission industry, which is a key part of utility-scale renewables growth, is the May 13th issuing of FERC Order 1920 and FERC Order 1977 . FERC Order 1920 FERC Order 1920, “Building for the… Continue reading “FERC Orders 1920 and 1977 – What’s the Bottom Line?”
Interconnection of Renewables to Electric Transmission: Insights from Industry Expert Tim Taylor Tim Taylor is a HeatSpring instructor who focuses on utility transmission and distribution systems, and the interconnection of renewables to those systems. We recently asked Tim a few questions about two new courses that he has been developing. Tim’s new… Continue reading “Interconnection of Renewables to Electric Transmission: Insights from Industry Expert Tim Taylor”
A Brief History of Transmission Legislation in the United States The electricity industry in the United States has undergone significant changes over the past few decades, largely driven by a series of legislative and regulatory initiatives aimed at promoting competition, efficiency, and the integration of renewable energy resources. In this… Continue reading “A Brief History of Transmission Legislation in the United States”
The Four Categories to Qualify for the Low Income Community Bonus Adder The Low Income Community Bonus Adder provision in the Inflation Reduction Act is different from all the other bonus adders and the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) itself, because it is an allocated credit. That means there is a limited number… Continue reading “The Four Categories to Qualify for the Low Income Community Bonus Adder”
New Free Course Announcement: Domestic Content Bonus Adder The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has opened up tremendous new incentives for solar projects – including a potentially lucrative 10% tax credit adder for using domestically-made components and products, known as the Domestic Content Bonus Adder. Although, actually qualifying for… Continue reading “New Free Course Announcement: Domestic Content Bonus Adder”
Learn the Basics of the Energy Community Bonus Adder Provision When we think about the term energy communities, as in the bonus adder provision included in the Inflation Reduction Act, we’re referring to legacy fossil fuel communities anchored in the extraction, processing, or generation of energy using coal, oil, and… Continue reading “Learn the Basics of the Energy Community Bonus Adder Provision “
New Free Course Announcement: Inflation Reduction Act Solar Provisions: Direct Pay Elective Pay (more commonly known as Direct Pay) creates a pathway for nonprofit organizations to utilize tax credits. It was included as a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act passed in August 2022. Prior to Direct Pay, it was difficult… Continue reading “New Free Course Announcement: Inflation Reduction Act Solar Provisions: Direct Pay”