The US Solar Energy Whack-A-Mole Continues

The article discusses the challenges and ongoing developments in the US solar energy sector amid shifting federal energy policies that threaten to hinder growth. Despite political obstacles, energy consumers continue to adopt cost-effective and abundant solar solutions, exemplified by a new concentrating solar power (CSP) project in California. This project, a partnership between GlassPoint and Searles Valley Minerals (SVM), aims to replace the last two coal power plants in California by providing reliable, round-the-clock clean power. The initiative is notable not only for its environmental benefits but also for supporting local jobs, reducing costs, and securing domestic supply chains for critical minerals like boron, which SVM will uniquely produce in the US after Rio Tinto Borates winds down operations. GlassPoint specializes in CSP technology that uses mirrors to concentrate sunlight to generate thermal energy, producing steam for industrial processes rather than electricity directly. This approach targets a $444 billion industrial process heat market, with strong global demand from sectors such as metals, mining, and oil