Vilsack announces school meal investments
The USDA is investing $50 million to help expand access to healthy and nutritious school meal programs. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the funds will increase collaboration between schools, food producers, and suppliers. “To be able to...
Global renewable growth broke records in 2022, adding almost 295 GW: IRENA
Despite the global energy crisis, renewables capacity worldwide increased by 9.6% in 2022, says a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency....
Solar + storage microgrid will support rice processing facility in Arkansas
Farmer co-op Producers Rice Mill will soon host a solar + storage microgrid developed by Scenic Hill Solar and constructed by CS Energy and KORE Power at its processing facility in Stuttgart. The project is the...
Solar News
Meta signs PPA on 240-MW Texas solar project
AVANGRID, a sustainable energy company, has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Meta, Facebook’s parent company, to procure renewable energy from True North, a 240-MW solar farm under development in Falls County, Texas, and AVANGRID’s...
TotalEnergies to install solar + storage project at Colorado cement factory
TotalEnergies will install and operate a 33-MW solar/38.5-MWh energy storage system at Holcim’s Portland cement factory in Florence, Colorado. The solar project will use single-axis trackers and bifacial solar panels. “As we work to accelerate green...
Energy Department to fund projects that aim to lower cost of wind energy production
The $30 million is meant for projects that improve lightweight composite materials and additive manufacturing for wind turbine components....
EnergySage: Majority of installers offered just one inverter brand in H2 2022
EnergySage announced it has released its 16th Solar & Storage Marketplace Report, a semiannual report that analyzes transaction-level data points generated by quotes sent to homeowners shopping on EnergySage.com throughout the entirety of 2022 for solar...
Solar panel players still squabbling over AD/CVD circumvention case A final DOC determination should come May 1.
The U.S. Dept. of Commerce is expected to release its final determination on the antidumping/countervailing duties (AD/CVD) circumvention case affecting the solar industry on May 1, 2023. Solar panel manufacturers have been submitting their case briefs...
Agriculture News
Black Sea grain deal extended, uncertainty remains
An ag economist says the United Nations helped broker a deal over the weekend that extends the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Jim McCormick with AgMarket.Net says there’s still some uncertainty around the agreement. “It’s kind of clear as...
Input costs are down, but may not stay that way
The chief economist the Farmers Business Network says relief from record high input costs may be short lived. Kevin McNew tells Brownfield fertilizer, chemical and fuel prices have all declined to start 2023. “We’re probably not going...
February cattle placements drop 7% on year
The USDA says the number of cattle placed into U.S. feedlots in February fell sharply. The total of 1.734 million head was down 7% on the year, towards the low end of pre-report estimates, and the sixth...
UPL leader says supply challenges are easing
A global ag solutions company leader says after a couple of challenging years, supply chain disruptions are easing. “If you look back over the last year, supply has been a number one challenge for growers.” Craig Brekkas, Head...
Managing risk beyond crop insurance
A crop insurance expert says now that the crop insurance deadline has passed, farmers should start thinking about other ways to manage risk. Tony Jesina with Farm Credit Services of America says the first thing growers need...
