Treasury clock, EPA cut, and a wind freeze—What a week

Impending credit rules, Solar for All fallout, hyperscaler DR demand, PJM load surge, and the RFPs worth chasing this month.

Author

Swarnav Pujari
August 12, 2025

Hi there,

This is a pivot week. Treasury’s next guidance is expected before Aug 18, and it could redraw “beginning of construction,” safe harbor, and placed-in-service rules—re-pricing projects mid-flight. Meanwhile, EPA killed the $7B Solar for All program, FERC’s chair resigned, and GOP senators are holding Treasury nominees to pressure renewable credit policy. Outside DC, Google’s new DR agreements signal hyperscalers will pay for flexible load, Germany’s 2.5 GW offshore round drew zero bids—a warning on auction design—and PJM outlined a plan for surging data-center demand.

🔦 Signals Worth Monitoring

🔨Headline: Treasury guidance on credits due imminently

What Happened: Reporting points to additional Treasury guidance landing before the Aug 18 deadline set by the July EO, adding uncertainty around “beginning of construction” and other rules.

Why Founders Should Care: Safe-harbor and placed-in-service interpretations will decide which projects still pencil. Lock contingency pathways and term sheets that survive tighter rules. Look out for an in-person workshop at 9zero once the guidance is released.

🔨Headline: EPA kills $7B Solar for All

What Happened: EPA officially cancelled the Solar for All grants program, halting awards to 60 state, tribal, and multi-state recipients.

Why Founders Should Care: LMI rooftop/community-solar demand and developer pipelines just lost a key subsidy. Expect project cancellations, re-pricing, and renewed interest in bill-savings models that work without grants. Expect lawsuits from states to follow.

🔨Headline: FERC Chair Christie resigns

What Happened: FERC Chairman Mark C. Christie submitted his resignation and issued a final letter on major Commission actions.

Why Founders Should Care: Leadership churn can stall or redirect transmission, interconnection, and market-design dockets, affecting timelines for new capacity and DER/VPP rules.

🔨Headline: GOP senators hold Treasury nominees over wind/solar credits

What Happened: Senators Grassley and Curtis placed holds on three Treasury nominees to pressure the White House on renewable credit rules.

Why Founders Should Care: Signals intra-party friction and potential delay in final guidance.

🔨Headline: Google inks DR deals to curb AI data-center load

What Happened: Google reached agreements with multiple U.S. utilities to reduce/shift data-center demand during grid stress.

Why Founders Should Care: Utility-scale demand response is now a hyperscaler procurement lever—big buyers want flexible load + clean power hedges. Pitch controllability and telemetry.

🔨Headline: Germany’s 2.5 GW offshore auction gets zero bids

What Happened: No offers for two North Sea sites under zero-subsidy design; industry calls for CfDs.

Why Founders Should Care: European auction design is shifting back toward revenue certainty—watch for changing models.

🔨Headline: PJM outlines plan for surging load

What Happened: PJM highlighted actions to meet rapid demand growth (data centers, electrification), focusing on market signals and supply additions.

Why Founders Should Care: Queue reforms and capacity constructs will decide siting and revenue certainty—align development with PJM’s stated priorities.

📌 RFP Bulletin

See all of the RFP’s we’ve discovered in calendar format or table view.

CEC GFO-24-312 — Advanced Grid Technology Acceleration Projects

CEC GFO-23-312r2 — Community Energy Reliability & Resilience Investment (CERRI) Round 2

CARB — F-gas Reduction Incentive Program (FRIP) Round 2

  • 📅 Key Dates: Applications due Aug 29, 2025

  • 🎯 Focus Areas: Low-GWP refrigerant retrofits for commercial/industrial refrigeration; ~$38.5M available

  • 🗺️ Region: California

  • 🔗 RFP Link: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/FRIP

NYSERDA RFQL 5937 — Through-Wall Heat Pump Demonstration (Clean Heat for All / PTHP)

📝 Founder Briefing

FAA/DOT moves = An effective moratorium on wind projects

  • DOT & FAA just inserted a new siting brake. On July 29, DOT said it will recommend a 1.2-mile setback for turbines near highways and railroads, citing potential RF interference with transportation safety comms; it also said FAA will “thoroughly evaluate” proposed turbines for aviation risks (including low-altitude/AAM corridors). Expect more “hazard” findings and longer/no-hazard reviews. The FAA rule effectively freezes projects.

  • Offshore leasing effectively zeroed out. A Jan 20 Presidential Memorandum withdrew all OCS areas from new offshore wind leasing; BOEM then rescinded all designated Wind Energy Areas (~3.5M acres) and pulled its leasing schedule—a practical stop to new offshore leasing.

  • Interior is actively canceling projects. DOI revoked the Lava Ridge approval last week; Interior has also centralized approvals (Secretary sign-off) and launched an offshore rules overhaul—signals of tighter, slower, more political review.

  • States are suing, but nothing’s come of it. 17 states + DC are litigating to lift the federal wind permit freeze; as of today, the restrictions remain in force, so timing risk persists.

  • Projects are already folding or pausing. Atlantic Shores (NJ) terminated in June, citing federal permit freezes among drivers; other developers have slowed spend pending clarity.

📒 Founder Playbook and Takeaways

  1. Policy & legal lane. Join state AG coalitions/trade groups pressing for injunctive relief; document discrete harms (jobs, penalties, milestone LDs) to support standing and potential damages.

  2. Front-load FAA engagement. If any turbine exceeds 200’, assume higher scrutiny.

  3. Quick conflict screen. Map turbines within ~1.2 miles of rail or highways and near airports/approach paths or radar. Generate a “with/without” layout; if density breaks economics, pause major equipment orders but keep land and interconnects warm.

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