Spark Alerts: April 30, 2025

Note: This is a proof of concept for Spark Alerts, focusing on utility-scale solar news and policy updates in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. Please help us improve by sharing general feedback with us!

📰 Market & Development News

Arizona

• 4/28- The City of Phoenix is hiring strategists for a plan to increase the city’s solar asset portfolio and evaluate new development opportunities on underused city land.

• 4/25- The US Bureau of Land Management opened a 30-day public comment period on Avantus’ Pinyon Solar, a 300-MW solar-plus-storage and transmission project in Maricopa County.

• 4/25- The Solar Energy Industries Association ranked Arizona among the top five US states in solar capacity.

• 4/25- The US Bureau of Land Management has approved Elisabeth Solar’s 270-MW project on public land in Yuma County.

Colorado

• 4/29- EcoMark Solar, a panel manufacturer owned by a Colorado state representative, went bankrupt.

New Mexico

• 4/29- Private equity firm Stonepeak acquired a 46% stake in Repsol’s solar/storage portfolio across New Mexico and Texas.

• 4/25- New Mexico’s first community solar project on state trust lands broke ground, a 5-MW array by Affordable Solar in Los Lunas. 49 more projects are currently in the works across the state.

Texas

• 4/29- A poll found that restrictions on solar and wind proposed by Texas’s SB819 and SB388 were broadly unpopular with Republicans in the state.

• 4/29- Private equity firm Stonepeak acquired a 46% stake in Repsol’s solar/storage portfolio across New Mexico and Texas.

• 4/28- Electronics manufacturer Danfoss signed a seven-year PPA with Cypress Creek Renewables to power all its US facilities with the 270 MW Shakes Solar facility in Dimmitt County.

• 4/25- Spearmint Energy announced it has closed $252 million of funding for two 100-MW BESS projects in Del Rio and Laredo.

• 4/25- Belltown Power Texas has announced six new data center developments across North Texas totaling 1.4 GW.

• 4/25- The Solar Energy Industries Association ranked Texas among the top five US states in solar capacity.

• 4/25- State regulators approved a budget plan to build out new transmission lines across Texas to meet energy demand.

📢 Policy & Programs

Texas

• HB3228

  • Mandates the inclusion of recycling and disposal provisions in solar lease agreements.

  • Introduced in House 3/20.

  • UPDATE- Passed third reading 120-0 on 4/25. Will move to Senate. A companion bill to set reporting requirements for recycling facilities also passed the House on 4/28.

• HB5692

  • Creates the Palagena Energy District to serve Duval County, including provisions to allow it to purchase solar and storage.

  • Filed in House and transmitted to the Governor 4/28.

• HB4725

  • Grants a sales tax exemption for the sale or lease of distributed energy systems for residential or business use.

  • Introduced in House 4/3, sent to Ways & Means Committee.

  • UPDATE- public hearing held on 4/28.

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